Afep Pigeon vs Western Crowned-pigeon

Columba unicincta compared with Goura cristata

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute Afep Pigeon Western Crowned-pigeon
Scientific Name Columba unicincta Goura cristata
Order Columbiformes Columbiformes
Family Columbidae Columbidae
Conservation Status Least Concern Vulnerable
Length
Wingspan 42.2 cm (16.6 in) 71.1 cm (28.0 in)
Weight 401.5 g (14.16 oz) 2100.0 g (74.08 oz)
Diet -- --
Clutch Size 1 1
Population Trend

Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

Afep Pigeon only

None

Western Crowned-pigeon only

None

Song & Call Comparison

Afep Pigeon

Song

Deep, resonant cooing; rich notes with carrying quality through dense humid African forest. Vocalization pattern typical of this species in its native habitat.

Western Crowned-pigeon

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Afep Pigeon

Vulnerable

Western Crowned-pigeon

How to Tell Them Apart

Afep Pigeon

Plumage

Afep Pigeon: pale gray; white neck gloss; dark flight feathers; large size; Central African rainforest pigeon; pale overall

Western Crowned-pigeon

Plumage

Western Crowned-pigeon: massive; blue-gray; elaborate lace-like blue-white crest; bare red orbital skin; New Guinea; vulnerable

About These Birds

Afep Pigeon

Afep Pigeon (Columba unicincta) — 36–40 cm. Large; dark grey; single narrow black ring on hindneck; pale grey rump. Inhabits canopy of rainforest in West and Central Africa. Frugivore; feeds on forest fruits. Poorly known; an upper-canopy species seldom studied at close range.

Western Crowned-pigeon

Magnificent large pigeon, 66–73 cm, with blue-grey plumage, a maroon breast, and an elaborate fan-shaped white-tipped crest. Found in lowland rainforest of western New Guinea (Vogelkop and surrounding areas). Terrestrial frugivore of fallen fruits, seeds, and invertebrates. Vulnerable due to hunting for meat and feathers and deforestation.

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