rock dove?

[genevieve]

Hello! now i reckon this is just a white rock dove but i'm not sure so thought i'd check with the experts!

thank you!

[Jenny W]

All feral/racing pigeons are descended from Rock Doves originally, so it is kind of a Rock Dove, but not a 'wild' one.

[genevieve]

ah okay i see what you mean, so this one is just a feral mixed up rock dove then? :P cos theres some different types of pigeon like wood pigeon etc so i wasn't sure if it was a particular species...

[Jenny W]

Yeah, the wild Rock Dove is Columba livia, which is a different species to the Woodpigeon, Columba palumbus and our other native Columba, the Stock Dove, Columba oenas.

Feral/racing pigeons are derivatives of Columba livia that have been specifically bred over the years into the different breeds we see today.

[genevieve]

that's awesome, thank you so much!

[Pigeon feather]

Looks like a white homing pigeon, almost certainly born in captivity, did you see any rings on it's legs? sometimes they join flocks of ferals and interbreed with them creating all kinds of weird and wonderful colours

[genevieve]

well i dont remember seeing a ring, though it was a while ago, im annoyed i dont have a photo of the whole bird, must have deleted it! yeah i do like pigeons, so many different colours!

[wyevilla]

A fairly common breed of pigeon is the fantail with all white plumage. Often kept in dovecotts from which they fly around town centres mating with any feral pigeon that takes their fancy!