Rock dove
Columba livia
Identification Tips:
- The familiar "pigeon" of cities and parks
- Sexes similar
- Adult similar to juvenile
- Large, chunky dove
- Medium length tail is squared off at tip
- Highly variable plumage (some can be entirely chestnut, white, black or
anything in between)
Typical color morph:
- Dark bill
- Dark gray head, neck and upper breast
- Green and purple iridescence on hindneck
- Pale gray back, wings and belly
- Two dark bars on wings (formed from dark tips to secondaries and greater
secondary coverts)
- Dark gray primaries
- White rump
- Pale gray tail with black terminal band
Similar species:
Other pigeons are wholly dark with different head patterns. All other
species lack double dark bar on wing and have darker wings and backs.