The population of White-headed Pigeons declined greatly when many of the rainforests of eastern Australia were cleared, and, in addition, they were also shot in great numbers, both for food and sport. Since the 1950s, however, their numbers have increased dramatically after they were protected from hunters, and this also coincided with the widespread planting of Camphor Laurel trees in agricultural lands. These trees produce berries which the pigeons readily eat, and they quickly became a staple part of the birds’ diet in many areas.
