Victoria Crowned Pigeon (Goura victoria)  

The Victoria crowned pigeon is one of the largest species of pigeons in the world at 29 inches long. Very little is known about their habits in the wild, due to a small population distributed through thick rainforest habitat in New Guinea. Like all rainforest animals, the Victoria crowned pigeon is faced with habitat loss due to human activities. These impressive birds spend most of their time on the forest floor looking for fruit, seeds, and small invertebrates to eat.

Victoria crowned pigeons are listed as “Vulnerable” by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) Red List of Threatened Species. They are generally tame, curious, and easy to approach (a characteristic of animals that are unused to human contact) which makes them easy to hunt for both meat and feathers. These birds also reproduce slowly, laying only one white egg per nesting season. Because scientists are unsure exactly how many Victoria crowned pigeons are left in the wild, it is extremely important to protect them and their habitat.