Crested Pigeon

I love Crested Pigeons (Ocyphaps lophotes). They're a very common bird where I live in rural NSW. Actually they're really quite widespread across Australia. They used to live mainly in central Australia, but this seed eating forager has made great use of farming and urban areas, and they are now found in most areas of mainland Australia.

They are great to take pictures of, especially for the novice birdwatcher and photographer. They're quite a large pigeon sized bird, and they are relatively used to people being around, and so aren't skittish. When they do take flight they make quite a commotion, so you can often hear them before you see them. Their wings whistle as they take off (think corduroy jeans rubbing together), because they have modified wing feathers, and so the wind can whistle between their feathers as they take flight, easily alerting bird stalkers to their presence.

Recently I found some in my local Botanic Gardens.

They have quite a strutty walk when trying to impress the Ladies

 As well as a snazzy mohawk spike they have beautiful colours on their wings if you look carefully.

 Sometimes you can't see the coloured patches.

Sometimes one hops up onto a branch in a little spot of sun to perfectly display the beautiful colours in his wings. 

Saturday Snapshot, is a wonderful weekly meme from at home with books