Rock Pigeon vs Mourning Collared-dove
Columba livia compared with Streptopelia decipiens
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Rock Pigeon | Mourning Collared-dove |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Columba livia | Streptopelia decipiens |
| Order | Columbiformes | Columbiformes |
| Family | Columbidae | Columbidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 33.0 cm (13.0 in) | — |
| Wingspan | 68.0 cm (26.8 in) | 33.5 cm (13.2 in) |
| Weight | 300.0 g (10.58 oz) | 168.83333333333334 g (5.96 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
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.
Mourning Collared-dove
Soft, gentle cooing; pure warm notes through dense forest in Flores Sea region. Vocalization pattern typical of this species in its native habitat.
Geographic Range & Migration
Rock Pigeon
Native to Europe, North Africa, and South Asia. Feral populations on every continent except Antarctica.
Mourning Collared-dove
Conservation Status
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Collared-dove
How to Tell Them Apart
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
Mourning Collared-dove
About These Birds
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.
Mourning Collared-dove
Medium dove, 28–31 cm, grey-brown with an orange-red orbital ring, a black partial neck collar, and a pinkish-grey breast. Widespread across sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal to Ethiopia and south to Tanzania, in open woodland and riverine forest. Granivore of seeds and small grains. Least Concern.