KENDRIYA

VIDYALAYA NO.2
VASCO
BIOLOGY INVESTIGATORY
PROJECT
Name- V.U.Vedhashree
Class- XI A
Roll no.- 11A0025
 TOPIC: THE STUDY OF BEHAVIORS OF
COLUMBA LIVIA (ROCK DOVE)

COLUMBA LIVIA
 Introduction
Columba livia commonly known as rock dove or common pigeon.

Taxonomic Rank -
Species- Columba livia
Genus- Columba
Family- Columbidae
Order- Columbiforms
Class- Aves
Phylum- Chordates
Kingdom- Animalia

There are over 300 different

species of pigeons. They can be
found almost all over the globe.
They adapted themselves and
live along with human beings.
They are highly sociable. Pigeons tends to raise two chicks at same time.
Both the pigeon sexes secrete “pigeon milk or crop milk”
From the lining of the crops to feed the chicks.
Despite the social perception as dirty and disease-ridden, the pigeons are
actually very clean animals.
They can fly up to the altitude beyond the 6000 feet at an average speed
of 77.5 mph.
The adult pigeon can reach upto 19 inches in length and 8.8 pounds in
weight. They always be in flocks of 20-30 pigeons.
 VARIOUS BEHAVIORS OF COLUMBA LIVIA
Agonistic behavior:

In most pigeons, a male in reproductive condition acquires a territory,

which it proclaims with an advertisement call, usually a variant of the
typical pigeon ‘coo’ sound.
Intrusion from the other
pigeons is prevented, at first by
threat displays involving
sleeking the plumage,
stretching the head forward,
and partially raising the wings.
If these displays of
aggressiveness are ineffective,
the male then attacks the
intruder, pecking at the
opponent and delivering sharp blows with the carpal joint of the
wing.
Many male pigeons perform display flights in and near the territory
to attract unmated females.
Such displays frequently involve exaggerated movements, slow wing
beating, and, in some, loud clapping noises produced by the wings.
The underparts of the tail, and sometimes other areas of the
plumage, may have contrasting light and dark patterns that are
displayed during flight.
It is observed among pigeons, especially during feeding. If a dominant
bird sees another trying to take its food, it will defend itself. It may do
it by swelling its neck feathers – as a warning, or it may get involved
in a violent fight, in which they’ll grab each other’s beaks and hit each
other with their wings.
 THE FLIGHT OF THE PIGEONS

Hierarchy – and egalitarian organization – are also reflected in the

way these birds fly.
They’re able to communicate
with each other and
establish optimal routes to
find resources and avoid
predators.
When noticing any
disturbance during the flight,
the first pigeons to detect it
will warn the others.
When this alert reaches the
leaders of the flock, they’ll take a
new course and the others will
follow.
In this way, they’re able to
improvise strategies that help
them survive in hostile
environments.
 PIGEON BEHAVIOR IN REPRODUCTION
Pigeon behavior as regards reproduction is mainly monogamous, as
sometimes the same members of a couple are found at different
periods of reproduction. Several phases are observed in the
formation of a bond:
1) Courtship
2) Acceptance
3) Nesting and Incubation

COURTSHIP-
The male performs a mating dance that consists of inflating its
feathers, dragging its tail, and moving in circles around the
female. It emits a
specific vocalization for
this ritual, similar to a
lullaby.
ACCEPTENCE:
If the female accepts him as a mate, she will approach the male and
raise her tail while lowering her head. This courtship and copulation
process can occur many times throughout a week.

NESTING AND INCUBATION:

Parental care is equitable, as both males and females incubate and
care for the chicks when they hatch.
The incubation period consists of 18 days.
After the hatching of eggs the squabs comes out. The parents will
feed their ‘crop milk’ to the chicks, slowly replacing with seeds.
SOME PHOTOS OF PIGEONS THAT I TOOK