Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove - profile

Indicative distribution

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Key:

known

predicted

The areas shown in pink and/purple are the sub-regions where the species or community is known or predicted to occur. They may not occur thoughout the sub-region but may be restricted to certain areas. ( click here to see geographic restrictions). The information presented in this map is only indicative and may contain errors and omissions.

Scientific name: Ptilinopus regina

Conservation status in NSW: Vulnerable

Commonwealth status: Not listed

Profile last updated: 11 Oct 2022

Description

Rose-crowned Fruit-doves are small, colourful rainforest pigeons to 24 cm in length. Males have a rose crown edged with yellow, and the head and breast are blue-grey, spotted white. The upper parts are grey-green, the tail-tip yellow and the abdomen are orange. Females are mostly grey-green. The call is a loud, explosive, repeated ‘hookcoo’ which becomes faster and on declining notes as a rapid ‘coocoocoocoocoo’.

Distribution

Coast and ranges of eastern NSW and Queensland, from Newcastle to Cape York. Vagrants are occasionally found further south to Victoria.

Habitat and ecology

Rose-crowned Fruit-doves occur mainly in sub-tropical and dry rainforest and occasionally in moist eucalypt forest and swamp forest, where fruit is plentiful.
They are shy pigeons, not easy to see amongst the foliage, and are more often heard than seen.
They feed entirely on fruit from vines, shrubs, large trees and palms, and are thought to be locally nomadic as they follow the ripening of fruits.
Some populations are migratory in response to food availability - numbers in north-east NSW increase during spring and summer then decline in April or May.

Regional distribution and habitat

Click on a region below to view detailed distribution, habitat and vegetation information.

Threats

Clearing and fragmentation of low to mid-elevation rainforest.
Logging and roading in moist eucalypt forest with well-developed rainforest understorey.
Burning of remnant rainforest habitat.
Invasion of habitat by introduced weed species
Removal of Camphor Laurel food source without appropriate mitigation measures.

Recovery strategies

A Saving Our Species conservation project is currently being developed for this species and will be available soon. For information on how you can contribute to this species' recovery, see the Activities to assist this species section below.

Activities to assist this species

Support local Landcare groups.
Protect remnant rainforest patches during burning off activities.
Retain forested corridors that link north-south and east-west migration routes.
Encourage and initiate weed control programs.
Ensure Camphor Laurel removal is accompanied by replacement with local native laurel species.
Protect remnant stands of rainforest and moist forest from clearing or development.
Protect known and potential food trees.
Initiate and support rainforest regeneration projects.

Information sources

NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (2002) Threatened Species of the Lower North Coast of New South Wales. (NSW NPWS, Hurstville)
NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (2002) Threatened Species of the Upper North Coast of NSW: Fauna. (NSW NPWS, Coffs Harbour)

IBRA Bioregion	IBRA Subregion	Known or predicted	Geographic restrictions region

New England Tablelands	Stanthorpe Plateau	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Cataract	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Chaelundi	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Coffs Coast and Escarpment	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Dalmorton	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Karuah Manning	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Macleay Hastings	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Rocky River Gorge	Predicted	None
NSW North Coast	Upper Manning	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Washpool	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Yuraygir	Known	None
Ocean	Hawkesbury Shelf	Known	None
Ocean	Tweed-Moreton	Known	None
Other State	QLD	Known	None
South Eastern Queensland	Burringbar-Conondale Ranges	Known	None
South Eastern Queensland	Clarence Lowlands	Known	None
South Eastern Queensland	Scenic Rim	Known	None
South Eastern Queensland	Sunshine Coast-Gold Coast Lowlands	Known	None
South Eastern Queensland	Woodenbong	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Hunter	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Illawarra	Known	North of Gerringong
Sydney Basin	Pittwater	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Wyong	Known	None