Common wood pigeon

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Common wood pigeon
Temporal range: Middle Pleistocene–Recent
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Columba palumbus -garden post-8.jpg
Perched on a garden fence post, England
Song
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Columbiformes
Family: Columbidae
Genus: Columba
Species:
C. palumbus
Binomial name
Columba palumbus
Common Wood Pigeon e-bird plot.png
Global range
  Year-round range
  Summer range
  Winter range
Common wood pigeon perched on a fence. Photograph taken in Cambridge, England Common wood pigeon.jpg
Common wood pigeon perched on a fence. Photograph taken in Cambridge, England

The common wood pigeon (Columba palumbus), also known as simply wood pigeon, is a large species in the dove and pigeon family (Columbidae), native to the western Palearctic. It belongs to the genus Columba, which includes closely related species such as the rock dove (Columba livia). It has a flexible diet, predominantly feeding on vegetable matter, including cereal crops, leading to them being regarded as an agricultural pest. Wood pigeons are extensively hunted over large parts of their range, but this does not seem to have a great impact on their population.

Contents

Taxonomy

The common wood pigeon was formally described by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1758 in the tenth edition of his Systema Naturae . He placed it with all the other pigeons in the genus Columba and coined the binomial name Columba palumbus. [2] The specific epithet palumbus is an alternate form of the Latin palumbes for a wood pigeon. [3] [4]

Five subspecies are recognised, one of which is now extinct: [5]

† = extinct

Fossil records of the species are known from the early Middle Pleistocene of Sicily. [6]

Description

Adult common wood pigeon, photograph taken in Birmingham, England Columba palumbus -Quinton, Birmingham, England -head-8.jpg
Adult common wood pigeon, photograph taken in Birmingham, England

The three Western European Columba pigeons, common wood pigeon, stock dove and rock dove, though superficially alike, have very distinctive characteristics; the common wood pigeon may be identified at once by its larger size at 38–44.5 cm (15–17+1⁄2 in) and weight 300–615 g (10+5⁄8–21+3⁄4 oz), and the white on its neck and wing. [7] It is otherwise a basically grey bird, with a pinkish breast. The wingspan can range from 68 to 80 cm (27 to 31 in) and the wing chord measures 24 to 25.4 cm (9+1⁄2 to 10 in). The tail measures 13.8 to 15 cm (5+1⁄2 to 6 in), the bill is 1.9 to 2.2 cm (3⁄4 to 7⁄8 in) and the tarsus is 2.5 to 2.8 cm (1 to 1+1⁄8 in). [8] Adult birds bear a series of green and white patches on their necks, and a pink patch on their chest. The eye colour is a pale yellow, [9] in contrast to that of rock doves, which is orange-red, and the stock pigeon, which is black.

Juvenile birds do not have the white patches on either side of the neck. When they are about 6 months old (about three months out of the nest) they gain small white patches on both sides of the neck, which gradually enlarge until they are fully formed when the bird is about 6–8 months old. Juvenile birds also have a greyer beak and an overall lighter grey appearance than adult birds.

Distribution and habitat

In the colder northern and eastern parts of Europe and western Asia the common wood pigeon is a migrant, but in southern and western Europe it is a well distributed and often abundant resident. In Great Britain wood pigeons are commonly seen in parks and gardens [10] and are seen with increasing numbers in towns and cities.

Behaviour

A flock of common wood pigeons feeding in a field
Adult sitting on its nest in a tree Columba palumbus -nest in tree-8.jpg
Adult sitting on its nest in a tree
Egg Pigeon ramier MHNT.jpg
Egg
Hatching of a Common Wood Pigeon WoodPigeonHatching.jpg
Hatching of a Common Wood Pigeon

Its flight is quick, performed by regular beats, with an occasional sharp flick of the wings, characteristic of pigeons in general. It takes off with a loud clattering. It perches well, and in its nuptial display walks along a horizontal branch with swelled neck, lowered wings, and fanned tail. During the display flight the bird climbs, the wings are smartly cracked like a whiplash, and the bird glides down on stiff wings. The common wood pigeon is gregarious, often forming very large flocks outside the breeding season. Like many species of pigeon, wood pigeons take advantage of trees and buildings to gain a vantage point over the surrounding area, and their distinctive call means that they are usually heard before they are seen.

Wood pigeons are known to fiercely defend their territory, and will fight each other to gain access to nesting and roosting locations. Male wood pigeons will typically attempt to drive competitors off by threat displays and pursuit, but will also directly fight, jumping and striking their rival with both wings. [11]

This species can be an agricultural pest, and it is often shot, being a legal quarry species in most European countries. It is wary in rural areas, but often quite tame where it is not persecuted.

