Latin Name: Columba livia (‘dove’ or ‘bird of leaden or blue-grey colour’).

Common Names: Pigeon, dove, blue rock pigeon, rock dove, wild rock pigeon, rock
pigeon, feral pigeon.
Derivation: The word ‘pigeon’ is derived from the Latin word ‘pipio’, meaning ‘young
cheeping bird’. The word ‘dove’ is of Norse origin and first appeared in the 14th century as
‘dova’ or ‘douve’.
Bird Order: Columbiformes
Family: Columbidae (includes 315 different species)
Subspecies: C. l. livia, C. l. atlantis, C. l. canariensis, C. l. gymnocyclus, C. l. targia, C. l.
nigricans, C. l. dakhlae, C. l. schimperi, C. l. intermedia, C. l. palaestinae, C. l. gaddi, C. l.
neglecta
Varieties: 350 recorded varieties.
Most Common: Feral Pigeon - 10-15 million in Europe.
Origin: Europe, North Africa and Asia.
Habitat: The wild pigeon is found in coastal areas and the feral pigeon is found almost
exclusively in areas of human habitation.
Distribution: Worldwide except Sahara Desert, Antarctica and the high Arctic. European
population estimated at between 17 and 28 million birds.
Description (adult of the nominate subspecies of the rock pigeon):
 32-37 cm long
 64-72 cm wingspan
 Dark bluish-grey head, neck and chest with glossy greenish and reddish-purple
iridescence around the neck and wing feathers
 Orange or red iris with pale inner ring (adult) or brown or greyish brown (juveniles)
 Black bill with off-white cere
 Red feet and legs
 Distinctive twin black wing bars
 White lower back feathers
Reproduction:
 Breeds all year round with peak breeding periods in spring and summer
 All columbiformes are monogamous (mate for life)
 Wild birds breed on coastal cliffs and some inland cliffs
 Feral birds breed on or in buildings, usually in urban areas
 Flimsy nest built on rocky shelf (wild) or accessible ledge on a building or in the roof void
of a building (feral)
 Two white eggs that are incubated by both parents for 17-19 days
 The squab (chick) has yellow down and a pink bill
 Squabs are fed on ‘crop milk’ by both parents
 Fledging period is approximately 30 days depending on time of year
 Pigeons can breed at 6 months of age

Pigeon nest and 2 eggs

Pigeon squab and egg

Adult pigeon on nest

Pigeon egg

Pigeon squab 1 day

Pigeon squab 1 day

Pigeon squab 3 days

Pigeon squab 3 days

Pigeon squab 5 days

Pigeon squab 8 days
Pigeon squab 8 days

Pigeon squab 8 days

Pigeon squabs 10 days

Pigeon squab 14 days
Pigeon squab 14 days
Pigeon squab 16 days

Pigeon squab 16 days

Juvenile pigeons in nest

Juvenile pigeons in nest
Juvenile pigeon with mother

Fledged juvenile pigeon

Fledged juvenile pigeon
Diet: Seeds form the major component of the diet, but it varies greatly according to
species. Some ground feeding species (granivorous species) eat fruit and take insects and
worms. One species, the Atoll Fruit Dove, has adapted to taking insects and small reptiles.
The feral pigeon found in urban areas exists exclusively on a diet of seed (normally from
human sources) and human refuse, such as fast food waste. Wood pigeons have a varied
diet which includes vegetables and berries.
Life Expectancy: Varies greatly from 3-5 years through to 15 years dependent on many
factors, including natural predation and human interference.

Peregrine Falcon
Predation: The wild pigeon is predated upon, almost exclusively, by the peregrine falcon, a
bird that is also found living and breeding in coastal regions. The sparrowhawk may also
predate on the wild pigeon. The feral pigeon has few if any natural predators, with man
being the main threat to the bird in areas of human habitation.
Characteristics and Attributes:
 Pigeons can fly at altitudes of 6000 feet or more
 Pigeons can fly at average speeds of up to 77.6 mph but have been recorded flying at
92.5 mph
 Pigeons can fly between 600 and 700 miles in a single day, with the longest recorded
flight in the 19th century taking 55 days between Africa and England and covering 7000
miles
 Pigeons are thought to navigate by sensing the earth’s magnetic field and using the sun
for direction. Other theories include the use of roads and even low frequency seismic
waves to find their way home
 Pigeons (and all the columbidae family) drink by sucking water and using their beaks like
straws. Most birds sip water and then throw their head back to swallow
 Pigeons, like humans, can see in colour, but unlike humans they can also see ultraviolet
light, a part of the spectrum that humans cannot see. As a result, pigeons are often used
in search and rescue missions at sea because of this unique sense combined with
excellent all-round vision
 Pigeons have been found to pass the ‘mirror test’, the ability to recognise its own
reflection in a mirror. The pigeon is one of only 6 species, and the only non-mammal, to
have this ability
 Pigeons are highly intelligent and can recognise all 26 letters of the alphabet as well as
being able to conceptualise. Pigeons can differentiate between photographs and even two
different human beings in a single photograph.
Back to top

