Rock Pigeon vs Oriental Turtle-dove
Columba livia compared with Streptopelia orientalis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Rock Pigeon | Oriental Turtle-dove |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Columba livia | Streptopelia orientalis |
| 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) | 35.3 cm (13.9 in) |
| Weight | 300.0 g (10.58 oz) | 234.83333333333334 g (8.28 oz) |
| Diet | Seeds, grain, fruit, and human food scraps. Primarily a ground feeder. Feral birds are heavily … | -- |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 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
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.
Oriental Turtle-dove
Soft, gentle cooing; pure warm notes with mild quality through dense tropical Asian forest. 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.
Oriental Turtle-dove
Conservation Status
Rock Pigeon
Oriental 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
Oriental Turtle-dove
Laughing Dove: rufous-spotted breast; blue-gray wing panels; brown back; small; no neck ring; common Afro-Asian urban 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.
Oriental Turtle-dove
Robust dove, 30–35 cm, with rufous-brown scalloped upperparts, a black-and-white neck patch, grey crown, and vinaceous-pink breast. Widely distributed across Asia from Siberia to Japan, wintering south to Southeast Asia and South Asia. Inhabits open forest, farmland, and scrub. Granivore of seeds and grain. Least Concern.