WhistlingKite24

Nicobar Pigeon (Caloenas nicobarica)

@Zorro Thanks - the iridescence is stunning on this species isn't it. They are quite uncommon in our zoos so I always enjoy seeing them as well.
 
Yes stunning indeed. I believe the last one that found its way into the country was captured and taken to Adelaide zoo and is/was part of their flock! :)
 
@Zorro Yep, the one found in the Kimberly is currently at Adelaide Zoo (hasn't bred yet though). Fingers crossed it does soon as fresh blood hasn't entered the Nicobar Pigeon population since the 1940s/50s imports according to the exotic birds thread.

For anyone else reading this and wondering what we are referring to, see here (a 2017 Fb post about the individual):
Remember the endangered Nicobar Pigeon that flew into Australia from South East Asia - and literally walked past rangers on a dirt track on the Dampier Peninsula? It's off to a new home. Back in early May the Bardi Jawi Ranger group knew the bird was unusual and not a native. They reported the sighting to the Department of Agriculture and the bird was later caught. It has been in captivity for almost a month in Perth, being looked after by the Department of Agriculture which had the pigeon on a quarantine watch list. No pests have been detected on it and they’ve called the pigeon Nico. Nico likes to eat a wide variety of seeds and fruits; its favourite food is pine nuts! A new home has been found for the juvenile bird. It's off to Adelaide Zoo which has 32 Nicobar Pigeons, the largest flock in Australia. Senior bird keeper at the Adelaide Zoo Charlie Romer is looking forward to Nico’s arrival in the next few days. “This bird will be a real bonus for us, with there being no new blood into the system for a long time,” the zookeeper says. Charlie doesn’t yet know if Nico is male or female but will DNA test a feather when it arrives. Long term it's hoped Nico will breed, adding to the genetic diversity of the Zoo’s flock. “It’s an exciting time and quite an important time for our flock.” Charlie says the stocky Rainforest pigeon is “gorgeous looking” and quite long lived. “It can live into its twenties. It has quite a bit of attitude as well. They prefer to be in colony because they’re very hierarchical,” says Mr Romer. “It will live in a mixed species enclosure with different parrots and pheasants so its visually stunning with those different species.”
 

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Darling Downs Zoo
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WhistlingKite24
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NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D5600
Aperture
ƒ/5.6
Focal length
220.0 mm
Exposure time
1/500 second(s)
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360
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Off, did not fire
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DSC_0599.jpg
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Date taken
Sun, 27 December 2020 12:56 PM
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