EEP Crowned pigeon number 4

EEP STUDBOOK CROWNED PIGEONS
The oldest common crowned pigeon died in 1982 in Cleveland at the age of 31: a crowned
pigeon which was wild-caught in 1965, was still alive Washington by the end of 1995 and at
that time it was 30 years old. In 1966 a common crowned pigeon was born in Berlin Zoo and
this bird also seems to be still alive, but this institution is not responding to communications
of the EEP-coordinator. In Philadelphia there is an at least 32 year old victoria crowned
pigeon (wild-caught in 1963) and in Berlin Zoo also a scheepmaker’s crowned pigeon which
is wild-caught in 1968 and (if still alive) at least 27 years old (Wetzel, 1992; Wetzel, 1996;
Wetzel, 1998). There is no doubt that they can reach a maximum age of over 30 years, in
captivity mabye even 35. In the wild there are no natural predators, and because they are
frugivorous (and do not need speed to hunt for food), this maximum age might be reached in
the wild too.
The long reproductive life span (over 20 years) is advantageous to increase the number of
crowned pigeons in captivity, because every crowned pigeon can theoretically produce and
raise a maximum of at least 40 chicks.
References
(1) Assink, H. 1988. The crowned pigeon Studbook, Number 1. Royal Rotterdam Zoological
and Botanical Gardens, Rotterdam. 137 p.
(2) AZA. 1996. AZA Annual Report on Conservation and Science. American Zoo and
Aquarium Association, Bethesda, MD.
(3) Fleay, D. 1963. A family event with New Guinea crowned pigeons. In: The Victorian
Naturalist 79 (9), January 1963; 256 - 263.
(4) Klös, H.G. 1966. A note on breeding second generation crowned pigeons (Goura cristata)
at West Berlin Zoo. In: Olney, P. and S. Ellis. International Zoo Yearbook (6), 215.
(5) Nijboer, J. and C.E. King. 1996. EEP Studbook of crowned pigeons Volume 3. Rotterdam
Zoo, The Netherlands.
(6) Wetzel, D. 1992. Crowned pigeon Studbook 1990 - 1991. Roger Williams Park Zoo,
Rhode Island, USA. 78 p.
(7) Wetzel, D. 1996. International crowned pigeon Studbook. Roger Williams Park Zoo,
Rhode Island, USA. 74 p.
(8) Wetzel, D. 1998. International crowned pigeon Studbook. Roger Williams Park Zoo,
Rhode Island, USA.
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