Breeding

Two young Columba palumbus in a nest Two young Columba Palumbus in nest.JPG
Two young Columba palumbus in a nest

It breeds in trees in woods, parks and gardens, laying two white eggs in a simple stick nest which hatch after 17 to 19 days. Wood pigeons seem to have a preference for trees near roadways and rivers. Males exhibit aggressive behaviour towards each other during the breeding season by jumping and flapping wings at each other. Their plumage becomes much darker, especially the head, during hot summer periods. Breeding can happen year round if there is food abundant however breeding season most commonly occurs between April and October.

The nests are vulnerable to attack, particularly by crows. The young usually fly at 33 to 34 days; however, if the nest is disturbed, some young may be able to survive having left the nest as early as 20 days from hatching.

In a study carried out using ring-recovery data, the survival rate for juveniles in their first year was 52 per cent, and the adult annual survival rate was 61 per cent. [12] For birds that survive the first year the typical lifespan is thus only three years, [13] but the maximum recorded age is 17 years and 8 months for a bird ringed and recovered on the Orkney Islands. [14] [15]

Diet

Most of its diet is vegetable, round and fleshy leaves from Caryophyllaceae, Asteraceae, and cruciferous vegetables taken from open fields or gardens and lawns; young shoots and seedlings are favoured, and it will take grain, pine nuts, and certain fruits and berries. In the autumn they also eat figs and acorns, and in winter buds of trees and bushes. They will also eat larvae, ants, and small worms. They need open water to drink and bathe in. Young common wood pigeons swiftly become fat, as a result of the crop milk they are fed by their parents. This is an extremely rich fluid that is produced in the adult birds' crops during the breeding season. [16] [17]

Calls

The call of the wood pigeon is a loud and sustained characteristic cooing phrase, coo-COO-COO-coo-coo. In Ireland and the UK, the traditional mnemonic for the distinctive call of the bird has been interpreted as "Take two cows, Teddy", or "Take two cows, Taffy". [18] [19] Other interpretations for the birdsong include "I am a pigeon", [20] "My toe bleeds, Betty", [21] and "I don't want to go". [22]

Predators

Predators of the wood pigeon typically consist of the Eurasian sparrowhawk, Eurasian goshawk and domestic cat.[ citation needed ] The eggs and babies of wood pigeons are also often predated by magpies and crows. [23]

Hunting

The wood pigeon is widely hunted over large parts of its range, with millions of birds being shot annually, [24] in part because it has been regarded as an agricultural pest, especially of cereal crops. In 1953, the British Government introduced a subsidy for the cost of cartridges to sport-hunters of wood pigeons, which was later abolished in 1969. [25]

In culture

The wood pigeon is mentioned several times in the Eclogues written by the ancient Roman poet Virgil. Referring to its distinctive husky call, Virgil writes in Eclogue 1;

Here beneath high rocks
The gatherers of leaves, with cheerful songs
Fill the high winds. Meanwhile thy turtle doves
And hoarse wood pigeons from the lofty elms

Make endless moan. [26]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rock dove</span> Species of bird

The rock dove, rock pigeon, or common pigeon is a member of the bird family Columbidae. In common usage, it is often simply referred to as the "pigeon", although this is the wild form of the bird; the pigeons most familiar to people are the domesticated form of the wild rock dove.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stock dove</span> Species of bird

The stock dove or stock pigeon is a species of bird in the family Columbidae, the doves and pigeons. It is widely distributed in the western Palearctic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">European turtle dove</span> Threatened or vulnerable species of bird

The European turtle dove is a threatened or vulnerable member of the bird family Columbidae, the doves and pigeons. It breeds over a wide area of the south western Palearctic including north Africa but migrates to northern sub-Saharan Africa to winter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">European greenfinch</span> Species of bird

The European greenfinch or simply the greenfinch is a small passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mourning dove</span> North American bird in the family Columbidae

The mourning dove is a member of the dove family, Columbidae. The bird is also known as the American mourning dove, the rain dove, the chueybird, colloquially as the turtle dove, and it was once known as the Carolina pigeon and Carolina turtledove. It is one of the most abundant and widespread North American birds and a popular gamebird, with more than 20 million birds shot annually in the U.S., both for sport and meat. Its ability to sustain its population under such pressure is due to its prolific breeding; in warm areas, one pair may raise up to six broods of two young each in a single year. The wings make an unusual whistling sound upon take-off and landing, a form of sonation. The bird is a strong flier, capable of speeds up to 88 km/h (55 mph).

