- 13–13.8 in
- 23.2 in
- 7.8–9.9 oz
- Pigeon à couronne blanch (French)
- Paloma corona blanca (Spanish)
- The White-crowned Pigeon nests and forages in two distinct habitats: islands and forests supporting fruiting trees. Daily flights between the two habitats are sometimes longer than 30 miles (50 km).
- The ground speed of the White-crowned Pigeon in flight has not been formally documented, but is said to easily outpace a fast motorboat.
- The oldest recorded White-crowned Pigeon was at least 14 years, 5 months.
Nests in coastal and island forests, including mangroves, and feeds in forests with a wide variety of fruit-bearing trees.
Fruits and berries of more than 50 species of trees; sometimes wasps and flies.
- Clutch Size
- 1–3 eggs
- Egg Description
- Condition at Hatching
- Helpless, with long orange-yellow down.
Platform of sticks, lined with smaller twigs, placed in trees, often above water.
Usually forages in trees; may hang upside down to pick fruit. Appears to prefer ripe fruits. Feeds singly, in pairs, in small groups, or, where food resources are concentrated, in large aggregations of more than 1,000 individuals.
The White-crowned Pigeon is threatened throughout its range. Partners in Flight estimates a global breeding population of 550,000 with 1% living in the U.S., and 4% in Mexico. They are a Tri-National Concern Species and rate a 15 out of 20 on the Continental Concern Score. They are on the 2014 State of the Birds Watch List, which lists bird species that are at risk of becoming threatened or endangered without conservation action. Hunted for food in late 19th century and early 20th century in Florida. Now protected in Florida, but still hunted extensively in Caribbean countries. Habitat availability is crucial for the species' nesting success; mangrove forests where the species breeds in Florida are all within national parks and refuges. If in the direct path of severe hurricanes, significant portions of habitat in Florida could be destroyed for years. Loss of breeding and feeding habitats remain a concern throughout the range of the species.
- Bancroft, G. T., and R. Bowman. 2001. White-crowned Pigeon (Columba leucocephala). In The Birds of North America, No. 596 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.
- North American Bird Conservation Initiative, U.S. Committee. 2014. State of the Birds 2014 Report. U.S. Department of Interior, Washington, DC.
- Partners in Flight. 2012. Species assessment database.
- USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center. 2015. Longevity records of North American Birds.