The common wood pigeon, 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. 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.
The bird genus Columba comprises a group of medium to large pigeons. The terms "dove" and "pigeon" are used indiscriminately for smaller and larger Columbidae, respectively. Columba species – at least those of Columba sensu stricto – are generally termed "pigeons", and in many cases wood-pigeons. 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.
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.
The green imperial pigeon is a large forest pigeon. The large range extends from Nepal, southern India and Sri Lanka eastwards to southern China, Indonesia and the Philippines.
The pheasant pigeon is a species of large terrestrial pigeon. It is the only species of the monotypic genus Otidiphaps. The pheasant pigeon is found in the primary rainforests of New Guinea and nearby islands. It ranges primarily over hilly and lower mountain areas, but can also be found in lowlands.
The Dlinza Forest is a subtropical forest or Coastal Scarp Forest in Eshowe, Zululand, South Africa, one of five natural forests running in a 100 km line running northwest from the coast. Others are the Ongoye, Entumeni, Nkandla and Qudeni Forests. They are the most important forests in southern Africa from the aspect of unique biodiversity. It contains rare birds, chameleons, snails, butterflies, moths, frogs and beetles. Dlinza is the home of more than 65 species of birds, including the endangered spotted ground thrush which breeds here, rare Delegorgue's pigeon, magnificent purple-crested turaco and Narina trogon.
The Bonin wood pigeon was a pigeon endemic to Nakodo-jima and Chichi-jima in the Ogasawara Islands, south of Japan. It is known from four recorded specimens, the first from 1827 and the last from 1889. They averaged a length of 45 cm. This pigeon died out late in the 19th century as a result of deforestation, hunting, and predation by introduced rats and cats.
The white-headed pigeon is a pigeon native to the east coast of Australia.
The São Tomé olive pigeon or maroon pigeon is an endangered species of pigeon which is endemic to the island of São Tomé off the coast of western Africa. It was described by José Vicente Barbosa du Bocage in 1888.
The afep pigeon, also known as the African wood-pigeon or gray wood-pigeon, is a member of the family Columbidae which lives in the Equatorial Forests of Africa.
The African olive pigeon or Rameron pigeon is a pigeon which is a resident breeding bird in much of eastern and southern Africa from Ethiopia to the Cape. Populations also are found in western Angola, southwestern Saudi Arabia and northern Yemen. It is locally common, although sizeable gaps in its distribution occur due to its habitat requirements.
The scaly-naped pigeon, also known as the red-necked pigeon, is a bird belonging to the family Columbidae. The species occurs throughout the Caribbean.
The harlequin quail is a species of bird in the family Phasianidae. It occurs in sub-Saharan Africa and in the Arabian Peninsula. The species is named after the collector, Adulphe Delegorgue.
The white-naped pigeon is a species of bird in the family Columbidae. It has a disjunct range of presence: in the mountains of Cameroon on one hand and the Albertine Rift montane forests on the other.
The white-collared pigeon is a species of bird in the family Columbidae.
The western bronze-naped pigeon is a species of bird in the family Columbidae, part of the subgenus Turturoena. A medium sized bird, it has a pale, broad terminal tail band which is noticeable on landing. It is found in most countries of Africa. The IUCN Red List classifies it as a species of least concern.
The black wood pigeon or Japanese wood pigeon is a species of bird in the family Columbidae. It is found in East Asia along shorelines of the Pacific's Korea Strait, Philippine Sea and East China Sea. It is believed to be the largest representative of the genus, Columba, and has a weight of around 550 grams (1.2 lb) and an overall length of 43 cm (17 in). Its natural habitats are temperate forests and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. The species is in decline owing to habitat loss, habitat degradation, deforestation and hunting. This wood pigeon is endemic to the laurel forest habitat.
The island bronze-naped pigeon, also known as the São Tomé bronze-naped pigeon or São Tomé pigeon, is a species of bird in the pigeon family, Columbidae. It is endemic to the Gulf of Guinea, where it is found on the islands of São Tomé, Príncipe, and Annobón. It inhabits rainforest, secondary forests, and plantations at elevations of up to 1,668 m (5,472 ft), although it is more common at lower elevations. A small, darkish pigeon, it has a total length of 28 cm (11 in). Adult males have slate-grey heads and upper backs, blackish-grey wings, backs, and tails, buffy-white throats, ashy-grey breasts and bellies, and rufous vents. The back of the neck and upper back are glossy pink or green, while the wings have a green tinge to them. Females are similar, but have browner undersides, duller and less glossy upperparts, and more rusty-orange outer tail feathers.
The Somali pigeon or Somali stock dove is a species of bird in the family Columbidae. It is endemic to Somalia. Because there has hardly been any research on the species, the health of the population is uncertain; however, it is believed that the species is relatively rare. The IUCN Redlist identified a possible threat to the species from the speckled pigeon. C. oliviae is found mostly on the ground, where it often forages, most frequently in rock along arid coasts.
Louis Adulphe Delegorgue was a French explorer, hunter and naturalist who travelled in southern Africa in the 1840s and wrote about the region.
