Wildbird
HOME Bird name:

Rock Pigeon

Columba liviaOrder: COLUMBIFORMESFamily: Pigeons and Doves (Columbidae)

Breeding Location:

Grassland with scattered trees, Rocky places



Breeding Type:

Monogamous



Breeding Population:



Egg Color:

White



Number of Eggs:

2



Incubation Days:

16 - 19



Egg Incubator:

Both sexes



Nest Material:

Unlined platform of sticks, twigs, leaves, grasses.



Migration:

Nonmigratory



Splitbar
BEYOND THE BACKYARD...
800+ BIRDS OF NORTH AMERICA
FORUMS - ID HELP - ARTICLES - FREE SOFTWARE - MUCH MORE
If you like the Project Wildbird ID Engine you may want to check out the WhatBird North America database - the gold standard of bird identification that Project Wildbird is based on.

Whatbird.com - a commercial web site - offers the same search capability for every bird in North America, including rare and vagrants, shorebirds, raptors, even extinct species. You'll find the same outstanding illustrations, bird calls, plus these features:

Browse Birds - view birds by location, shape, color, size, etc.

Bird Expert - guides you ID with simple questions

Forum - Visit our Identification Forum and get personal answers from our ornithologists David Lukas and Simone Whitecloud.

FORUMS - ID HELP - ARTICLES - FREE SOFTWARE - MUCH MORE

Overview

Rock Pigeon: Large, highly variably colored dove; wild form has gray body, dark blue-gray head, neck, breast, and white rump. Wings are gray with two black bars. Tail is gray and rounded with dark terminal band. Forages on ground, eats grass, seeds, grains, clover and berries. Swift direct flight.

Range and Habitat

Rock Pigeon: Native to Eurasia; introduced and established in most of North America from central Canada southward. Found in agricultural lands, open shrub, and urban areas.

Breeding and Nesting

Rock Pigeon: Two white eggs are laid in a crude nest lined with sticks and debris, built on a window ledge, building, bridge, or cliff. Incubation ranges from 16 to 19 days and is carried out by both parents.

Foraging and Feeding

Rock Pigeon: Eats mostly seeds, but also takes fruits and berries; subsists on scraps in urban and suburban areas; forages on the ground.

Readily Eats

Cracked Corn, Sunflower Seed, Nuts, Milo

Vocalization

Rock Pigeon: Emits soft, guttural coos.

Similar Species

Rock Pigeon: Band-tailed Pigeon has a white bar on nape and broad gray tail band.

.

Copyright © 2005 WBFI Research Foundation Bird database and its related content and media is Copyright (C) 2002 - 2005 Mitch Waite Group All rights reserved.

Family Pigeons and Doves (Columbidae)_blue
Species Columba livia
Length13 - 14 Inches
Wingspan24.5 Inches

Rock Pigeon

Rock Pigeon: Large, highly variably colored dove; wild form has gray body, dark blue-gray head, neck, breast, and white rump. Wings are gray with two black bars. Tail is gray and rounded with dark terminal band. Forages on ground, eats grass, seeds, grains, clover and berries. Swift direct flight.

● Song: "cooing coo-a-roo", "coo-roo-cooo"

● Foraging & Feeding: Rock Pigeon: Eats mostly seeds, but also takes fruits and berries; subsists on scraps in urban and suburban areas; forages on the ground.

● Breeding & nesting: Rock Pigeon: Two white eggs are laid in a crude nest lined with sticks and debris, built on a window ledge, building, bridge, or cliff. Incubation ranges from 16 to 19 days and is carried out by both parents.

● Similar species: Rock Pigeon: Band-tailed Pigeon has a white bar on nape and broad gray tail band.

Flight Pattern

Swift direct flight with rapid wing beats.
Rock Pigeon Body Illustration
● Range & Habitat: Rock Pigeon: Native to Eurasia; introduced and established in most of North America from central Canada southward. Found in agricultural lands, open shrub, and urban areas.
BreedingMonogamous
Population
MigrationNonmigratory
Weight13 Ounces