Feral pigeons (Columba livia domestica), also known as city doves, city pigeons, or street pigeons, are an ancestor of the now-extinct Rock Dove. Rock (or “wild”) pigeons, domestic pigeons, and feral pigeons are all the same species and can interbreed readily. Feral pigeons have learned to use the ledges of buildings as a replacement for sea cliffs, have adapted to city life, and are common in towns and cities around the world. Feral populations in areas where pigeon breeding has a long history showed a high level of admixture with domestic breeds, especially Racing Homer and Piacentino. Ferals from Bolzano, Venice, and Sassari have distinct genetic characteristics, almost all of which are not shared by other feral populations or domestic breeds. Feral pigeons arose from the occasional loss or straying of domestic birds, and they are now found all over the world. Pigeons are widely considered a nuisance and invasive species, with measures being taken in many jurisdictions to reduce their numbers or fully eliminate them due to their ability to produce significant quantities of excrement and be an occasional disease vector to humans, as well as crop and property damage. The Feral Pigeon is similar in size to the Collared Dove around 32 cm. Coloration, on the other hand, is highly variable; both sexes, as well as young birds, have similar coloring. There is no single characteristic that all feral pigeons share; they come in a wide range of colors and plumages. Many resemble original Rock Doves, with dark grey plumage (similar to Wood Pigeon) and two dark wing bars, as well as shiny neck patches. Others are solid grey, white and brown, checkered, black and white, and the list goes on. Eumelanin and pheomelanin are two types of melanin (pigment) found in pigeon feathers. An investigation of melanin in the plumes of both wild rock and homegrown pigeons, of various hue types and known hereditary foundation, estimated the focus, dissemination, and extents of eumelanin and pheomelanin and found that quality transformations influencing the conveyance, sums, and extents of shades represented the more noteworthy variety of tinge in trained birds than in their wild relations.
The City/Town Pigeon is the Feral Pigeon; most plumages will have a double-wing strip. Adults can breed whenever the weather is warm and can have up to 5 broods in a year. Juveniles appear in March; adults will breed whenever the weather is warm. They will build their nests on ledges and cavities in city centers, where the temperature is slightly higher than the surrounding area. Young birds have a lot of variation in plumage and look a lot like adults, but they don’t have the iridescent green neck patch and have a paler head, a dark bill, and a dark eye. According to current evidence, wild, domestic, and feral pigeons mate for life, but their long-term relationships aren’t unbreakable. While they are socially monogamous, they do engage in extra-pair matings, which are often initiated by males. Pigeons can breed at any time of year due to their ability to produce crop milk. Domestic pigeons have been the focus of many genetic studies in recent years, with the aim of better understanding their relationships and geographic origins, while feral pigeons have received much less attention. Pigeons are a group of flocking birds, so mass nesting is common. Sometimes, thousands of birds share a house. Pigeons are adept at spotting new entry points, such as after property damage caused by strong winds, and loose tiles and broken windows provide access. The Feral Pigeon is a common breeding resident in the United Kingdom, with well over 100,000 pairs. Except in Northern Scotland and parts of Northern Ireland, where genuine Rock Doves still nest on sea cliffs in desolate areas, the Feral Pigeon can be found in all counties and habitat types throughout the UK. The American Signal Pigeon Corps, which consisted of 3,150 soldiers and 54,000 birds in the early 1940s, used the birds’ homing abilities during both world wars. Approximately 90% of the messages were sent. In addition, pigeons earned 32 of the 54 Dickin Medals (the animal’s VC) awarded in World War II, saving countless lives. Feral pigeons can be found in a variety of habitats throughout the United Kingdom, including woodlands, parks, gardens, farmland, hedgerows, and towns and cities. They aren’t afraid to take food from people’s hands in a variety of situations. When feeding on discarded food, pigeons congregate in massive, sometimes dense flocks, and can be seen flying deftly around trees, houses, telephone poles, and cables, and sometimes through moving traffic to find a food source. On long journeys, pigeons are thought to rely on the sun and/or the Earth’s magnetic field, with visual signals being more significant near their loft, though recent studies indicate they may also rely on odors. It’s no surprise that feral pigeons flourish in cities. Buildings are ideal nesting sites for these exiles, emulating their ancestors’ windswept cliffs. Few sights are more enthralling than flocks of pigeons swooping over our city streets, sometimes followed by peregrines. Washington Square Park in New York City, George Square in Glasgow, the Piazza San Marco in Venice, Dam Square in Amsterdam, The Gateway of India, and Kabutarkhana in Mumbai, and (prior to 2000) Trafalgar Square in London all have significant pigeon populations.
