Afep Pigeon vs Passenger Pigeon

Columba unicincta compared with Ectopistes migratorius

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Side-by-side Comparison Table ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute Afep Pigeon Passenger Pigeon
Scientific Name Columba unicincta Ectopistes migratorius
Order Columbiformes Columbiformes
Family Columbidae Columbidae
Conservation Status Least Concern Extinct
Length
Wingspan 42.2 cm (16.6 in)
Weight 401.5 g (14.16 oz) 298.0 g (10.51 oz)
Diet -- --
Clutch Size 1 1
Population Trend
{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Visual Size Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #} {# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Habitat Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

Afep Pigeon only

None

Passenger Pigeon only

None

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Song & Call Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Song & Call Comparison

Afep Pigeon

Song

Deep, resonant cooing; rich notes with carrying quality through dense humid African forest. Vocalization pattern typical of this species in its native habitat.

Passenger Pigeon

Song

Deep, resonant cooing; rich notes with carrying quality through dense tropical South American forest.

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Geographic Range & Migration ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #} {# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Conservation Status Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Afep Pigeon

Extinct

Passenger Pigeon

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Identification Tips — How to Tell Them Apart ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

How to Tell Them Apart

Afep Pigeon

Plumage

Afep Pigeon: pale gray; white neck gloss; dark flight feathers; large size; Central African rainforest pigeon; pale overall

Passenger Pigeon

Plumage

Scaly-naped Pigeon: dark gray-blue; orange-rufous neck scaling; iridescent gloss; pale below; Caribbean and neotropical species

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ About Each Bird (Descriptions) ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

About These Birds

Afep Pigeon

Afep Pigeon (Columba unicincta) — 36–40 cm. Large; dark grey; single narrow black ring on hindneck; pale grey rump. Inhabits canopy of rainforest in West and Central Africa. Frugivore; feeds on forest fruits. Poorly known; an upper-canopy species seldom studied at close range.

Passenger Pigeon

Extinct North American pigeon, 38–41 cm, slate-blue head, brick-red breast, long pointed tail. Once the most abundant bird on Earth, forming flocks of billions in eastern North American deciduous forests. Granivore of acorns and seeds. Driven extinct by market hunting and deforestation; last individual died Cincinnati Zoo, 1 September 1914.

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Related Comparisons ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #} {# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ More Birds in Family ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

More Birds to Explore

Explore the Nature FYI Family