rock dove
Quick Summary
The rock dove, also known as the rock pigeon (Columba livia), is a bluish-gray bird indigenous to Eurasia. It is the ancestor of many domesticated pigeons and the feral pigeons found in cities worldwide. Pigeons, which belong to the family Columbidae, are generally plump birds with small bills and a characteristic head-bobbing gait. They are strong, swift fliers due to their long wings and powerful flight muscles.12
Pigeons are monogamous, mating for life, and typically lay two white eggs in a simple nest. Both parents share incubation duties, and the young are cared for in the nest for several weeks. Pigeons are found globally, except in the coldest regions and most remote islands. They feed their young a substance called "pigeon's milk," which is the sloughed-off lining of the crop.2
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pigeonDomesticated pigeonsThe rock dove is typically dull in colorāgray and white rump and two large black wing bars; this Eurasian species nests above 5,000 feet (1,525 metres) in Asia. It has been domesticated and selectively bred since 4,500 bce with the production of numerous color variants andā¦
Read MoreThe rock dove is typically dull in colorāgray and white rump and two large black wing bars; this Eurasian species nests above 5,000 feet (1,525 metres) in Asia. It has been domesticated and selectively bred since 4,500 bce with the production of numerous color variants andā¦
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columbiformImportance to humansNesting colonies of the rock dove (Columba livia) were farmed by Neolithic husbandmen for food, and gradually the process of rearing young in confinement led to the production of domesticated strains. Evidence for domestication extends back to 4500 bce in ancient Iraq, and the bird was sacred to theā¦
Read MoreNesting colonies of the rock dove (Columba livia) were farmed by Neolithic husbandmen for food, and gradually the process of rearing young in confinement led to the production of domesticated strains. Evidence for domestication extends back to 4500 bce in ancient Iraq, and the bird was sacred to theā¦
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