Columba livia (1 Viewer)

Jacamar

Well-known member

• May 21, 2004

• #1

I have been looking at pictures of Rock Pigeons online, and I notice that there seem to be several different kinds. Some have more white on their body, or others have more purple on their neck and other differences. Does anyone know what kind (subspecies?) I could see down here? I have seen some, but it was a while ago and I don't remember them very well.

 

cuckooroller

Registered User

• May 21, 2004

• #2

Columba livia. Go figure them. A trash bird. Just about everywhere there are people sooner or later. It would be probably impossible to figure out where those that you might see come from. Probably the most commonly introduced around the world is the nominate C. livia livia. Original ranges of the about nine subspecies is in Eurasia.

 

Last edited: May 21, 2004

Michael Frankis

conehead

• May 21, 2004

• #3

Hi Chris,

All the variation you get in this species in introduced urban populations derives from captive-bred variants; they don't have any taxonomic significance. Just like the variations found in e.g. domestic dogs or cattle.

Michael

 

D

Dave B Smith

Well-known member

• May 21, 2004

• #4

I believe the only color pattern that the ancestral form had was the "blue-barred". This is the slate blue/ gray bird with two dark wing bars. Head and neck slightly darker blue gray. Every other color pattern is due to domestic breeding, which has then found its way back to feral populations.

 

Rasmus Boegh

BF member

• May 22, 2004

• #5

Others already made a good point. The variants introduced throughout most of the world (incl. South America) are derived from captives. Sometimes they are referred to as Columba livia domestica, but it can't be called a sub-species in real terms. It's like all the weird variations of mallard's you see all over the world today.

 

Jacamar

Well-known member

• May 22, 2004

• #6

Thanks for the information everyone.

I believe the only color pattern that the ancestral form had was the "blue-barred". This is the slate blue/ gray bird with two dark wing bars. Head and neck slightly darker blue gray. Every other color pattern is due to domestic breeding, which has then found its way back to feral populations.

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So this means that if I see one with a shiny green and purple head it is not totally Columba livia, it's mixed with some other pigeon?

 

cuckooroller

Registered User

• May 22, 2004

• #7

Jacamar said:

Thanks for the information everyone. So this means that if I see one with a shiny green and purple head it is not totally Columba livia, it's mixed with some other pigeon?

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No, we're not really saying that. Speaking only for myself, it is a bird that is not worth your consideration unless you're really into the bastardization of pigeons. To return to your question, the original relatively true-breeding C. livia has by now been so mixed up with the myriad ornamental lines of bred C. livia selected for whatever characteristic decided by whomsoever and then either released or escaped and forming feral populations that interbreed with whatever relatively pure line C. livia that may have existed - that now you can see birds that appear pure-line and then just about everything else but the kitchen sink.

 

Rasmus Boegh

BF member

• May 22, 2004

• #8

Jacamar said:

Thanks for the information everyone. So this means that if I see one with a shiny green and purple head it is not totally Columba livia, it's mixed with some other pigeon?

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Chris,

No, they are all C. livia. No other species involved. They have just been bred extensively by man so their original features have disappeared in most individuals... It's like the many variation of chickens.