Domestication of the Rock Dove:

Early wall painting of

man with dove
The first mention of the domestication of the rock dove was found in Mesopotamian
cuneiform tablets (pictographical writing on clay tablets) dating back over 5000 years.
However, it is likely that rock doves were domesticated by Neolithic man as far back as
10,000 years ago in and around the alluvial plains of the Tigris and Euphrates. It was at this
time that Neolithic man was starting to cultivate cereal crops and domesticate animals for
food. In pre-history it is likely that rock doves lived alongside man in caves and on cliff
faces.
Images of pigeons were first found on the reconstructed façade of an excavated temple
dedicated to the goddess Ninhursag (Queen of Heaven and Earth) at Al’Ubaid in Sumeria in
3000 BC. Many more clay images of pigeons have been found during excavations of sites in
Iraq and Crete dating back to 3000 BC. During the excavation of an Egyptian tomb in 3000
BC, the bones of pigeons were found in what is thought to have been the remains of a
funerary meal. Although images of the pigeon have been found dating as far back as 3000
BC, it is not clear what role the pigeon played in these ancient civilisations and to what
extent the bird was domesticated.
Later, in 1100 BC, King Rameses III sacrificed 57,000 pigeons to the god Ammon at
Thebes, confirming that the pigeon was well on the way to being domesticated not only for
food but also for religious purposes. Mention of pigeon sacrifices can also be found in both
the Old Testament and the New Testament.
The pigeon is probably best known for its ability to return ‘home’ from long distances and
has been used extensively by man for this purpose. The earliest reference to the pigeon
being used to carry messages dates back to 2500 BC and the tradition has continued
throughout history. The Romans and ancient Greeks used the pigeon extensively for
carrying messages and the first sophisticated messaging service was established in Syria
and Persia in the 12th century AD, with messages being carried by pigeons from city to city.

Carrier Pigeons - WW1

Later, in the 19th century, the pigeon was used for commercial purposes, carrying
messages for financial institutions and news agencies in Europe and even providing an
airmail service in New Zealand. In the 20th century, pigeons were used extensively in both
Great Wars to carry messages, and as a result of their bravery and heroism, tens of
thousands of human lives were saved. The last messaging service using pigeons was
disbanded in 2006 by the police force in the city of Orrisa, India.
Dedicated pigeon houses, or dovecotes, were believed to have existed in very early times in
southern Palestine and later in Egypt in 44 BC.
 Ancient Egyptian pigeon
house 44 AD
However, a detailed and well-preserved Roman mosaic dating from 200 BC shows a
dovecote with a thatched roof in which there are numerous flight holes with pigeons
perching both on the roof and flying above it. This confirms that the pigeon was being bred
in dedicated facilities over 2200 years ago. The Sicilian historian Diadorous, writing about
the period circa 300 BC, also described a mud building with a reed thatched roof that was
used to house domesticated pigeons, further confirming that organised domestication had
been established in this period.
The dovecote has played an essential role in the domestication of the pigeon throughout
history, with facilities ranging from extremely crude early examples in the form of basic clay
pots through to highly ornate detached buildings housing many thousands of birds in the
17th, 18th and 19th centuries.

Dovecote, Dieppe, France

Pigeons were housed and bred within these structures for food, their excrement (which was
used as fertiliser and as an ingredient for gunpowder), sport and as messengers. The
tradition of housing pigeons in man-made structures continued until the 20th century and is
described in more detail in the Dovecotes article.
The pigeon was domesticated not only for its ability to return home and as a source of food
and by-products, but also for the purposes of sport. Man has found many sporting uses for
the pigeon throughout history, with the earliest known example being the sport of
Triganieri. It is unclear when this ancient sport first started, but the early Greeks and
Romans are believed to have participated in it. The sport involves each participant using
captive pigeons, released from several pigeon lofts or dovecotes at the same time, and to
lure as many birds as possible away from adjoining lofts using specially trained pigeons. The
captured birds were either killed or held for ransom. This sport has continued through the
centuries and is still played today. In the Turkish city of Urfa the sport involves over 500
flocks in a single event.

Pigeon Cage Trap

Other sporting uses for the pigeon included the use of falconry, known as the ‘Sport of
Kings’, where both domesticated and wild pigeons were killed for sport. The sport is
believed to have started prior to the 10th century AD. At the end of the 17th century, with
the advent of the shotgun, falconry dwindled in popularity, but a new, more deadly sport
took its place – pigeon shooting. In the Middle East, domesticated pigeons are still used
today as bait for falconers.
Organised pigeon shoots started in the 18th century where huge numbers of domesticated
birds were released and shot at point-blank range. Incredibly, the sport continues today in
the USA where huge numbers of feral pigeons are cage-trapped by unscrupulous pest
controllers and netted by illegal gangs and then sold to shooting clubs. The birds are then
released in front of shooters, many with semi-automatic weapons, and shot at point-blank
range.

