Hill Pigeon vs Snow Pigeon

Hill Pigeon

Columba rupestris

Medium245 gRocky

The hill pigeon is a stout-bodied pigeon, similar in size and general appearance to the rock dove (Columba livia) but mainly differentiated by its tail pattern which consists of a broad, white tail-band across the black tail. Other differences include a paler mantle and upper wings and a white patch on the back. In flight, the tail pattern is similar to the snow pigeon (Columba leuconota), but lacks the contrast between the head and neck in that species.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Dmitry Kulakov · CC BY 4.0

Snow Pigeon

Columba leuconota

Medium284 gRocky

Snow pigeons have a blackish head contrasting with a white neck collar and white underparts shading into ashy on the abdomen. Their backs are brownish-grey with a white patch on the lower back. Their wings are pale grey with three brown bands. Their black tails have a clear white band in the middle which narrows and curve forward to reach the tip of the outermost tail features. Young birds have narrow, pale buff margins to the feathers of the upper parts and wings. The white of the underparts is sullied with buff.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Kingshuk Mondal · CC BY 4.0

Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Hill Pigeon and Snow Pigeon.