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Difference between revisions of "Rock Pigeon" - BirdForum Opus

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(Video link. References updated. OBI link deleted)
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'''Alternative names: Common Pigeon; Rock Dove'''
 
[[Image:Rock_Pigeon.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by {{user|Fulmar|Fulmar}}<br />Location: Point Vicente, Palos Verdes Peninsula, [[California]], [[USA]]]]
 
[[Image:Rock_Pigeon.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by {{user|Fulmar|Fulmar}}<br />Location: Point Vicente, Palos Verdes Peninsula, [[California]], [[USA]]]]
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'''Alternative names: Common Pigeon; Rock Dove'''
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;[[:Category:Columba|Columba]] livia
 
;[[:Category:Columba|Columba]] livia
 
==Identification==
 
==Identification==
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32–37 cm. White lower back, two black bars on pale grey wings, tail is margined with white, lighter grey rump.
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31–34 cm (12¼-13½ in)<br />
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White lower back, two black bars on pale grey wings, tail is margined with white, lighter grey rump.
 
The head and neck of the mature bird are a darker blue-grey than the back and wings; the lower back is white. The green and lilac or purple patch on the side of the neck is larger than that of the [[Stock Dove]], and the tail is more distinctly banded. These birds come in many different colours, dark grey, light blue/grey, brown, peach, grey and white, pure white and more. Young birds show little lustre and are duller. Eye colour of the pigeon is generally an orange colour but a few pigeons may have white-grey eyes. The eyelids are orange in colour and are encapsulated in a grey-white eye ring. The feet are red to pink.
 
The head and neck of the mature bird are a darker blue-grey than the back and wings; the lower back is white. The green and lilac or purple patch on the side of the neck is larger than that of the [[Stock Dove]], and the tail is more distinctly banded. These birds come in many different colours, dark grey, light blue/grey, brown, peach, grey and white, pure white and more. Young birds show little lustre and are duller. Eye colour of the pigeon is generally an orange colour but a few pigeons may have white-grey eyes. The eyelids are orange in colour and are encapsulated in a grey-white eye ring. The feet are red to pink.
 
==Distribution==
 
==Distribution==
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==Behaviour==
 
==Behaviour==
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====Diet====
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Their main diet consists of grain, with the addition of legumes.
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====Breeding====
 
The nest is usually on a ledge in a cave; it is a slight structure of grass, heather, or seaweed. Like most pigeons it lays 2 white eggs. The eggs are incubated by both parents for about 18 days.
 
The nest is usually on a ledge in a cave; it is a slight structure of grass, heather, or seaweed. Like most pigeons it lays 2 white eggs. The eggs are incubated by both parents for about 18 days.
 
====Vocalisation====
 
====Vocalisation====
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''[[Media:Columba livia (song).mp3|Listen in an external program]]''
 
''[[Media:Columba livia (song).mp3|Listen in an external program]]''
 
==References==
 
==References==
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#{{Ref-Clements6thOct12}}  
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#{{Ref-Clements6thAug16}}  
 
{{ref}}
 
{{ref}}
 
==External Links==
 
==External Links==
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<br />
 
<br />
 
{{Video|Rock_Pigeon}}
 
{{Video|Rock_Pigeon}}
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<br />
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{{Video|Rock_Dove Use "Rock Dove" to}}
  
 
[[Category:Birds]][[Category:Bird Songs]] [[Category:Columba]] [[Category:Videos]]
 
[[Category:Birds]][[Category:Bird Songs]] [[Category:Columba]] [[Category:Videos]]

Revision as of 23:35, 10 September 2016

Alternative names: Common Pigeon; Rock Dove

Photo by Fulmar
Location: Point Vicente, Palos Verdes Peninsula, California, USA
Columba livia

Identification

31–34 cm (12¼-13½ in)
White lower back, two black bars on pale grey wings, tail is margined with white, lighter grey rump. The head and neck of the mature bird are a darker blue-grey than the back and wings; the lower back is white. The green and lilac or purple patch on the side of the neck is larger than that of the Stock Dove, and the tail is more distinctly banded. These birds come in many different colours, dark grey, light blue/grey, brown, peach, grey and white, pure white and more. Young birds show little lustre and are duller. Eye colour of the pigeon is generally an orange colour but a few pigeons may have white-grey eyes. The eyelids are orange in colour and are encapsulated in a grey-white eye ring. The feet are red to pink.

Distribution

Southern Europe, North Africa, and into South Asia.

Rock Pigeons have been domesticated for several thousand years; escapees have resulted in feral populations in cities world-wide.

Taxonomy

Subspecies

Columba livia has 13 subspecies:[1]

  • C. l. livia
  • Western Palearctic
  • C. l. atlantis
  • Madeira, Azores and Cape Verde Islands
  • C. l. canariensis
  • Canary Islands and islands off Morocco
  • C. l. gymnocycla
  • Mauritania, Mali and Ghana; coastal Senegambia and Guinea
  • C. l. targia
  • Central Sahara to central Sudan
  • C. l. dakhlae
  • Egypt (Dakhla and Kharga oases)
  • C. l. butleri
  • Red Sea Province and Egyptian Sudan
  • C. l. schimperi
  • Nile Valley to Khartoum; Red Sea Hills of eastern Egypt to northern Eritrea
  • C. l. palaestinae
  • Palestine, Sinai and Arabia to Aden and Oman
  • C. l. gaddi
  • Iran to Azerbaijan, Transcaspia, Afghanistan and Uzbekistan
  • C. l. neglecta
  • Mountains of central Asia
  • C. l. intermedia
  • Peninsular India and Sri Lanka
  • C. l. nigricans
  • Mongolia and northern China (Shanxi, Jilin and Gansu)

Habitat

Natural cliffs, usually on coasts. Feral populations are found in cities and towns.

Behaviour

Diet

Their main diet consists of grain, with the addition of legumes.

Breeding

The nest is usually on a ledge in a cave; it is a slight structure of grass, heather, or seaweed. Like most pigeons it lays 2 white eggs. The eggs are incubated by both parents for about 18 days.

Vocalisation

<flashmp3>Columba livia (song).mp3</flashmp3>
Listen in an external program

References

  1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2016. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2016, with updates to August 2016. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/

Recommended Citation

External Links



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