<i>Columba</i> (genus) Genus of pigeons

The bird genus Columba comprises a genus of medium to large pigeons. The terms "dove" and "pigeon" are used indiscriminately for smaller and larger Columbidae, respectively. Columba species are mostly termed "pigeons", and in many cases "wood pigeons", but some, are termed "doves". The rock dove has given rise to the majority of domesticated pigeon breeds, such as the racing pigeon and the fantail pigeon, some of which have become feral. Meanwhile, "wood pigeon" by itself usually means the common wood pigeon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Speckled pigeon</span> Species of bird

The speckled pigeon, also African rock pigeon or Guinea pigeon, is a pigeon that is a resident breeding bird in much of Africa south of the Sahara. It is a common and widespread species in open habitats over much of its range, although there are sizable gaps in its distribution. It is sometimes referred to as the Guinea pigeon due to its similar coloring to some species of guineafowl.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laughing dove</span> Species of bird

The laughing dove is a small pigeon that is a resident breeder in Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, and Western Australia where it has established itself in the wild after being released from Perth Zoo in 1898. This small long-tailed dove is found in dry scrub and semi-desert habitats where pairs can often be seen feeding on the ground. It is closely related to the spotted dove which is distinguished by a white and black chequered necklace. Other names include laughing turtle dove, palm dove and Senegal dove while in Asia the name little brown dove is often used.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vinaceous dove</span> Species of bird

The vinaceous dove is a bird species in the pigeon family Columbidae that widely resident across the Sahel and Sudan (region).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Common emerald dove</span> Bird species

The emerald dove or common emerald dove, also called Asian emerald dove and grey-capped emerald dove, is a widespread resident breeding pigeon native to the tropical and subtropical parts of the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia. The dove is also known by the names of green dove and green-winged pigeon. The common emerald dove is the state bird of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The Pacific emerald dove and Stephan's emerald dove were both considered conspecific.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trocaz pigeon</span> Species of bird

The trocaz pigeon, Madeira laurel pigeon or long-toed pigeon is a pigeon which is endemic to the island of Madeira, Portugal. It is a mainly grey bird with a pinkish breast; its silvery neck patch and lack of white wing markings distinguish it from its close relative and probable ancestor, the common wood pigeon. Its call is a characteristic six-note cooing, weaker and lower-pitched than that of the wood pigeon. Despite its bulky, long-tailed appearance, this pigeon has a fast, direct flight.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bolle's pigeon</span> Species of bird

Bolle's pigeon, Bolle's laurel pigeon or dark-tailed laurel pigeon is a species of the genus Columba of family Columbidae, doves and pigeons, endemic to the Canary Islands, Spain. This bird is named after the German naturalist Carl Bolle, who was the first to distinguish it from the laurel pigeon. This wood pigeon is endemic to the laurel forest habitat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laurel pigeon</span> Species of bird

The laurel pigeon or white-tailed laurel pigeon is a species of bird in the Columba genus in the family Columbidae. It is endemic to the Canary Islands, Spain, and resides in laurel forest habitat. It is the animal symbol of the island of La Gomera.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White-crowned pigeon</span> Species of bird

The white-crowned pigeon is a fruit and seed-eating species of bird in the dove and pigeon family Columbidae. It is found primarily in the Caribbean.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scaled pigeon</span> Species of bird

The scaled pigeon is a large New World tropical dove. It is a resident breeder from southern Mexico south to western Ecuador, southern Brazil, northern Argentina, and Trinidad.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zebra dove</span> Species of dove from Southeast Asia

The zebra dove, also known as the barred ground dove, or barred dove, is a species of bird of the dove family, Columbidae, native to Southeast Asia. They are small birds with a long tail, predominantly brownish-grey in colour with black-and-white barring. The species is known for its pleasant, soft, staccato cooing calls.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ruddy quail-dove</span> Species of bird

The ruddy quail-dove is a species of bird in the dove and pigeon family Columbidae. It breeds throughout the West Indies, Central America, and tropical South America. It has appeared as a vagrant in Florida and southern Texas. It lays two buff-colored eggs on a flimsy platform built on a shrub. Some nests are built on the ground.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue-headed quail-dove</span> Species of bird

The blue-headed quail dove, or blue-headed partridge-dove, is a species of bird in the pigeon and dove family Columbidae. It is monotypic within the subfamily Starnoenadinae and genus Starnoenas.

In the 10th edition of Systema Naturae, published in 1758, the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus described 554 species of bird and gave each a binomial name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Azores wood pigeon</span> Subspecies of bird

The Azores wood pigeon, Columba palumbus azorica is an endemic subspecies of the common wood pigeon, located in the Atlantic Azores islands of Portugal. This endemic subspecies is the only live pigeon present in the laurel forest habitat of the Azores Islands.

