Photo: JJ Harrison (https://www.jjharrison.com.au/) / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
White-headed Pigeon
Columba leucomela
White-headed Pigeon (Columba leucomela) — Pigeons & Doves of Australia & Oceania.
Found across 18 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The White-headed Pigeon (Columba leucomela) is a member of the Columbidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 420 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Columbiformes
- Family Columbidae Pigeons, Doves
- Genus Columba
- Species leucomela
Where it lives
Southeastern Cape York Pen., northeastern QLD to southeastern VIC (eastern Australia)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 420 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Columbidae
- Order
- Columbiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The White-headed Pigeon is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The White-headed Pigeon is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The White-headed Pigeon (Columba leucomela) is a species of bird in the Columbidae family, part of the order Columbiformes. Its range spans Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU se Cape York Pen., ne QLD to se VIC (e Australia).
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 420 g, with a wing length of about 23 cm and a tail of around 13.2 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 275,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the White-headed Pigeon?
The White-headed Pigeon is a large bird that weighs around 420 g.
Where does the White-headed Pigeon live?
The White-headed Pigeon is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU se Cape York Pen., ne QLD to se VIC (e Australia), where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the White-headed Pigeon belong to?
The White-headed Pigeon (Columba leucomela) belongs to the Columbidae family, in the order Columbiformes.
What does the White-headed Pigeon eat?
The White-headed Pigeon is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the White-headed Pigeon migrate?
The White-headed Pigeon is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the White-headed Pigeon endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the White-headed Pigeon make?
1 real field recording of the White-headed Pigeon — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the White-headed Pigeon's range?
The White-headed Pigeon has a mapped global range of about 275,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
Meet the Columbidae
A field guide to the Columbidae family — 352 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.