The stock dove is smaller than the similar-looking woodpigeon, and slimmer than the feral pigeon. Blue-grey, with a pink chest and an iridescent green patch on its neck, it does not have the white patches on the neck and wings that the woodpigeon has.
Mourning Dove
Mourning Doves are smaller than Rock Pigeons and have a longer, pointier tail. They are tan overall rather than gray like the Rock Pigeon.
The crested pigeon (Ocyphaps lophotes) is a bird found widely throughout mainland Australia except for the far northern tropical areas. Only two Australian pigeon species possess an erect crest, the crested pigeon and the spinifex pigeon. The crested pigeon is the larger of the two species.
The Brown Cuckoo-Dove is a large brown pigeon of rainforests, with a very long, tapering tail. There is a pale streak below the blue-grey eye and a red eye-ring. The female has a brighter chestnut cap and a scaly pattern on the breast. The legs and feet are red.
Merlins used to be called “pigeon hawks” because in flight they look somewhat pigeon-like. Their species name, columbarius, is also a reference to pigeons. Medieval European noblewomen—including Catherine the Great and Mary Queen of Scots—used Merlins for sport to hunt Skylarks.
Black Guillemots, which overlap in distribution only in the Bering Sea, are very similar. Breeding and nonbreeding birds have white underwing linings whereas Pigeon Guillemots have gray underwing linings.
To persuade females to come close, the male lyrebird sings the most complex song he can manage. And he does that by copying the sounds of all the other birds he hears around him – including the sounds of chainsaws and camera shutters!
Crested Pigeon and White-headed Pigeon - Australian natives, but new for us. Crested Pigeon (Ocyphaps lophotes) and the White-headed Pigeon (Columba leucomela) are both native to Australia.
The Torres Strait Island pigeon is also known as an Australian pied imperial pigeon. They are found throughout forests of northern Australia and Papua New Guinea, and can be identified by their striking white plumage and greyish-silver outer wings!
Doves tend to be smaller and pigeons larger, although this distinction is not consistently applied. The birds listed here are breeds of the domestic pigeon (Columba livia domestica).
The pink-necked green pigeon (Treron vernans) is a species of bird of the pigeon and dove family, Columbidae. It is a common species of Southeast Asia, found from Myanmar and Vietnam south through to the major islands of Indonesia and the Philippines (where it is called "punay").
In English, the smaller species tend to be called "doves" and the larger ones "pigeons".
The mourning dove (Zenaida macroura) is a member of the dove family, Columbidae. The bird is also known as the American mourning dove, the rain dove, colloquially as the turtle dove, and it was once known as the Carolina pigeon and Carolina turtledove.
DESCRIPTION: The white-winged dove (Zenaida asiatica) is a large, semi-tropical, migratory, bird of the pigeon family – Columbidae. This new world dove is about 1/3 larger than the mourning dove (Zenaida macroura) with a wing span of approximately 20 inches and total body length of 12 inches.
While doves and pigeons come from the same family of birds, generally doves are smaller while pigeons are the larger species. The other key difference is that pigeons have straighter tails while doves' are more fanned out. There is absolutely no scientific difference between doves and pigeons.
The rainbow lorikeet was anointed our most populous bird, with an estimated population of about 19 million. The birds are widespread throughout Australia, and at home in urban and bush environments. Our national bird, the emu, also fared well, with an estimated 2.1 million strolling across Australia.
Image: Chris McColl. Australia's rarest bird of prey - the red goshawk - is facing extinction, with Cape York Peninsula now the only place in Queensland known to support breeding populations.
Pigeons are by far the most common pest bird in all areas of human habitation throughout Australia.
Michael Morcombe's 'Birds of Australia' was the first phone app for Australian birders. Now we also have available the Pizzey and Knights 'Birds of Australia'. I have both on my phone and, as with the books, could not recommend one over the other, they each have their strong points.
Parrots also have long, muscular tongues that may be used in modifying sounds. Parrots also have forebrain areas involved in vocal learning and control of vocalization that are not found in other birds. African Gray Parrots are one of the most accomplished mimics.
Magpie-lark
It is also called a Peewee, Peewit, Mudlark or Little Magpie. Its name Magpie-lark is also confusing because it is neither a Magpie nor a Lark. It is more closely related to Monarchs, Fantails and Drongos. Whatever you call them, they're pretty adaptable and they'll live just about anywhere.
The brown cuckoo-dove is relatively large for a dove or pigeon. With brown feathers, it's not a very flashy bird, but it boasts a long, attention-grabbing tail that can fan out in a display.
Catbirds give the impression of being entirely slaty gray. With a closer look you'll see a small black cap, blackish tail, and a rich rufous-brown patch under the tail.
Black-faced Cuckoo-shrikes have a black face and throat, blue-grey back, wings and tail, and white underparts. They are slender, attractive birds. They have a curious habit of shuffling their wings upon landing, a practice that gave rise to the name 'Shufflewing', which is often used for this species.