Pigeon Transporter
Probably the most common use for the domesticated pigeon today is pigeon racing, a sport
that is popular in virtually every country in the world. It is not known when pigeon racing
for sport first started, probably in very early history, but pigeon racing as we know it today
first started in Belgium in 1850. The sport grew in popularity and peaked in 1960, when
there were 170,000 pigeon fanciers in the UK alone. Today the sport is in decline, but
pigeons that are considered to be good breeding stock can exchange hands for as much as
£65,000.
Back to top
The Pigeon as an Icon and Symbol:
Since its domestication many thousands of years ago, the pigeon has been revered by many
religions, including Hindu, Islam, Christian and Sikh. Although Neolithic man (circa 8500 BC
onwards) undoubtedly domesticated the rock dove, there is little indication that the bird was
used for anything but food.

Ancient Persian Dovecote

The first historical indication of there being religious significance associated with the
domesticated pigeon was in 3000 BC during excavations of temples and tombs in Egypt,
Mesopotamia (modern Iraq) and Crete. Images of pigeons were first found in an excavated
temple dedicated to the goddess Ninhursag (Queen of Heaven and Earth) at Al’Ubaid in
Sumeria. On the reconstructed façade of the temple, a limestone frieze was found showing
a row of sitting pigeons. Another discovery, found in Copper/Bronze Age tombs (3rd/4th
millennium BC) excavated on the island of Cyprus, revealed large number of clay bowls,
some decorated with doves. These closely resemble similar clay bowls found on the island of
Crete. The bowls are thought to have been used for sacrificial worship or have some other
religious significance.
Excavations of tombs dating back to 1600 BC at Mycenae in southern Greece revealed two
ornaments that depict doves. One is of a goddess holding a dove in either hand, and
another perched on her head, and the other depicts an altar upon which doves are perched.
Another excavation in Canaan (modern day Israel and Lebanon) dating back to 1200 BC
found a terracotta relief depicting a Dove-goddess holding a dove in either hand. Further
examples have been excavated from Canaanite temples dating between to 1100-1300 BC,
one showing a model of a shrine shaped roughly like a dovecote with pigeons sitting within
the dovecote holes. These examples not only confirm the religious significance of the dove
in early history but also confirm that the dove was bred in dedicated dovecote facilities for
religious worship.
The pigeon was used as a sacrifice in early history, with King Rameses III, King of Egypt,
sacrificing 57,000 pigeons to the god Ammon at Thebes in 1100 BC.
Pigeons in Judaism and Christianity
 Noah and Dove
of Peace
The dove features strongly in both the Old Testament and the New Testament, and
references to frequent sacrifices exist in both. There are a number of references to the
sacrifice of doves in the Talmud, a series of Jewish texts compiled between AD 250-500.
Although the texts were compiled in AD 250-500, they are thought to relate to much earlier
periods. The texts not only describe the sacrifices but also how the sacrificial birds should be
reared and the correct ways of killing them. The dove is better known for its part in the Old
Testament story of the Great Flood, however, when one returned to Noah with an olive
branch. As a result, the dove has always been linked with peace and good news and is still
released at the start of the Olympic Games today for this reason.
Pigeons and the Romans

Roman Mosaic
3rd Century AD
The Romans had a great affinity with the pigeon and although they sacrificed the dove to
the goddess Venus, and therefore revered the bird, they also bred different varieties and
used the pigeon widely as a messenger. Historian and philosopher Caius Pliny, writing in the
1st century AD, says: "Many people have quite a mania for pigeons, building turrets for
them on house roofs and tracing the pedigrees of single birds...". The pigeon is commonly
depicted throughout the Roman period but never in more detail than the superb Dove
Mosaic discovered during the 18th century at Emperor Hadrian’s Villa. Another detailed
mosaic, dating from 200 BC, shows a priest beside a shrine with an adjoining dovecote.
The dovecote is detailed with pigeons on the roof and flying above it. This mosaic further
confirms the connection between worship and the breeding of pigeons.
Pigeons and Islam
 Prophet Mohammed
Depicted with Dove
Islam has had strong associations with the pigeon throughout history and that association
continues today with large flocks being found in the holy city of Mecca, where breeding sites
are provided for the birds and where pilgrims to Mecca purchase grain to feed them.

Pigeons Waiting Outside

21st Century Mosque
to be Fed
At the shrine of Mohammed in Medina (western Saudi Arabia) the thousands of pigeons
that gather there are commonly referred to as the ‘Prophet’s birds’.
Pigeon racing and fancying is still a popular sport in the Muslim world and the breed of
pigeon known as the ‘Arabian Laughter’ is believed to have been introduced by Mohammed
and is still bred today.