Columba livia, Rock Dove/Feral Pigeon

Common Name: Rock Dove/Feral Pigeon

Columba livia, more commonly known as the domesticated Feral or Town Pigeon, is descended from the wild Rock Dove, and can have similar plumage, though there are also many mixes of black, browns, white and piebald.

Feral Pigeons can be larger than Rock Doves owing to their mixed breeding. The adult Rock Dove is smaller than a Wood Pigeon. The underparts and upper parts are blue-grey, but the back is paler, and there is always a white patch on its rump. The neck is iridescent with green and purple and the wings are grey except for two distinct black wing-bars. The eyes and legs are red.

Feral Pigeons have adopted ledges on buildings and other structures in our towns and cities for roosting/nesting, whereas the Rock Dove uses cliffs. They are very common throughout the UK in urban areas and feed on grain, seeds and kitchen scraps, being often fed by the public in town centres, parks and gardens.

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