The crested pigeon (Ocyphaps lophotes) name comes from the slender, erect tuft of feathers on the bird's head. When startled, their wings make a high-pitched whistling sound as air passes over a specialised, modified primary feather.This whistle acts as an automatic warning signal to the rest of the flock and helps draw predators' attention away from birds on the ground. The crested pigeon lives widely across mainland Australia, except for the far northern tropical regions.
