Rock Pigeon vs Dusky Turtle-dove
Columba livia compared with Streptopelia lugens
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Rock Pigeon | Dusky Turtle-dove |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Columba livia | Streptopelia lugens |
| 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) | 34.5 cm (13.6 in) |
| Weight | 300.0 g (10.58 oz) | 181.66666666666666 g (6.41 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.
Dusky Turtle-dove
Soft, gentle cooing with laughing quality; pleasant notes typical of South Asian dry habitat. 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.
Dusky Turtle-dove
Conservation Status
Rock Pigeon
Dusky Turtle-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
Dusky Turtle-dove
Red Collared-dove: males with dark red-brown mantle; gray head; black collar; pale below; Indian subcontinent species; dimorphic
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.
Dusky Turtle-dove
Medium dove, 27–30 cm, grey-brown overall with darker wings, a black half-collar on the neck, and a purplish-pink breast. Inhabits montane forest edge and highland scrub from Ethiopia and Eritrea south to Tanzania. Granivore of seeds and small grains. Overlaps with Mourning Collared-dove in parts of its range. Least Concern.