It is found on the bushland edges of the city, as well as in many rural areas. Sometimes it ventures to Lake Wendouree, and Paul’s Wetland, where it is attracted by wattle seed.

Although it can become confiding where regular food is provided, the bronzewing is usually rather shy and is mostly seen from a distance.

A male common bronzewing caught in a poultry shed recently provided an opportunity to appreciate both its brilliant and its subtle colours.

The iridescent yellows, oranges, reds and greens of the wing were very impressive.

These amazing metallic colours give the bird its name.

A report from colonial Sydney in 1790 describes it as accurately as anything since: it has “most of the feathers of the wing marked with a brilliant spot of golden-yellow, changing, in various reflections of light, to green and copper-bronze…”

While it was the wing colours that were most striking, there is also an unusual and attractive soft pinkish-brown colour on a common bronzewing’s chest.

This has been described as “vinaceous-pink”.

With the bird in-hand, we were able to carefully lift a wing to admire the light rusty-orange colour that is normally only visible in flight.

This unusual colour is also an under-wing feature of a few other related species, such as the peaceful dove.

Unlike some other birds, such as magpies and ravens, the bronzewing was relatively calm when handled.

It made no attempt to grasp with its weak feet, or to peck.

It was soon released and flew off strongly.

A few years ago we had a couple of reports of pigeons with yellow crests or top-knots.

The bird in question was the common bronzewing.

It is the forehead, not a true crest, that can be yellow, especially in the brighter-coloured males.

This can be seen in today’s photo, which was taken at Lake Wendouree by Ed Dunens.

The brush bronzewing and the crested pigeon both have the iridescent colours in their wings, but to a lesser extent than the common bronzewing.

GOLDEN-TIP

A two-metre tall shrub known as golden-tip (Goodia lotifolia) is the latest addition to the list of plants at Mt Beckworth.

It is a surprise there, because it normally occurs south of the Dividing Range, rather than north.

Also, naturalists have frequently visited Mt Beckworth for 50 years and it has never been reported before.