Madagascar Turtle-dove vs Rock Pigeon
Nesoenas picturatus comparé à Columba livia
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribut | Madagascar Turtle-dove | Rock Pigeon |
|---|---|---|
| Nom scientifique | Nesoenas picturatus | Columba livia |
| Ordre | Columbiformes | Columbiformes |
| Famille | Columbidae | Columbidae |
| Statut de conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Longueur | — | 33,0 cm (13.0 in) |
| Envergure | 33,2 cm (13.1 in) | 68,0 cm (26.8 in) |
| Poids | 171,33333333333334 g (6.04 oz) | 300,0 g (10.58 oz) |
| Régime alimentaire | -- | Seeds, grain, fruit, and human food scraps. Primarily a ground feeder. Feral birds are heavily … |
| Taille de la couvée | 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
Madagascar Turtle-dove
Soft, gentle cooing; pure warm notes typical of East African open savanna habitat. Vocalization pattern typical of this species in its native habitat.
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
Madagascar Turtle-dove
Rock Pigeon
Native to Europe, North Africa, and South Asia. Feral populations on every continent except Antarctica.
Statut de conservation
Madagascar Turtle-dove
Rock Pigeon
How to Tell Them Apart
Madagascar Turtle-dove
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
Madagascar Turtle-dove
Medium dove, 26–30 cm, pinkish-grey with brown wings, a black-and-white neck patch, and reddish legs. Found on Madagascar and the Mascarene Islands, inhabiting forest edge, scrub, and cultivated areas. Granivore and frugivore feeding on seeds and berries on or near the ground. 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.