Rock Dove

## Description

The rock dove, rock pigeon, or common pigeon ( also ; Columba livia ) is a member of the bird family Columbidae (doves and pigeons).: 624  In common usage, it is often simply referred to as the "pigeon".

The domestic pigeon (Columba livia domestica, which includes about 1,000 different breeds) descended from this species. Escaped domestic pigeons have increased the populations of feral pigeons around the world.

Wild rock doves are pale grey with two black bars on each wing, whereas domestic and feral pigeons vary in colour and pattern. Few differences are seen between males and females. The species is generally monogamous, with two squabs (young) per brood. Both parents care for the young for a time.

Habitats include various open and semi-open environments. Cliffs and rock ledges are used for roosting and breeding in the wild. Originally found wild in Europe, North Africa, and western Asia, pigeons have become established in cities around the world. The species is abundant, with an estimated population of 17 to 28 million feral and wild birds in Europe alone and up to 120 million worldwide.

## Appearance

The wild ancestor of the domestic pigeon found the world over, the Rock dove was originally domesticated as a food source. Feral pigeons are all shades of color: some bluer, some blacker, some pale gray with darker chequered markings, some an unusual shade of cinnamon-brown or dull brick-red, some more or less white, and others looking exactly like rock doves in the wild. In urban areas where numbers increase unchecked, they can become pests.

## Distribution

Wild Rock doves are native to North Africa, Europe, and southwest Asia. They nest in caves, canyons, and sea cliffs. They prefer to avoid dense vegetation.

## Behavior

Rock doves are often found in pairs in the breeding season but are usually gregarious. They are most often seen during the daylight - especially perched on buildings or in urban parks. They seek cover during the day when it is hot, and at night. When disturbed in a group, a rock dove takes off with a noisy sound like clapping. They may bow and coo when threatening a rival, inflating their throats, and walking around in a circle. These birds feed early in the morning and during the mid-afternoon, individually or in flocks. They peck food off the ground and drink with their bill directly in water, to use it like a straw. Dove groups typically consist of producers, which locate and obtain food, and scroungers, which feed on food obtained by the producers. Rock doves generally run or walk while bobbing their heads backward and forward. Their flight is a direct and steady path. The call of these birds is a soft, slightly wavering, 'whoo, hoo-witoo-hoo' or 'coo, roo-c'too-coo'. Variations include an alarm call, a nest call, and noises made by juveniles. The alarm call, given at the sight of predators, is a grunt-like 'oorhh'. Non-vocal sounds include a loud flapping noise at take-off, feet stomping, hisses, and beak snapping. Juveniles particularly snap their bills, usually to respond to nest invasion.

## Diet

Rock doves are omnivorous but prefer plant matter: chiefly fruits and grains. Feral pigeons can eat grass seeds and berries in parks and gardens in the spring, but plentiful sources exist throughout the year from scavenging (e.g., food remnants left inside of dropped fast food cartons) and they also eat insects and spiders.

## Reproduction

Rock doves are monogamous and pairs mate for life. Pairs may form any time during the year. Males and females work cooperatively for most aspects of parenting. The male supplies the nesting material and the female constructs the nest, being a platform of grass and twigs. Nest sites are used again and again, with nesting material added for each subsequent brood. Rock doves typically nest communally, often forming large colonies of many hundreds of individuals. One pair may produce 5 or more broods per year. 2 eggs are laid, incubated by both parents for 16-19 days, both parents also feed 'pigeon milk to their young, a fat and protein-rich liquid that they produce in their crops. The chicks leave the nest at around 4 weeks of age.

## Population

### Population threats

The numbers of Rock doves are suspected to be decreasing, due to interbreeding with domestic birds; in Israel, declines have been recorded. Rock doves are eaten by humans and are used for laboratory research.

### Population number

According to the IUCN Red List, the global Rock dove population size is around 260 million individuals. According to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) resource, the total breeding population of the species in the UK is 550,000 pairs. The population in China is estimated at fewer than 100 breeding pairs, which have possibly been introduced. Overall, currently, Rock doves are classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List, but their numbers today are decreasing.

## Domestication

For several thousand years, Rock doves have been domesticated, being the forerunner of the domestic pigeon. Aside from use as food and pets, the domesticated birds can be used as homing pigeons. In the past, they also had a role as carrier pigeons, and certain “war pigeons” have had significant roles during wartime, many pigeons having received medals and bravery awards for their services in the saving of hundreds of human lives.

## Fun Facts for Kids

In the early 1600s, Rock doves were introduced to North America.

Domestic Rock doves, like homing pigeons, can find their way back home, even if the release location is distant and they are blindfolded. They navigate by means of the earth’s magnetic fields and the sun’s position, and perhaps also by using smell and sound.

City buildings and window ledges are roosting places for Rock doves, being similar to the rocky cliffs used in the wild.

The U.S. Army Signal Corps used Rock doves to carry messages during World Wars I and II, thus saving lives and conveying vital strategic information.

The plumage of Rock doves is many different shades and patterns. The common ones include the typical “blue-bar” (bluish-gray with double black bands on their wing and a tail with a black tip); a “red bar” (similar in markings but with rusty red instead of bluish-gray); “checker” (with spots on their wings); “spread” (all gray or all black); “pied” (any color but splotched with white); and those that are mostly red or white.

Doves, especially carrier or homing breeds, can find their way home over long distances. Despite this ability, a wild Rock dove is sedentary and rarely leaves its local area.