Wompoo Pigeon

The wompoo pigeon is known as the most biggest pigeon in Australia, with over 45 cm long from tip of head to tip of tail. It has a purple breast and peacock-green back and considered as one of the prettiest among other pigeon species. The wings of wompoo pigeons have splashes of yellow and their head is pale grey.

Eventhough they are large and brightly coloured, they are hardly seen because they lives in the thick foliage of rainforests. They feed on fruits and berries however they don't want to go far from their home.

You might be able to hear them coming but they are hard to see because they hide in their bushy tree-top home. Their named derived from the sound they make "wom-wom-poo". The call carries for some distance and it allows the bird to be tracked to its favourite food tree.

A lot of wompoos were shot for food and for sport. Shooters can find them easily through their call. Even today, wompoos are still being shot, but they're existence become rare.

Shooting is not the only danger that wompoos have to face. The clearing of rainforest threatened their lives because their nesting place have disappeared. Maybe the small amount of rainforest we have left in eatern Australia will be enough for the beautiful wompoo to survive.