Feral Pigeon (Rock Dove) (1 Viewer)

[Stoggler]

Just a quick question

Do you count feral pigeons on your list(s)?

I haven't done to date but they are a self-sustaining species so perhaps I ought to.

Just curious what other people do

 

[Adam W]

I do and I think most people probably do.

 

[Lmc3598]

No sure if it's cheating but I count feral pigeon and rock dove as separate species

 

[Adam W]

No sure if it's cheating but I count feral pigeon and rock dove as separate species

Not sure about that but i think I'd tick a Pure Rock dove but maybe I'd then have to remove Feral Pigeon from my list.

 

[fugl]

Most birders count them in the States also (where they're not only feral but are descendants of a non-native species).

 

[Birds 4ever]

I count them... and if I were to see a true wild rock dove, I'd just count rock and feral as one.

 

[viator]

Absolutely but Rock and Feral just count as one

 

[Espen]

i don't, but its your list, if you are not on BOU or some other competative list site then it's your choice

 

[etudiant]

Where would one find a genuine Rock Dove?
Given the pervasiveness of the feral Pigeon, how could one tell that one had?

 

[cates]

i'd say don't bother. incidentally, i saw a cople of rock doves over on the west coast last year. they're sleaker and more slatey-blue than the domestics, as well having the right characters, ie. double wing bar and white rump etc.

 

[Lmc3598]

Where would one find a genuine Rock Dove?
Given the pervasiveness of the feral Pigeon, how could one tell that one had?

Isle of Skye is pretty good place. Its my only place so far where I've seen them, one was on sea eagle boat trip and the other at the Old Man of Storr.

 

[JTweedie]

I tick them, but I usually put a note beside it if I see a Rock Dove as well (they're never both counted).

 

[fugl]

The only reasonably convincing “pure” wild types I’ve ever seen were along the rocky coastline near Cape Wrath, Sutherland, many years ago. In those days--I’ve since seen the error of my ways--I didn’t “count” feral pigeons, so the Sutherland birds were “lifers”.

 

[Jeff Hopkins]

I've seen rock doves nesting on a cliff face here in PA. I know they're not true rock doves, but it's as close as I'm going to get in the US. :t:

 

[Andy Hurley]

One would think they would have been counted in their own right by now. After all they breed among themselves (mainly) and don't have anything to do with Rock Doves (generally) in most cities anyway. And as Espen says, its your list so your rules count. Lists, in my opinon, are personal records and of very little interest to others, unless of course you all go to list swapping parties(LOL)

Andy

 

[Mysticete]

I count them, but I wouldn't count Feral and Wild as separate species

 

[Xenospiza]

Just a quick question

Do you count feral pigeons on your list(s)?

I haven't done to date but they are a self-sustaining species so perhaps I ought to.

Just curious what other people do

If you count C-category birds (which most people in the UK do because BOU/BBA do), you can count them, but if you don't (like e.g. the Dutch), you can't.

Still, even if you count them they deserve some attention as a large part of the "Feral Pigeons" you see may actually be racing pigeons and not part of a free-living population at all (not much of a worry in London!)

 

[MJB]

Just a quick question

Do you count feral pigeons on your list(s)?

I haven't done to date but they are a self-sustaining species so perhaps I ought to.

Just curious what other people do

An additional point you may want to consider is that of all the numerous birds on the planet, we probably know the least about feral pigeons, very few studies ever having been done!
MJB

 

[Stoggler]

An additional point you may want to consider is that of all the numerous birds on the planet, we probably know the least about feral pigeons, very few studies ever having been done!
MJB

That's a very good point - they are a bird that people generally just ignore

Thanks for all the replies. Have now ticked 'em on my lists.

 

[chris butterworth]

On my daily list, or my garden list, I have "Feral Pigeon" - my life list only has Rock Pigeon ( the wild ones ). Ticking Feral Pigeons ( in Europe ) isn't really on, as we have the wild birds here.

Chris