About the Rock Pigeon
The rock dove (Columba livia), also known as the common pigeon or rock pigeon (but see also Petrophassa), is a member of the bird family Columbidae (doves and pigeons). In common usage, it is often simply referred to as the "pigeon", although the rock dove is the wild form of the bird; the pigeons familiar to most people are the domesticated forms of the wild rock dove. Wild rock doves are uniformly pale grey with two black bars on each wing, with few differences being seen between males and females; i.e. they are not strongly sexually dimorphic. The domestic pigeon, often called "Columba livia domestica", which includes about 1,000 different breeds, is descended from this species. Escaped domestic pigeons are the origin of feral pigeons around the world.
Source: Wikipedia
Classification
- Scientific name
- Columba livia
- Family
- Pigeons and Doves
- Order
- Columbiformes
Similar species
Other members of the pigeons and doves family recorded in North America — a useful place to start if you are not certain of your identification.
- African Collared-Dove Streptopelia roseogrisea
- Band-tailed Pigeon Patagioenas fasciata
- Blue Ground Dove Claravis pretiosa
- Caribbean Dove Leptotila jamaicensis
- Common Ground Dove Columbina passerina
- Common Wood-Pigeon Columba palumbus
- Crested Pigeon Ocyphaps lophotes
- Diamond Dove Geopelia cuneata
- Eurasian Collared-Dove Streptopelia decaocto
- European Turtle-Dove Streptopelia turtur
- Gray-chested Dove Leptotila cassinii
- Gray-headed Dove Leptotila plumbeiceps
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