Bronzewing Pigeon: Description, Pictures, & Fun Facts

Bronzewing Pigeon: All You Need To Know

The most sturdy and best adapted to the environment is the common bronzewing pigeon. It is a heavily built and average height pigeon. This breed is a native of Australia yet some breeders in UK, USA, and Europe also rear this variety.

Origins of the Common Bronzewing

The common bronzewing is a hardy, well-built breed having more than 20 species only in Australia alone. The pigeon has bronze coloured wings and it is widely spread in Australia There are numerous sub-species of this pigeon that depend on the different habitats they are adapted to.

The common bronzewing has had an ancient establishment since colonial times. In a famous book written by Captain Arthur Phillip The Voyage to Botany Bay, it had been pictured and described. John Latham firstly assigned its name as common bronzewing.

Later the name was reaffirmed by John Gould in 1843, for a few years number of pigeons was dropped and then in 1931, Neville Cayley included it again as common bronzewing in his famous work What Bird Is That?

Different Subspecies of Bronzewing Pigeon

Brush bronzewing
Flock bronzewing
Crested pigeon
Spinifex pigeon
Partridge pigeon
Squatter pigeon

Distribution And Habitat of the Common Bronzewing

The bird as discussed above is very sturdy and strong that making it widespread in different habitats in Australia.

Bronzewing Pigeon Breed

There are two types of areas one which is barren and the other is dense rainforest. the common bronzewing is certainly found near the source of water. the breed is so water-loving that it is said that people follow their flock to find water in dry areas.

There is a story that common bronzewings saved the life of explorer Charles Sturt who, when in urgent need of water, followed these birds to their drinking source. The bird is abundance in population because of many reasons.

It is not reared as a pet bird in today’s time. It is not hunted for meat as the demand has decreased throughout the world. It is well adapted to its environment that it has been placed within the least concern category. Hence there is no need to worry about its endangerment or extinction.

Appearance of the Common Bronzewing

Pigeon	Wingspan	Length	Weight	Coloring
Common Bronzewing Pigeon	50-58cm	30-36cm	230-390g	Males – brown with patches of red, blue, and green on the wings Females – greyish with the patches
Average Feral Pigeon	64-72cm	32-37cm	300-500g	Bluish grey with some black

The appearance of the common bronzewing differs between male and female. Male common bronzewings have foreheads of pale yellow to yellow-white, accompanied by pink breasts. Both males and females share a particular white line around their eyes.

There are striking patches of green, red, and blue on the wings. Young common bronzewing is somewhat duller in their coloring, they lose their brown patches as they mature. They can easily merge with ground and leaf litter showing a good camouflage character.

Common bronzewings are smaller than the feral pigeons which are common across the world. They are shorter, less in weight, and have shorter wingspans.

Character of the Common Bronzewing

Common bronzewings are very alert and cautious birds. So, these are unapproachable for humans and other animals as well making them safe in their habitat. This breed is happy to be alone or in small flocks.

Bronzewing Pigeon Closeup

Similar to other varieties of pigeons, common bronzewings also love to communicate with each other. These don’t produce a traditional cooing sound, but this bird’s sound is a mournful whoop. Nowadays common bronzewing is not kept as a pet but in past, they were reared as caged birds because they have a good temperament.

Diet of a Common Bronzewing

The common bronzewing is a ground feeder and its diet contains a greater proportion of vegetable matter like seeds, grains, grasses, nuts, berries, etc. they fly around in search of food in small flocks. Sometimes their search can extend up to a few days depending on the environmental condition.

The major concern about this species is to prevent them from dehydration because pigeons need a frequent intake of water for health reasons. that is why they always make their home near water holes or other sources of water along their route.

Mating and Breeding Process of Common Bronzewings

This pigeon builds a rough nest made up of sticks and twigs usually placed at a low position in a bush or a tree, the reason behind this is the fear of their eggs and hatchlings falling from a risky height.

The eggs hatch after 14 to 16 days, both males and females share the responsibility of incubating and caring for their young ones. This is not a common character in other pigeon species.

The common bronzewing produces crop milk to feed their hatchlings. unlike other breeds common bronzewings are regarded as being very caring and attentive pigeon parents.

In the end, it is said that common bronzewing is widely found in Australia. It is rarely found in European and American countries, but this bird can be seen for sale in other parts.