Pigeon with white head and tail/dark grey body

chrisosullivan · #1 (**permalink**) 07-01-2011, 01:27 PM

Hi, In the south west of ireland recently i saw a pigeon/dove with pure white head and tail and a dark grey body. The tail was striking as it was a typical pigeon shape and it was snow white with what appeared to be black rings. Maybe it is a form of feral pigeon but i have yet to see such coloring. Any help would be appreciated.

werdnal · #2 (**permalink**) 07-01-2011, 01:31 PM

Have a look at the thread running here

What's up with this Woodpigeon?

which might answer your query.

faz · #3 (**permalink**) 07-01-2011, 01:52 PM

sounds like a feral/domestic pigeon

chrisosullivan · #4 (**permalink**) 07-01-2011, 02:06 PM

Thanks Werdnal. It crossed my mind that it may have been a domestic pigeon but I cant thing of anyone that keeps pigeons in the area.Also the coloring pattern is far more defined/regular than that of the pied pigeon of the of the other thread.

i will concede to you here though. it makes sense as it too was in a flock with other wood pigeons. ill keep my camera on me next time.

werdnal · #5 (**permalink**) 07-01-2011, 02:45 PM

People often say "well no-one near me keeps pigeons". If it was near its home it would go home. Its possibly a lost racing pigeon. They come in a wide variety of colours, not just the familiar greys which are most common. The layout of colouring is also random - we have black and white speckled ones, or more defined - I am looking out of the window now at one with a white body and grey tail and wings, and another that has mainly black body and white head and tail.

Racing takes place over 1000's of miles, even from southern Europe back to the UK, and pigeon fanciers also train their birds on practice runs over long distances to maintain their fitness. Many birds do get lost on their way home and live quite successfully in the wild with their native cousins. So it may have originally come from a racing loft many miles away from you, and just "forgot" where home is. We live in Cornwall and have had stray birds in from Northern England and even France! Sometimes they get their bearings and go home, but some seem to prefer roughing it, and remain feral. My guess is thats what happened in your bird's case.