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UrbanPlatform nestLarge · 354 g
What the Rock Dove sounds like
ID tip
Millennia of domestication have greatly altered the rock dove in many regions. Domestic and Feral pigeons, which arose through selective breeding, not originating naturally, have significant variation in plumage from the natural wild birds. This wild type is endangered in many areas; the nominate subspecies C. l. livia persists most notably in the far north and west of Scotland, most strongly so in the Outer Hebrides. The adult of the nominate subspecies of the rock dove is 30 to 35 cm (12 to 14 in) long with a 62 to 68 cm (24 to 27 in) wingspan. Voice: The call is a soft, slightly wavering, coo "crruoo-u", similar to feral pigeons. Variations include an alarm call, a nest call, and noises made by juveniles. When displaying, songs are partly sexual, partly threatening. They are accompanied by an inflated throat, tail fanning, strutting, and bowing. The alarm call, given at sight of predators, is a grunt-like oorhh.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
When to see the Rock Dove
One bar for each month, and every month is filled: this bird is recorded here in all twelve. The wide bar is January, the month with the most records.
Where to see the Rock Dove
The map shades 223 countries with regular records, and 5 more in a lighter tone where the bird turns up only as a stray. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.
Recorded as a rare visitor in Central African Republic, Falkland Islands, North Korea, Micronesia, Nauru.
About the Rock Dove
The rock dove, also known as the common pigeon or rock pigeon, is a member of the bird family Columbidae. 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.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Easily confused with
Common Wood PigeonColumba palumbusThe three Western European Columba pigeons, common wood pigeon, stock dove and rock dove, though superficially alike, have very distinctive characteristics; the common wood pigeon may be identified at once by its larger size at 38–44.5 cm (15–17+1⁄2 in) and weight 300–615 g (10+5⁄8–21+3⁄4 oz), and the white on its neck and wing.
Stock DoveColumba oenasThe stock dove is 28–34 cm (11–13 in) long, with a wingspan of 60–66 cm (24–26 in) and a weight of 303–365 g in males, 286–290 g in females.
Speckled PigeonColumba guineaIt is a medium-sized pigeon, at 32–35 cm in length similar in size to rock dove and stock dove.
Side by side: Common Wood Pigeon vs Rock Dove · Rock Dove vs Stock Dove · Rock Dove vs Speckled Pigeon
Watch the Rock Dove on live cams
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