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  1. Species
  2. ›
  3. Columbidae
  4. ›
  5. Petrophassa
  6. ›
  7. White-quilled Rock Pigeon
White-quilled Rock Pigeon
Photo · Josh Anderson

BirdUp · Species

White-quilled Rock Pigeon

Petrophassa albipennisGould, 1841

Updated 21 March 2026

Also known asNgulumirri

Conservation status: Least ConcernOrigin: Endemic
Order
COLUMBIFORMES
Family
Columbidae
Genus
Petrophassa

At a glance

The White-quilled Rock Pigeon is a medium-sized bird, about 28–30 cm long, listed as Least Concern and endemic to Australia. It can be seen year-round.

Size
28–30 cm
Conservation status
Least Concern
Origin
Endemic
Best seen
Year-round
Commonness
Endemic
  • Identification
  • Where
  • When
  • Behaviour
  • Gallery

01 · Identification

How to tell it apart

What does a White-quilled Rock Pigeon look like?

The White-quilled Rock Pigeon is a medium-sized bird, about 28–30 cm long and weighing 103–156 g.

The white-quilled rock pigeon is a dark brown rock pigeon with a white patch on its wing. It has distinctive pale lines across its face curving above and below its eye. It is a species of bird in the family Columbidae. It is a rock dweller found roosting on sandstone cliffs and towers in the Kimberley, WA and east of the Victoria River, NT. It is endemic to Australia.

Description · wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Field specs

Length
28–30 cm
Weight
103–156 g
Wingspan
42 cm

Measurements · avonet · CC BY 4.0

03 · When

When to look

When can you see a White-quilled Rock Pigeon?

The White-quilled Rock 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 White-quilled Rock Pigeon eat?

The White-quilled Rock Pigeon feeds on seeds, usually foraging in pairs or flocks.

06 · Gallery

Plumage up close

6 photos

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02 · Where

Where to find it

Where does the White-quilled Rock Pigeon live in Australia?

The White-quilled Rock Pigeon is endemic to Australia, recorded across 8 of Australia’s bioregions, with a core range spanning north-west Australia.

BreedingNorth-west Australia: Kimberley (WA) to Victoria River (NT)

Distribution from BirdUp Australia community data

Legend

  • Vagrant
  • Resident

5 regions recorded