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  1. Species
  2. ›
  3. Columbidae
  4. ›
  5. Geophaps
  6. ›
  7. Partridge Pigeon
Partridge Pigeon
Photo · (c) Mark Clarke, some rights reserved (CC BY)

BirdUp · Species

Partridge Pigeon

Geophaps smithii(Jardine & Selby, 1830)

Updated 21 March 2026

Also known asNgalmakkalak

Conservation status: VulnerableOrigin: Endemic
Order
COLUMBIFORMES
Family
Columbidae
Genus
Geophaps

At a glance

The Partridge Pigeon is a medium-sized bird, about 25–28 cm long, listed as Vulnerable and endemic to Australia. It can be seen year-round.

Size
25–28 cm
Conservation status
Vulnerable
Origin
Endemic
Best seen
Year-round
Commonness
Rare
  • Identification
  • Where
  • When
  • Behaviour
  • Gallery

01 · Identification

How to tell it apart

What does a Partridge Pigeon look like?

The Partridge Pigeon is a medium-sized bird, about 25–28 cm long and weighing 150–250 g.

The partridge pigeon is a species of bird in the family Columbidae. It is endemic to Australia.

Description · wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Field specs

Length
25–28 cm
Weight
150–250 g
Wingspan
40 cm

Measurements · avonet · CC BY 4.0

03 · When

When to look

When can you see a Partridge Pigeon?

The Partridge Pigeon is present across its Australian range year-round, so it can be seen in any month.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

05 · Behaviour

Habits and haunts

What does a Partridge Pigeon eat?

The Partridge Pigeon feeds on seeds, usually foraging in flocks.

06 · Gallery

Plumage up close

3 photos

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02 · Where

Where to find it

Where does the Partridge Pigeon live in Australia?

The Partridge Pigeon is endemic to Australia, recorded across 13 of Australia’s bioregions, with a core range spanning north-central Australia.

BreedingNorth-central Australia

Distribution from BirdUp Australia community data

Legend

  • Vagrant
  • Non-breeding
  • Breeding
  • Resident

5 regions recorded