Wonga Pigeon
Leucosarcia melanoleuca
Family: Columbidae (Pigeons and Doves, 25 species in Australia)
Size: 36-39 cm
Distribution: Within about 200 km of the coasts of NSW, South QLD, Eastern VIC
Status: Common
Habitat: Coastal, dense forests, scrubs, rainforests
References: Simpson and Day, Reader's Digest
The Wonga Pigeon is known for its "woop, woop, woop, woop, woop..." call, which can go for hours, almost without a break. In older times it was known for being good eating, and is one of the only (perhaps the only) pigeon with white meat.
The Wonga Pigeon is almost always seen on the ground and it is very shy, they are heard much more than they are seen.
Photo: Featherdale Wildlife Park, Sydney NSW. High Resolution (2556 x 1779).
Photo: Wentworth Falls, Blue Mountains NSW
Photo: Wentworth Falls, Blue Mountains NSW
Artwork: John Gould, 'The Birds of Australia', 1848. Original Scanned Image.
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