Green-naped Pheasant-pigeon vs Rock Pigeon
Otidiphaps nobilis compared with Columba livia
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Green-naped Pheasant-pigeon | Rock Pigeon |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Otidiphaps nobilis | Columba livia |
| Order | Columbiformes | Columbiformes |
| Family | Columbidae | Columbidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 33.0 cm (13.0 in) |
| Wingspan | 36.4 cm (14.3 in) | 68.0 cm (26.8 in) |
| Weight | 381.5 g (13.46 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 | 1 | 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
Green-naped Pheasant-pigeon
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
Green-naped Pheasant-pigeon
Rock Pigeon
Native to Europe, North Africa, and South Asia. Feral populations on every continent except Antarctica.
Conservation Status
Green-naped Pheasant-pigeon
Rock Pigeon
How to Tell Them Apart
Green-naped Pheasant-pigeon
Green-naped Pheasant-pigeon: iridescent green nape; dark brown above; rufous-brown below; bare blue facial skin; New Guinea
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
Green-naped Pheasant-pigeon
Large, pheasant-like pigeon, 42–46 cm, with iridescent green wings, black body, a white collar, and a distinctive long black tail held upright. Inhabits the floor of lowland and hill rainforest in New Guinea and the Aru Islands. Terrestrial frugivore. Walks through the forest like a small pheasant. 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.