Wonga off the ground

One of visitors that comes to feed on the seeds of grasses and trees that have fallen to the ground is the Wonga Pigeon Leucosarcia melanoleuca, a large bird but vary flighty and difficult to get near for a photo. However today I flushed one that made a short burst into a nearby tree and I did get a chance to get a shot.

They are found right down the east coast on the edge of rainforests and other dense forest areas. They were in large numbers but land clearing and shooting for the pot, by early settlers severely reduced the numbers, but they are gradually recovering throughout their range.