Crested Pigeon Response to Predation

Ms Woko & I have a dying, decaying, decidely dessicated Menzel's Wattle Acacia menzelii which a flock of up to 25 crested pigeons have used for loafing about in. On Monday I happened upon a pile of crested pigeon feathers underneath the wattle & then noticed that there were no crested pigeons about. A couple of hours later I counted 15 crested pigeons in open country about 300 metres away alighting on the power line which services our property.

Since then the highest number of crested pigeons I've seen has been three. It seems the pigeons are keeping away from the wattle which, although once a favoured perching place for them, has been the site of several predator attacks over the years, one of which I witnessed: a brown goshawk on a New Holland honeyeater.

It'll be interesting to see how long before the crested pigeons return to the wattle given that there is a resident brown goshawk & an occasional collared sparrowhawk in the area, either of which may have been responsible for Monday's massacre. I guess that, for the time being at least, the crested pigeons are keeping to more open country so that they have a clearer view of approaching danger. Meanwhile, the naivete of the three crested pigeons which are still about is likely to be sorely tested.