Rock Pigeon

Highly variable due to domestication. Typical wild type is bluish-gray with two black wing bars and a white rump. They often show iridescent green and purple patches on the neck. Domesticated 'feral' varieties can be white, reddish, or mottled.

Small head, short legs, broad wings, white rump (wild type), and two black bars on the secondary feathers.

Length: 29-37 cm; Wingspan: 62-72 cm; Weight: 238-380 g.

A soft, repetitive 'coo-roo-ctoo-coo'.

Primarily granivorous, eating seeds and grain. Urban pigeons frequently scavenge human food scraps.

Found in rocky cliffs (wild), but most common in urban environments, city centers, and farmland.

Permanent resident; non-migratory.

Builds a flimsy platform of sticks on ledges of buildings or cliffs. Lays 1-2 white eggs. Both parents produce 'crop milk' to feed young.

Stock Dove (lacks white rump and has dark eyes), Wood Pigeon (larger with white neck patch and wing white bar).

Acts as a prey species for urban raptors like Peregrine Falcons; helps in seed dispersal, though often considered a pest in cities.

Least Concern (IUCN); population is stable and extremely large.

Very easy to find in urban parks, plazas, and near train stations. They are generally unafraid of humans and easy to photograph at close range.

They were the first bird species to be domesticated. They have an incredible homing ability, allowing them to find their way home from over 1,000 miles away using magnetic fields and landmarks.