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Feral Pigeon

Columba livia

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52.1603, 4.49393

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Comments (4)
alice and nath
Very useful info! I looked them up on the internet, and was surprised to learn that they come in a variety of plumages . There's a bunch of these guys in the city center; all along I thought that they were different kinds of pigeons haha. Thanks for help!
Malcolm Wilton-Jones
No problem. There are lots of articles about this subject on the internet, but since domestication of pigeons and doves started many hundreds of years ago, probably predominantly with Rock Pigeons, and with them being bred for messaging, racing, food, etc., and shipped around the world, they have interbred, escaped, and even scientists are unsure of their actual pedigree!
alice and nath
Thanks for the explanation! I already changed the name.
Malcolm Wilton-Jones
These are not Rock Pigeons but what are commonly termed Feral or Town Pigeons, formed by interbreeding between Rock Pigeons, Stock Doves and other domesticated varieties. They are still descendants of the family Columbidae however.There are very few pure Rock Pigeons left today

Spotted for Missions

Mission
Earth Week 2011
Photographed
PublishedApril 24, 2011

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