Bird guideFlock Bronzewing

A desert specialist that gathers in enormous flocks, sometimes in the thousands, to drink at waterholes at dawn and dusk.

⚠️VIC: Endangered; WA: Rare
🌿Endemic to Australia

At a glance

FamilyPigeons and Doves
SizeMedium
RarityUncommon
HabitatLarge desert pigeon, typically observed as fast-flying flocks coming in to drink in the morning or evening in arid and semi-arid inland Northern Australia.
Best timeMost reliable in Queensland from May to June.

Sounds

Sound sample
0:000:00
Recorded by Powys, V.

Range map

Range map

1004visible hotspots
5403visible records
5states
Low confidenceMediumHigh confidence

Aggregated occurance data is sourced from 14 different actively-updating datasets including eBird Australia, iNaturalist Australia, BirdLife Australia, and multiple state-based bird surveys through Atlas of Living Australia.

Species notes

Overview

Plain brown above, plain gray below. Male has black-and-white patterned head, in female and juvenile a more muted brown-and-white pattern. Upperwings plain brown, with plain gray outer wing; similar Common Bronzewing has a metallic wing panel.

Behavior

The flock bronzewing is the most nomadic of the Australian pigeons, and it is difficult to mistake for other Australian species. Fully grown flock bronzewings can range in length from 280–305 mm with a wing length of 189–216 mm. The adult male's head is black except for the white forehead, patch on lower throat, and white line that runs from behind the eye almost enclosing ear coverts forming a broken ring.

Regional timing

Queensland
Peak: May to June2,805 records
Northern Territory
Peak: April to August792 records
New South Wales
Peak: September375 records
South Australia
Peak: July to October683 records
Western Australia
Peak: June to October587 records

Commonly confused with

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