THE WOOD PIGEON
BREEDING
Kereru (wood pigeon) have been recorded breeding in all months, but most eggs are laid in September-April. Pigeons in native forests have been known to not breed when little or no fruit was available. Their nest is made of dead twigs and a single egg is laid. Females incubate from late afternoon until mid-morning, then the males take over.
HABITATS
Wood Pigeons live in many types of forests, such as: Rimu Forests, Beech Forests, native forest and small forests. They also live in farmland and parks. You can find them in your backyard as well.
FOOD
Kereru eats buds, leaves, flowers, berries, insects and lots of different fruits, both native and not. Most foods are taken while clambering about on vines, shrubs and trees, at a few locations. Kereru spend time on the ground feeding on clover and possibly other herbs. Ripe fruit seems to be
the preferred food, in most regions fruit is not available all year round, so Kereru then feeds on leaves.
THREATS
The main threat to Kereru is introduced predators, such as: feral cats, possums, stoats and rats. Other man made threats are: fast moving vehicles, overhead power and telephone wires and windows, electrocution when perched on some power poles, and illegal hunting.
LOOKS LIKE
The Kereru has a white chest and blue-green wings. They have a green neck. They have a reddish back. They have a black-green tail. They are quite big birds; they are bigger than a child's head!
Their scientific name is Columba palumbus.
