Choiseul Pigeon

The Choiseul pigeon was a species of pigeon and dove (Columbidae) that once inhabited Choiseul Island in the Solomon Islands of the South Pacific. Similar in size to common rock pigeons, they had a distinctive blue crest of dense feathers pointing backward on their head, which gave them their “crowned pigeon” name. These birds likely lived in small groups in the forest, feeding and nesting on the ground. Only six specimens and one egg were collected in 1904, with no confirmed sightings afterward.

Local indigenous people were familiar with these birds and hunted them for food. However, the species never seemed to be abundant, as early European visitors to Choiseul Island did not document their presence. The extinction of the Choiseul pigeon was likely caused by predation from cats introduced by early missionaries, destruction of their eggs, and habitat loss due to the deforestation on island.