Birds and wildlife

Rock Dove/Feral Pigeon

Columba liviaGroup: Pigeons and dovesUK Conservation status:Green

How to identify

The Rock Dove is the wild ancestor of domestic Pigeons the world over, which were originally domesticated to provide food. Feral Pigeons come in all shades, some bluer, others blacker – some are pale grey with darker checked markings, others an unusual shade of dull brick-red or cinnamon-brown. Some can be more or less white while others look exactly like wild Rock Doves. They can be considered a nuisance in urban areas where numbers are allowed to increase.

Call

Rock Dove/Feral Pigeon

Stuart Fisher / xeno-canto

Key

  1. Resident
  2. Passage
  3. Summer
  4. Winter
* This map is intended as a guide. It shows general distribution rather than detailed, localised populations.
  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

Key facts