Squatter Pigeon vs Rock Pigeon
Geophaps scripta compared with Columba livia
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Squatter Pigeon | Rock Pigeon |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Geophaps scripta | Columba livia |
| Order | Columbiformes | Columbiformes |
| Family | Columbidae | Columbidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 33.0 cm (13.0 in) |
| Wingspan | 28.1 cm (11.1 in) | 68.0 cm (26.8 in) |
| Weight | 215.5 g (7.60 oz) | 300.0 g (10.58 oz) |
| Diet | -- | Seeds, grain, fruit, and human food scraps. Primarily a ground feeder. Feral birds are heavily … |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Rock Pigeon
Originally cliff-nesting in Mediterranean regions. Now the quintessential urban bird, inhabiting cities worldwide on every continent.
Song & Call Comparison
Squatter Pigeon
Soft, rolling coo with squatter quality; gentle warm notes typical of Australian open dry woodland habitat.
Rock Pigeon
Soft, rhythmic cooing 'roo-c'too-coo' repeated multiple times, with emphasis on second syllable. Male courtship coo is deeper and more persistent. Wing-clapping on takeoff is loud.
Geographic Range & Migration
Squatter Pigeon
Rock Pigeon
Native to Europe, North Africa, and South Asia. Feral populations on every continent except Antarctica.
Conservation Status
Squatter Pigeon
Rock Pigeon
How to Tell Them Apart
Squatter Pigeon
Rock Pigeon
Wild-type has a blue-grey body with iridescent green and purple neck feathers, two black wing bars, and a white rump. Feral populations show enormous color variation.
Slender dark bill with a white fleshy cere at the base
About These Birds
Squatter Pigeon
Medium, 25–30 cm, ground pigeon with brown upperparts, white-spotted breast, and a bare red-and-yellow facial mask. Inhabits open woodland, grassland, and rocky gorges in central and eastern Queensland and New South Wales, Australia. Granivore of seeds and small grains on the ground. Near Threatened due to altered fire regimes and habitat change.
Rock Pigeon
The rock pigeon is the ancestor of all domestic pigeon breeds and one of the most abundant birds in cities worldwide. Pigeons have served humans as messengers, food, and subjects for scientific research — their homing ability and vision have been studied extensively. Darwin's study of pigeon breeding contributed to his theory of evolution.