Birds by family

Birds by family

Pigeons and doves

Feral pigeon perched on fence post

There is no strict division between pigeons and doves, which share certain features, including small, rounded heads, small, slim bills with a small fleshy patch a the base, rounded bodies with dense, soft feathers, tapered wings and short, scaly legs, and cooing or crooning calls. The wild rock dove has long been domesticated and ‘escaped’ to live wild as the familiar town pigeon. There are many species all over the world.

Members of this family

This list only includes birds that occur regularly within the UK.

Collared dove

This bird rapidly spread across Europe in the 20th century and is now common in most parts of the UK.

Collared dove (illustration)

Rock dove

This is the same species as the rock dove, originally kept to provide food, and the wild ancestor of domestic pigeons the world over. Feral pigeons come in all shades, some bluer, others blacker - so...

Rock dove (illustration)

Stock dove

Stock doves are similar in plumage and size to rock doves/feral pigeons. They are largely blue-grey with an attractive iridescent bottle green band on the back of the neck. In flight they show black...

Stock dove (illustration)

Turtle dove

The turtle dove is a dainty dove, smaller and darker than the collared dove and slightly larger than a blackbird. Its upperparts are distinctively mottled with chestnut and black and its black tail ha...

Turtle dove (illustration)

Woodpigeon

The woodpigeon is the UK's largest and commonest pigeon. It can be tame and approachable in towns and cities.

Woodpigeon (illustration)