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BIRDGACHA / FIELD NOTES

Pigeons, Doves

A small head above a full breast, a rounded body and a relatively short bill give many pigeons and doves a recognisable outline. Rock Dove, Common Wood Pigeon and Eurasian Collared Dove show how neck marks, wing patches and tail shape separate familiar species. Ground-feeding birds may walk with a noticeable head movement, while birds in flight can show strong, direct wingbeats. The family also includes colourful fruit-eating species, so urban grey pigeons are only one part of its variety. Repeated cooing phrases are useful identification clues, particularly when a bird remains concealed in a tree.

How to recognize Pigeons and Doves

  • Compare the size of the head and bill with the rounded breast and body.
  • Check collars, neck patches and pale areas on the wings in good light.
  • Watch the tail in flight or as the bird lands; shape and pale tips can be useful.
  • Listen to the rhythm and number of notes in a repeated cooing phrase.

Where they live

Pigeons and doves occur across much of the world, from tropical forest to farmland, rocky country and cities. Rock Dove’s natural nesting sites are cliffs, while feral populations use buildings and other artificial ledges. Common Wood Pigeon uses wooded landscapes and nearby feeding ground, and Eurasian Collared Dove is familiar around many settlements. Fruit-eating relatives can depend on forest canopies rather than open feeding areas. Identify the species before treating a city square, a cliff face and a tropical fruiting tree as equivalent habitat.

Species accounts: Rock Dove · Common Wood Pigeon · Eurasian Collared Dove

Sources — natural history: BTO: Rock Dove · BTO: Woodpigeon · BTO: Collared Dove.

Classification: IOC World Bird List: family names and classification.

Updated 2026-11-06. Species counts follow this site's catalogue. This is an editorial summary, not an expert peer review.

Explore similarities in appearance, feeding and habitat. These comparisons do not necessarily indicate the closest evolutionary relatives.

Species records retain their original English, Chinese and scientific names.

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Rock DoveRock DoveColumba liviaHill PigeonHill PigeonColumba rupestrisSnow PigeonSnow PigeonColumba leuconotaSpeckled PigeonSpeckled PigeonColumba guineaWhite-collared PigeonWhite-collared PigeonColumba albitorquesStock DoveStock DoveColumba oenasYellow-eyed PigeonYellow-eyed PigeonColumba eversmanniSomali PigeonSomali PigeonColumba oliviaeCommon Wood PigeonCommon Wood PigeonColumba palumbusTrocaz PigeonTrocaz PigeonColumba trocazBolle's PigeonBolle's PigeonColumba bolliiLaurel PigeonLaurel PigeonColumba junoniaeAfep PigeonAfep PigeonColumba unicinctaAfrican Olive PigeonAfrican Olive PigeonColumba arquatrixCameroon Olive PigeonCameroon Olive PigeonColumba sjostedtiSao Tome Olive PigeonSao Tome Olive PigeonColumba thomensisComoro Olive PigeonComoro Olive PigeonColumba polleniiSpeckled Wood PigeonSpeckled Wood PigeonColumba hodgsoniiWhite-naped PigeonWhite-naped PigeonColumba albinuchaAshy Wood PigeonAshy Wood PigeonColumba pulchricollisNilgiri Wood PigeonNilgiri Wood PigeonColumba elphinstoniiSri Lanka Wood PigeonSri Lanka Wood PigeonColumba torringtoniaePale-capped PigeonPale-capped PigeonColumba puniceaSilvery PigeonSilvery PigeonColumba argentinaAndaman Wood PigeonAndaman Wood PigeonColumba palumboidesBlack Wood PigeonBlack Wood PigeonColumba janthinaMetallic PigeonMetallic PigeonColumba vitiensisWhite-headed PigeonWhite-headed PigeonColumba leucomelaYellow-legged PigeonYellow-legged PigeonColumba pallidicepsEastern Bronze-naped PigeonEastern Bronze-naped PigeonColumba delegorgueiWestern Bronze-naped PigeonWestern Bronze-naped PigeonColumba iriditorquesIsland Bronze-naped PigeonIsland Bronze-naped PigeonColumba malherbiiLemon DoveLemon DoveAplopelia larvataWhite-crowned PigeonWhite-crowned PigeonPatagioenas leucocephalaScaly-naped PigeonScaly-naped PigeonPatagioenas squamosaScaled PigeonScaled PigeonPatagioenas speciosaPicazuro PigeonPicazuro PigeonPatagioenas picazuroBare-eyed PigeonBare-eyed PigeonPatagioenas corensisSpot-winged PigeonSpot-winged PigeonPatagioenas maculosaBand-tailed PigeonBand-tailed PigeonPatagioenas fasciataChilean PigeonChilean PigeonPatagioenas araucanaRing-tailed PigeonRing-tailed PigeonPatagioenas caribaeaPale-vented PigeonPale-vented PigeonPatagioenas cayennensisRed-billed PigeonRed-billed PigeonPatagioenas flavirostrisMaranon PigeonMaranon PigeonPatagioenas oenopsPlain PigeonPlain PigeonPatagioenas inornataPlumbeous PigeonPlumbeous PigeonPatagioenas plumbeaRuddy PigeonRuddy PigeonPatagioenas subvinacea