At Noosa Landcare's office in Pomona we see a few different birds. Considering all the area around our office was bare ground 8 years ago, the habitat around our office is now pretty good. Recently we had a white headed pigeon [Columba leucomela] move in and set up residence in a Brisbane wattle [Acacia fimbriata].

White-headed Pigeon [Columba leucomela]
image: Valda McLean

This beautiful bird is closely related to the feral pigeon common in the city. It is in the same genus...Columba. It is a large plump bird with a white head [!] grey body, and wings with the tail blackish. You see them in flocks of 15 or more. At certain times of the year they can be very numerous feeding on fruits, particularly the introduced camphor laurel [Cinnamonum camphora].

The birds engage in a ritual during mating season with the male strutting around to attract the attention of a mate...just like us. They can breed anytime from July through to March. They build a very flimsy nest...just a few sticks making a precarious platform to lay their egg [usually singular, or occasionally two eggs] on. It is a wonder that the egg even stays there, let alone the chick. However they seem to know which sticks to use [often with forks in them] to give the nest some strength. Both Male & female birds tend the young. The eggs take about twenty days to hatch.

Our Pigeon before and after. This is why we ask people to keep cats and dogs restrained, particularly at night.

Unfortunately our bird didn't make it. I came to work on Monday, and all I saw was a trail of feathers, until I found what was left of the pigeon. Birds have many predators. These include dogs, foxes, raptors, cars, goannas and cats. The evidence in this case points to a cat. Most birds are pretty defenceless at night. I was in here Sunday night, and by early Monday morning the deed was done. That is why we ask people to keep cats and dogs restrained, particularly at night.