# White-crowned Pigeon (*Patagioenas leucocephala*) The White-crowned Pigeon is a beautiful bird with a striking white crown on its head. It loves to live in tropical forests and can often be seen perched high in the trees, making soft cooing sounds. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 4 - **Habitat:** Tropical forests ![White-crowned Pigeon](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/White-crowned_Pigeon_%28Patagioenas_leucocephala%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: Lip Kee from Singapore, Republic of Singapore, CC BY-SA 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:White-crowned_Pigeon_%28Patagioenas_leucocephala%29.jpg) ## Appearance The White-crowned Pigeon is a sleek, dark slate-gray bird with a striking bright white cap on its head. It has a distinctive red eye-ring and iridescent green-purple neck feathers, making it stand out from other pigeons. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Columbiformes - **Family:** Columbidae - **Genus:** Patagioenas ## Interesting facts - Baby pigeons are called squabs, and they are fed 'crop milk' by their parents! - Pirates and sailors once hunted these pigeons for food on remote islands! - Their flimsy nests are sometimes so see-through, you can spot the eggs! - They fly straight to saltwater pools to drink when freshwater is scarce. ## Special abilities - **Island Drinker:** White-crowned Pigeon can drink salty ocean water because it has special glands that help remove the extra salt. - **Seed Sower:** White-crowned Pigeon has a fruity diet that helps them spread seeds far and wide, growing new plants. - **Mangrove Navigator:** White-crowned Pigeon can fly swiftly and expertly through dense coastal forests because of its agile wings. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 29-35 cm - **Wingspan:** 48-60 cm - **Weight:** 0.15-0.3 kg - **Lifespan:** 5-10 years - **Speed:** 80 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 1-2 - **Incubation:** 13-14 days - **Migration Distance:** 250 km ## Diet & Feeding These pigeons love to eat juicy fruits and berries, helping new plants grow across their island homes! - **Primary Foods:** Gumbo Limbo berries, Strangler fig fruits, Sea grape, Poisonwood berries, Palm fruits - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Gumbo Limbo](https://www.snappit.app/explore/gumbo-limbo) (*Bursera simaruba*) — Provides essential fruit. - **Eaten by:** Strangler Fig (*Ficus aurea*) — An important food source. - **Hunts:** [Peregrine Falcon](https://www.snappit.app/explore/peregrine-falcon) (*Falco peregrinus*) — A primary avian predator. - **Eats:** Virginia Opossum (*Didelphis virginiana*) — Climbs trees to raid nests. - **Eaten by:** Humans (*Homo sapiens*) — Historically hunted for food. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Singing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/singing): Singing animals produce complex vocalizations, often for purposes of attracting mates, defending territory, or communicating within their species. - [Arboreal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/arboreal): Arboreal animals live primarily in trees, utilizing them for shelter, food, and protection from predators. - [Gliding](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/gliding): Gliding animals move through the air by launching themselves and maintaining flight with specialized body structures, without flapping wings. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch birds from a distance and don't try to touch or catch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify White-crowned Pigeon? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is White-crowned Pigeon? 29-35 cm ### What is White-crowned Pigeon's wingspan? 48-60 cm ### How much does White-crowned Pigeon weigh? 0.15-0.3 kg ### How long does White-crowned Pigeon live? 5-10 years ### How fast can White-crowned Pigeon move? 80 km/h ### What does White-crowned Pigeon eat? These pigeons love to eat juicy fruits and berries, helping new plants grow across their island homes! ### Where is White-crowned Pigeon usually found? Tropical forests ## Where to spot - [Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fairchild-tropical-botanic-garden) — Florida, US · Botanical Garden - [Key West Aquarium](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/key-west-aquarium) — US · Zoo - [John C. Gifford Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/john-c-gifford-arboretum) — Florida, US · Botanical Garden - [Key West Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/key-west-historic-district) — Florida, US · Historic District - [Monroe Lake Archeological District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/monroe-lake-archeological-district) — Florida, US · Historic District - [Pinecrest Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/pinecrest-gardens) — Florida, US · Botanical Garden [View all places to see White-crowned Pigeon](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/white-crowned-pigeon) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [White-crowned Pigeon: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-crowned-pigeon)