New Zealand Pigeon (Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae)

Spectacular display flights by males are key breeding signals in this species (3). Pair bonds generally last for more than one season, and pairs will therefore also associate during the non-breeding season (2). The New Zealand pigeon is a slow breeder, producing only one egg in the spring or summer (5). The nest is a frail platform of twigs and the parents take it in turn to incubate the egg over a 28 to 30 day period. Following hatching, the chick stays in the nest for 36 to 45 days and is fed on 'pigeon milk' (2), a milky substance secreted from the walls of the parents' crop (3). The New Zealand pigeon feeds primarily on the fruits of large native trees, such as karaka, tawa and taraire (3). However, they also feed on leaves, shoots, flowers and buds of native and exotic species in winter and spring, when fruits are not available (2).

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