Crested Pigeon vs Rock Pigeon
Ocyphaps lophotes compared with Columba livia
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Crested Pigeon | Rock Pigeon |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Ocyphaps lophotes | Columba livia |
| Order | Columbiformes | Columbiformes |
| Family | Columbidae | Columbidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 33.0 cm (13.0 in) |
| Wingspan | 32.1 cm (12.6 in) | 68.0 cm (26.8 in) |
| Weight | 201.0 g (7.09 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
Crested Pigeon
Loud, whooping display call; distinctive resonant notes with iconic Australian quality carrying across scrubland.
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
Crested Pigeon
Rock Pigeon
Native to Europe, North Africa, and South Asia. Feral populations on every continent except Antarctica.
Conservation Status
Crested Pigeon
Rock Pigeon
How to Tell Them Apart
Crested Pigeon
Ecuadorian Ground Dove: tiny; brown; plain pale below; iridescent wing spots; short tail; Ecuadorian-Peruvian Pacific slope species
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
Crested Pigeon
Slender, 31–35 cm pigeon with grey plumage, brown wings, iridescent wing patches, and a conspicuous upright black-tipped crest. Widespread across Australia in open woodland, grassland, and farmland. Granivore of seeds on the ground. Commonly seen in pairs or small flocks. The crest raises when alarmed. Least Concern.
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.