The 'Brown Cuckoo-dove', ''Macropygia phasianella'', is a
dove in the genus ''
Macropygia''. It is also known by the names of "Brown Pigeon", "Pheasant Pigeon" and "Cockoo Dove". They located in eastern
Australia from
Weipa and
Aurukun in the north to
Bega in the south and most inland at
Atherton and
Toowoomba.
The pigeon is from 40 to 43
centimetres (16 to 17.2
inches) in length. Its
feathers are of a rich rusty-brown colour. The male will tend to have a slight rose/green colouration on their
necks. It has a very long
tail and short
wings.
The call of the pigeon is a very loud "whoop-a whoop".
The Brown Cuckoo-dove inhabits
rainforest,
scrubs and rainforest regrowth areas. Generally, they can be found in open places of low vegetation but can been found in thick rainforests and in the
highlands.
The pigeons can often be seen in pairs or groups. Its diet consists of
berries from both native plants and introduced
weed species. They can be nomadic, depending on the supplies of food and have been seen in
Papua New Guinea,
Indonesia and
Philippines. They tend to
fly short distances and low to the ground with great strength.
Breeding occurs in
spring and
summer. The
nest is a flat platform of sticks and vines, either in a fork of a
tree or on top of a low
tree. One creamy, white
egg is laid.
References
★
Lamington National Park - Brown Cuckoo-dove
★
North Queensland Bird Watching - Brown Cuckoo-dove
★ Pizzey and Knight, "Field Guide to the Birds of Australia", Angus & Robertson, ISBN 0-207-19691-5
External links
★
Photographs of the Brown Cuckoo-dove