What is a Pigeon?

Common name: Rock Pigeons
Scientific name: Columba livia ("columba" is Latin for dove or pigeon; "livia" means blue or blue-gray color)

Rock Pigeons originated in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. Some of these pigeons were eventually domesticated by humans.  They arrived in North America with Northern Europeans who settled in Nova Scotia, Canada, in the early 1600s. Some of these Rock Pigeons established populations in cities and towns. Escaped racing and homing pigeons also may contribute to these pigeon flocks. Because Rock Pigeons in North America (and many other continents) are from populations established by escaped domestic pigeons, we refer to them as feral pigeons. The term "wild" is reserved for pigeon populations that were never domesticated and still live in their native habitats.

What’s the difference between a pigeon and a dove?

Not much. 'Pigeon' is from French, pijon, and 'dove' is an English word. When some people hear the word "pigeon," they think of a pest, a "winged rat." When they hear the word "dove," they may think of a symbol of peace and love. But white doves of peace are simply white pigeons. Remember, until recently, feral pigeons were also called Rock Doves. Doves sometimes are considered smaller than pigeons, but this is not always the case. Pigeons and doves are all members of the family Columbidae, which includes 303 species worldwide. Forty-seven living species, plus one extinct species, are listed for North and Central America. The Passenger Pigeon, Ectopistes migratorius, is extinct. 

Do other species of pigeons or doves, besides Rock Pigeons, live near me?

Probably! Check out All About Birds to see what species of pigeons and doves are present throughout the continent.

Some species that can be seen in North America are:

Found throughout most of North America.

Introduced into the Bahamas in the mid-1970s, it is now found throughout the southeastern United States and has been seen across the continent.

A common resident of urban areas of the Southwest

A domesticated dove. It frequently escapes from captivity, and feral populations have become established in some cities in the southern United States.

Found in the Southwest United States and tropics. An introduced population has become established in Florida.

The smallest dove in the United States, the Common Ground-Dove is a bird of the southern United States and tropical America. Aptly named, it feeds and nests on the ground.

Found in islands and coastlines in the Caribbean and can be seen in southern Florida.

This large pigeon looks a lot like the introduced Rock Pigeon but it's a native. The Band-tailed Pigeon is found in the American West as well as throughout Central and South America.

What species of North American pigeon is extinct?

Passenger Pigeons (scientific name Ectopistes migratorius) once flew in flocks of thousands. About two to three billion Passenger Pigeons ranged across eastern North America; they may have been the most numerous bird species in history. But they were hunted to extinction for meat, sport, and by farmers who were protecting their crops from the huge ravenous flocks. The last Passenger Pigeon died at the Cincinnati Zoological Garden in September, 1914.

How long do pigeons live?

Pigeons can live about five years in the wild. They sometimes live for more than 15 years when raised by people.

What good are feral pigeons?

Think about what cities would be like without the help of feral pigeons. These birds are flying street cleaners. They gobble up tons of bread, popcorn, and other human leftovers each year. And pigeons have become part of the urban landscape around the world. They provide many city dwellers with beauty and companionship.

Are feral pigeons dirty? Do they carry diseases?

Pigeons have a bad reputation in cities. Some people think they’re dirty and harbor diseases. But city birds know how to keep clean. You can often see them taking baths. Pigeon droppings can create problems on buildings or statues if allowed to accumulate in large amounts. The droppings also can harbor diseases unless they are regularly washed away. Cleanliness is key. If you handle pigeons, be sure to wash your hands afterwards, just as you would after handling any wild animal.
In response to questions about the effects of pigeons on human health, in 1986 the Association of Pigeon Veterinarians issued a statement that concludes, "…to our knowledge, the raising, keeping, and the exercising of pigeons and doves represents no more of a health hazard than the keeping of other communal or domestic pets." A spokesman for the American Pigeon Fanciers Council says this statement applies to feral pigeon flocks, too. He says the homing and racing pigeons that people raise stay healthy even though they often come into contact with feral pigeons.

How can you tell males from females?

You can’t always do it. Pigeon males and females look almost exactly the same. In general, males are more colorful, with more iridescence.  Some  female pigeons may be duller in coloring or smaller than their mates.

Interesting Note:
Odd-colored birds of a species get picked-off more easily by predators. In general, if a predator spots a bird that stands out from the rest, they will try to catch it more often than the birds that blend in.

What do  pigeons eat?

Seeds, berries, fruit, insects, grain, garbage, etc..

Why don't I ever see any baby pigeons?

You may already have seen newly fledged young pigeons but didn't recognize them. They look much like adults, but younger nestling pigeons are more difficult to see. Adult pigeons build nests in hard-to-reach places, such as covered crevices along building ledges, in the nooks and crannies of building beams and rafters, or in hidden-away places under bridges. You can find these birds nesting just about anywhere in the urban environment that resembles the caves and sea cliffs of their natural environment in Europe, the Middle East, and northern Africa.

During their first week of life, the well-hidden baby pigeons are fed a high-fat, high-protein diet of crop milk produced by both parents. They grow very fast. They walk well at about 18 days of age and start exercising their wings about a week later. But because they have been regularly fed by the adults and haven't done much exercising, the birds are often bigger than their parents by the time they start to fly, which is on average 30 to 32 days after hatching.

Some young pigeons, or squabs, might venture away from the nest site before fledging, but most stay close to home. So we humans aren't likely to lay eyes on a juvenile pigeon until it is full-grown. maybe even temporarily a little plumper than its parents, and has taken flight and begun to scrabble for food with other city pigeons.

Watch pigeons up close this spring! Distinguish the young from the adults:

* Look at their ceres. The heart-shaped growth at the top of the pigeon's beak, the cere, is dull and grayish in young birds and white in adults.

* Look at their eyes. The eyes of a young bird are brown. The eyes of an adult bird are orange to orange-red in color.

Why don't pigeons perch on trees like other birds? Why do they like buildings?

Pigeons will perch on trees, but they are better adapted to the man-made surfaces in urban areas. That's because human-made structures are good substitutes for the cliffs and ledges of the birds' natural habitat.

What's going on when a pigeon puffs up and struts around?

The puffed-up, strutting bird is a male pigeon courting and showing off for a female. Males fluff their iridescent neck feathers, reflecting shimmering green, bronze, and purple; they spread their tail feathers; they parade or dance in a circle around the female; they coo loudly. This courtship behavior may lead to mating or it might serve to strengthen the lifelong bonds of an already-mated pair.

Although you can see pigeon courtship all year long, it peaks in springtime in urban areas around the globe.

Where do pigeons nest?

Pigeons nest in all kinds of places! Nooks and crannies in buildings, bridges, and other places that mimic their natural 'cliffside' habitat. Pigeons might lay their eggs on an air conditioning unit on the window of a city building or on the floor of a balcony. Their nests are skimpy -- sometimes they might lay their eggs on bare floor or in a pot.

Book recommendation: A great book about where birds nest is: Urban Roosts: Where Birds Nest in the City by Barbara Bash (Author), Sierra Club Books (Author)

How long does it take for pigeons to leave the nest?

What are pigeons' predators?

Humans, cats, Peregrine Falcons, Merlins, Red-tailed and Cooper's Hawks.