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One of the world's most exotic Pigeons, the Victoria-Crowned Pigeon is native to the lowland and swamp forests of northern New Guinea. Their given name pays tribute to the United Kingdom's Queen Victoria (1819-1822).

The diet of the Victoria-Crowned Pigeon consists of seeds, fruits, some invertebrates, and they are attracted to areas where grain is available. They prefer to forage around the ground during the day and roost in low-lying branches of trees during the night.

Prised for their meat and easy to see and catch, native populations have hunted the Victoria-Crowned Pigeon in the wild nearly to extinction.

The subject you see here is one of several Victoria-Crowned Pigeons found at Khao Kheow Open Zoo's large bird aviary.

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