Odd looking pigeon (query i.d. wood pigeon)

Words · #1 (**permalink**) 21-09-2008, 09:35 PM

I saw this pigeon in our garden today. We get loads of wood pigeons, but this one has me puzzled. Not by the loss of head feathers (though I'd be interested why/how this happens... I've seen a blackbird in a similar condition a while ago), but the eyes. Usually wood pigeons have yellow/red eyes, but these are blue, which got me wondering whether it was in fact a wood pigeon at all.

2dogs2000 · #2 (**permalink**) 21-09-2008, 10:00 PM

I can't comment on the eyes but it looks like a juvenile woodpigeon to me.

Tracey.A · #3 (**permalink**) 21-09-2008, 10:05 PM

Looks like a woodpigeon to me, but confused by it's blue eyes?! I don't know why it has blue eyes, maybe someone else can shed some light on this?

Tracey

Words · #4 (**permalink**) 21-09-2008, 10:22 PM

Thanks both.

I'll go with wood pigeon for now, and do a bit more searching about eye colour.

Bouncytigger · #5 (**permalink**) 21-09-2008, 10:22 PM

I'd say it was a juvenille as well we have had quite a few in our garden of late

Words · #6 (**permalink**) 21-09-2008, 10:28 PM

Thanks! It must be that the eyes change colour over time, but I'd not noticed it before.

Dutchess · #7 (**permalink**) 21-09-2008, 10:43 PM

I'd have said wood pigeon, although to be honest, I hadn't taken a great deal of notice of their eye colour before. However, a quick Google image search just now showed that they do indeed have these pale coloured eyes.

Well well.....WAB has done it again!

D.

Words · #8 (**permalink**) 21-09-2008, 11:23 PM

Thanks Dutchess!

aeshna5 · #9 (**permalink**) 22-09-2008, 04:43 AM

It is a juv WP- a lot around at the moment!

Wild-Woman · #10 (**permalink**) 22-09-2008, 05:45 AM

Woodies eyes are a pale yellowy-green. Collared Doves have the rusty-red. Perhaps they change from blue to this pale yellowy-green as they mature. It'd be interesting to see what colour eyes a juvenile Collared Dove has.