References

  1. ↑ BirdLife International (2018). "Columba palumbus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2018: e.T22690103A131924602. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22690103A131924602.en . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. ↑ Linnaeus, Carl (1758). Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis (in Latin). Vol. 1 (10th ed.). Holmiae:Laurentii Salvii. p. 163.
  3. ↑ Jobling, James A. (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. p. 290. ISBN   978-1-4081-2501-4.
  4. ↑ Lewis & Short. "palumbes". A Latin Dictionary – via Logeion.
  5. ↑ Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (2020). "Pigeons". IOC World Bird List Version 10.1. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
  6. ↑ Pavia, Marco; Insacco, Gianni (2013). "The fossil bird associations from the early Middle Pleistocene of the Ragusa province (SE Sicily, Italy)" (PDF). Bollettino della Società Paleontologica Italiana (3). doi:10.4435/BSPI.2013.14 (inactive 2024-11-20). ISSN   0375-7633. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2023-07-16.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of November 2024 (link)
  7. ↑ CRC Handbook of Avian Body Masses by John B. Dunning Jr. (Editor). CRC Press (1992), ISBN   978-0-8493-4258-5.
  8. ↑ David Gibbs, Eustace Barnes & John Cox (2001). A Guide to the Pigeons and Doves of the World Yale University Press, ISBN   0-300-07886-2.
  9. ↑ "Woodpigeon Bird Facts (Columba palumbus)". Bird Fact. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
  10. ↑ Chandler, David (2007). RSPB Children's Guided To Bird Watching. A & C Black. p. 93. ISBN   978-0-7136-8795-8.
  11. ↑ Cramp, S. (June 1958). "Territorial and other Behaviour of the Woodpigeon". Bird Study. 5 (2): 55–66. Bibcode:1958BirdS...5...55C. doi: 10.1080/00063655809475903 . ISSN   0006-3657.
  12. ↑ Saether, B.-E. (1989). "Survival rates in relation to body weight in European birds". Ornis Scandinavica. 20 (1): 13–21. doi:10.2307/3676702. JSTOR   3676702.
  13. ↑ "Woodpigeon Columba palumbus Linnaeus, 1758". Bird Facts. British Trust for Ornithology. 16 July 2010. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
  14. ↑ "European Longevity Records". Euring. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
  15. ↑ "Longevity records for Britain & Ireland in 2018". British Trust for Ornithology. Archived from the original on 3 December 2019. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
  16. ↑ Cramp 1985, pp. 317, 326.
  17. ↑ Gillespie, M. J.; Haring, V. R.; McColl, K. A.; Monaghan, P.; Donald, J. A.; Nicholas, K. R.; Moore, R. J.; Crowley, T. M. (2011). "Histological and global gene expression analysis of the 'lactating' pigeon crop". BMC Genomics. 12: 452. doi: 10.1186/1471-2164-12-452 . PMC   3191541 . PMID   21929790.
  18. ↑ Collins, Fergus (22 February 2022). "Guide to pigeons and doves of the UK". countryfile.com. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
  19. ↑ "Dawn Chorus". BBC. 22 April 2016. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
  20. ↑ "The Language of the Birds: a brief guide to Spring songs - the Horniman". Horniman Museum and Gardens. Retrieved 2024-10-25.
  21. ↑ "Songs of Woodpigeon and Collared Dove". British Trust for Ornithology. 22 August 2012. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
  22. ↑ "A guide to common garden birdsongs and calls". www.nhm.ac.uk. Retrieved 2024-06-07.
  23. ↑ Tomiałojć, Ludwik (2021-03-19). "Impact of Nest Predators on Migratory Woodpigeons Columba palumbus in Central Europe — Breeding Densities and Nesting Success in Urban Versus Natural Habitats". Acta Ornithologica. 55 (2). doi:10.3161/00016454AO2020.55.2.001. ISSN   0001-6454. S2CID   232326864.
  24. ↑ O’Regan, Suzanne M.; Flynn, Denis; Kelly, Thomas C.; O’Callaghan, Michael J.A.; Pokrovskii, Alexei V.; Rachinskii, Dmitrii (January 2012). "The response of the woodpigeon (Columba palumbus) to relaxation of intraspecific competition: A hybrid modelling approach". Ecological Modelling. 224 (1): 54–64. doi:10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2011.10.018.
  25. ↑ Murton, R. K.; Westwood, N. J.; Isaacson, A. J. (April 1974). "A Study of Wood-Pigeon Shooting: The Exploitation of a Natural Animal Population". The Journal of Applied Ecology. 11 (1): 61. Bibcode:1974JApEc..11...61M. doi:10.2307/2402005. JSTOR   2402005.
  26. ↑ Mackail, J. (1908). Eclogues of Virgil. pp.  .

Sources

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