Bronze-wing and Bronze Pigeon, names given in the Australian colonies to certain kinds of wild pigeon, on account of the lustrous bronze colour with which their wings are variously marked. In other respects also they are beautiful birds.—The Common Bronze-wing or Bronze-winged Ground Dove (Phaps chalcoptera) is distributed over all the Australian colonies. It is often seen in flocks, feeds on the ground, and builds its nest chiefly on low branches of trees growing on meadow-lands or near water. It often flies long distances to water, and may be followed as a guide. It is a plump bird, often weighing fully a pound, and is acceptable at every table.—The
Brush Bronze-wing or Little Bronze Pigeon (P. elegans) is not so plentiful nor so widely distributed, found chiefly in Tasmania and the southern parts of Australia. It inhabits low swampy grounds, never perches on trees, resembles a partridge in its habits, and makes a loud buring noise like a partridge when it takes wing on being alarmed.—The Harlequin Bronze-wing (P. histrionica) is found in the north-western parts of New South Wales in great flocks, feeding on seeds.—Some of the species of Ocyphaps, another of the genera or sub-genera of the Columbidae, are also sometimes called Bronze-wing. Their partridge-like appearance and habits have gained for them the name of Partridge Pigeon (see PIGEON, COLUMBIDÆ).