Pigeons

Rock doves (Columba livia) are the feral ancestor of the semi-domesticated pigeon (Columba livia var. domestica). A species whose members frequently hybridise with members of other species, since they look very similar to the “typical” variety, making the genuinely feral populations very difficult to distinguish from the semi-domesticated. The average lifespan outside captivity is 5-6 years if they get through the period of highest mortality, which is during their first 8 months, although messenger or homing pigeons in captivity can live up to 15 years.

These are average size birds with a small head and compact, roundish appearance. Adults measure 31-34 cm long, have a 63-70 cm wingspan and weigh 315-410 g. Predominantly greyish in colour, they have a white rump and two black wing bars. The powerful beating of their wings enables them to reach 56 km/h when flying quickly and directly.

Feeding

They are a mainly granivorous species, eating seeds from cereals, legumes and herbaceous plants, and occasionally leaves and invertebrates. Chicks are fed with “crop milk”, a milky secretion produced in the walls of their parents’ “crop”, a pouch in their throat.

Breeding

While their rearing period continues throughout the year, there is a peak in their breeding activity during the spring and summer. They are a monogamous species, with pairings that sometimes last for life, which nest alone or in small colonies in cavities and on ledges. Nests consist of a simple, inconsistent vegetable-element structure, such as small branches and leaves, where they lay two pure-white coloured eggs and which both males and females incubate for 16-19 days. Both parents look after their young, which are capable of flying when they are 35-37 days old, although they remain dependent for several more days.