Conservation efforts bring giant pigeon to Newquay Zoo

Victoria crowned pigeons are the largest living species of pigeons in the world and are related to the now extinct dodo

Meet Albert, Newquay Zoo's huge new colourful arrival.

Albert - or Bertie as he's been called for short - is a rare male Victoria crowned pigeon.

The bright blue bird is native to Papua New Guinea, a country in the southwestern Pacific, and is the largest living species of pigeon in the world.

They can weigh more than 2kg, the equivalent of roughly two 1.1kg bags of flour, or one pair of sturdy boots.

The species is threatened in the wild by hunting and deforestation and it's hoped his new home in Cornwall will help with global conservation efforts.

What's happened?

Magnificent, aren't I?

Despite being part of the pigeon family, Victoria crowned pigeons look nothing like the common wood pigeons found across the UK.

The flamboyant birds are blue and red with a majestic crown of plumage.

The ground-dwelling bird is the largest living species of pigeon in the world - in fact the only member of the pigeon family bigger than Bertie's species is the now extinct dodo.

Staff at the zoo said they were delighted with their new arrival.

Dan Trevelyan, senior animal keeper at Newquay Zoo, said: "The Victoria crowned pigeon was named after Queen Victoria, so we thought that it was only right to name the new founding male of our collection Albert, or Bertie for short."

Prince Albert was Queen Victoria's husband.