Rose-crowned Fruit-Doves usually forage in the canopy of rainforest trees, clambering about among the leaves of the outer branches to pluck ripe fruit, sometimes hanging upside down to reach it. Despite their beautiful plumage, when foraging they are often surprisingly difficult to see among the foliage. They swallow fruit whole and particularly like figs and the fruit of other species of rainforest trees, palms and vines.
The Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove is a small, compact dove, with a short tail and rounded wings. Its name comes from the deep pink cap, which is bordered behind by a narrow yellow stripe. The upper body is bright green and the under-body orange and yellow with a rose-coloured patch. The throat and upper breast is rough grey. The female is similar, but lighter.
The doves breed in rainforests with a dense growth of vines. Courting is the typical bowing display of pigeons, tucking in the head and displaying the pink cap. The nest is a frail loosely woven cup of twigs and tendrils. Both birds incubate, but predators often take the single egg.
Rose-crowned Fruit-Doves are often heard calling in the rainforest. The call is a loud, explosive, repeated ‘hookcoo’ which becomes faster and on declining notes as a rapid ‘coocoocoocoocoo’ that fades away.