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Topknot Pigeon
Birds diurnal

Topknot Pigeon

Lopholaimus antarcticus

Meet the 'Flock-Pigeon' of the rainforest canopy. The Topknot Pigeon is a spectacular, crested wanderer that brings a touch of wild Australia to suburban heights.

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Quick Identification

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Size

Length: 40–46 cm (16–18 in); Wingspan: approx 80 cm (31 in); Weight: 450–600g (1–1.3 lbs)

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Colors

Slate-grey body with a pale grey breast; dark grey wings and tail with a lighter horizontal band; distinctive crest with a grey front and rusty-cinnamon back.

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Key Features

  • Swept-back bicolored crest (grey and rusty-red)
  • Large, plump body significantly bigger than a common pigeon
  • Pale grey band across a dark tail
  • Reddish-brown eye ring and base of beak (cere)

When You’ll See Them

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Activity pattern diurnal
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Peak hours 7-10 AM, 3-5 PM
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Season Year-round, moving locally based on fruit ripening cycles.
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Diet Strictly frugivorous (fruit-eating). They specialize in rainforest fruits, palm seeds, and wild figs, but have adapted to eat the berries of the invasive Camphor Laurel.
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Habitat Rainforests, wet sclerophyll forests, and suburban areas with mature fruiting trees or palms.

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Behavior

The Topknot Pigeon is a nomadic and highly social species, known for traveling in large, impressive flocks that can number in the hundreds. Unlike many other Australian pigeons, they are strictly arboreal, meaning they spend almost their entire lives high in the canopy of rainforests or tall suburban trees. They are incredibly agile for their size, often hanging upside down to reach ripe fruits at the ends of thin branches.

These birds are restless wanderers, moving according to the availability of seasonal fruits. While they were once considered shy forest dwellers, they have increasingly adapted to suburban environments along the Australian east coast, particularly where mature fruiting trees like palms and figs are present. Their flight is powerful and direct, characterized by loud, whistling wing beats that can often be heard before the birds are seen.

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Camera Tips

To capture the Topknot Pigeon on your EverydayEarth camera, you must think vertically. Because these pigeons rarely touch the ground, a camera mounted at eye level or pointed at a lawn will likely miss them. Instead, mount your camera on a high balcony, a second-story deck, or use a specialized tree mount to point the lens toward the mid-to-upper canopy of fruiting trees. They are particularly fond of Bangalow Palms and Cabbage Tree Palms when the fruit is ripe.

If you don't have high fruiting trees, focus your camera on a high-platform birdbath. While they get most of their hydration from fruit, Topknot Pigeons will descend to elevated water sources, especially during hot, dry spells. Ensure the camera is positioned to catch the morning light, as they are most active shortly after sunrise when they begin their daily foraging flights. Use a fast trigger speed setting; despite their size, their movements among branches can be quick and erratic as they jostle for the best fruit.

Seasonal timing is everything for this species. Keep an eye on the trees in your neighborhood—when the Lilly Pillies or figs start to ripen, move your camera to face those specific branches. Since they travel in flocks, set your camera to record longer video clips (20-30 seconds). Capturing a single bird often means a dozen more are about to land, and the social interactions, such as their distinctive head-bobbing and wing-flicking, are best captured in motion rather than still photos.

Similar Species

Species that look similar or are commonly confused with Topknot Pigeon.

Crested Pigeon

Much smaller, ground-dwelling, with a thin black vertical crest rather than a thick swept-back one.

White-headed Pigeon

Lacks the 'topknot' crest and has a distinctively white head and breast contrasted with a black body.

Frequently Asked Questions

Topknot Pigeons are most active in the early morning (from sunrise to about 10 AM) and again in the late afternoon. This is when they move between roosting sites and feeding trees.
The best way to attract them is by planting native fruiting trees like Lilly Pilly, Cabbage Tree Palms, or Figs. Providing a high-platform birdbath can also encourage them to visit for a drink.
They are fruit specialists. They eat a variety of rainforest fruits, palm berries, and have a particular fondness for the seeds of the Bangalow Palm and the fruit of the invasive Camphor Laurel.
Yes, they are becoming increasingly common in suburban areas along the east coast of Australia, from Cape York to Eastern Victoria, especially where there are mature trees and gardens.
Crested Pigeons are smaller, live on the ground, and have a thin, upright black spike on their head. Topknot Pigeons are much larger, live in trees, and have a thick, swept-back 'mohawk' crest that is grey and rusty-brown.

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