Pigeons
and doves
constitute the family Columbidae
within the order Columbiformes, which include some 300 species of near passerine birds. In general parlance the terms "dove" and "pigeon" are used somewhat interchangeably. In ornithological practice, there is a tendency for "dove" to be used for smaller species and "pigeon" for larger ones, but this is in no way consistently applied, and historically the common names for these birds involve a great deal of variation between the terms "dove" and "pigeon." This family occurs worldwide, but the greatest variety is in the Indomalaya and Australasia ecozones. Young doves and pigeons are called "squabs."
Pigeons and doves are stout-bodied birds with short necks, and have short slender bills with a fleshy cere. The species commonly referred to just as "pigeon" is the feral Rock Pigeon, common in many cities.
Doves and pigeons build relatively flimsy nests from sticks and other debris, which may be placed in trees, on ledges or on the ground, depending on species. They lay one or two eggs, and both parents care for the young, which leave the nest after 7 to 28 days. [1] Doves feed on seeds, fruit and plants. Unlike most other birds (but see flamingo), the doves and pigeons produce "crop milk," which is secreted by a sloughing of fluid-filled cells from the lining of the crop. Both sexes produce this highly nutritious substance to feed to the young.
|
DOVES TICKETS
|
Biology
Morphology
thumb is among the smallest species in the family.
Pigeons and doves exhibit considerable variations in size. The largest species are the
crowned pigeons of
New Guinea, which are nearly
turkey-sized, at a weight of 2-4 kilograms (4.4-8.8 lbs.) The smallest are the New World ground-doves of the genus
Columbina
, which are the same size as a
House Sparrow and weigh as little as 22 grams.
With a total length of more than 50 centimeters (19 in) and weight of almost a kilo (2 lb), the largest
arboreal species is the
Marquesan Imperial-pigeon, while the
Dwarf Fruit-dove, which may measure as little as 13 centimeters (5.1 in), has a marginally smaller total length than any other species from this family.
Smaller species tend to be known as doves, while larger species as pigeons, but there is no taxonomic basis for distinguishing between the two.
Overall, the Columbidae tend to have short bills and legs, small heads on large compact bodies. The wings are large and have low wing loadings; pigeons have strong wing muscles (wing muscles comprise 31–44% of their body weight) and are amongst the strongest fliers of all birds. They are also highly maneuverable in flight.
The
plumage of the family is variable. Granivorous species tend to have dull plumage, with a few exceptions, whereas the frugivorous species have brightly coloured plumage.
[2] The
Ptilinopus
fruit-doves are some of the brightest coloured pigeons, with the three endemic species of Fiji and the Indian Ocean
Alectroenas
being amongst the brightest coloured. Pigeons and doves may be sexually monochromatic or
dichromatic. In addition to bright colours pigeons may sport crests or other ornamentation.
Distribution and habitat
thumb has a widespread distribution across all of Australia and lives in most habitat types except dense rainforest and the driest deserts.
Pigeons and doves are distributed everywhere on Earth, except for the driest areas of the
Sahara Desert,
Antarctica and its surrounding islands and the high
Arctic. They have colonised most of the world's oceanic islands, reaching eastern
Polynesia and the
Chatham Islands in the
Pacific,
Mauritius, the
Seychelles and
Réunion in the
Indian Ocean, and the
Azores in the
Atlantic Ocean.
The family has adapted to most of the habitats available on the planet. The largest number of species are found in tropical forests and woodlands, where they may be arboreal, terrestrial or semi-terrestrial. Various species also inhabit savannas, grasslands, deserts, temperate woodlands and forests, mangrove forests, and even the barren sands and gravels of atolls.
Some species have large natural ranges. The
Eared Dove ranges across the entirety of
South America from
Colombia to
Tierra Del Fuego, the
Eurasian Collared Dove has a massive (if discontinuous) distribution from
Britain across
Europe, the
Middle East,
India and
China, and the
Laughing Dove across most of sub-Saharan
Africa as well as India and the Middle-east. Other species have a tiny restricted distribution; this is most common in island
endemics. The
Whistling Dove is endemic to the tiny island of
Kadavu in
Fiji, the
Caroline Ground-dove is restricted to two islands,
Truk and
Pohnpei in the
Caroline Islands and the
Grenada Dove is restricted to
Grenada in the
Caribbean. Some continental species also have tiny distributions; for example the
Black-banded Fruit-dove is restricted to a small area of the
Arnhem Land of
Australia, the
Somali Pigeon is restricted to a tiny area of northern
Somalia, and
Bare-eyed Ground-dove is restricted to the area around
Salta and
Tucuman in northern
Argentina.
thumb has been widely introduced around the world.
The largest range of any species is that of the
Rock Pigeon (formerly Rock Dove). The species had a large natural distribution from
Britain and
Ireland to northern Africa, across Europe,
Arabia,
Central Asia, India, the
Himalayas and up into China and
Mongolia. The range of the species increased dramatically upon domestication as the species went feral in cities around the world. The species is currently resident across most of
North America, and has established itself in cities and urban areas in South America, sub-Saharan Africa, South East Asia,
Japan, Australia and
New Zealand. The species is not the only pigeon to have increased its range due to actions of man; several other species have become established outside of their natural range after
escaping captivity, and other species have increased their natural ranges due to habitat changes caused by human activities.
Diet
thumb feeding on fruit
Seeds and fruit form the major component of the diet of pigeons and doves. In fact, the family can be divided into the seed eating or granivorous species (subfamily Columbinae) and the fruit eating or frugivorous species (the other four subfamilies). The granivorous typically feed on seed found on the ground, whereas the species that feed on fruit and mast tend to feed in trees. There are morphological adaptations that can be used to distinguish between the two groups, granivorous species tend to have thick walls in the gizzards, whereas the frugivores tend to have thin walls. In addition fruit eating species have short intestines whereas those that eat seeds have longer ones. Frugivores are capable of clinging to branches and even hang upside down to reach fruit.
In addition to fruit and seeds a number of other food items are taken by many species. Some species, particularly the
ground-doves and
quail-doves take a large number of prey items such as insects and worms. One species, the
Atoll Fruit-dove is specialised in taking insect and reptile prey. Snails, moths and other insects are taken by
White-crowned Pigeons,
Orange Doves and
Ruddy Ground Doves.
Evolutionary speculations
thumb
This family is a highly coherent group with no members showing obvious links with other bird families, or
vice versa
. The
dodo and solitaires are clearly related, as discussed below, but equally lacking in obvious links with other bird families. The limited fossil record also consists only of unequivocal Columbidae species. Links to the
sandgrouse and
parrots have been suggested, but resemblances to the first group are due to
convergent evolution and the second depend on the parrot-like features of the
Tooth-billed Pigeon. However, the distinctive features of that bird seem to have arisen from its specialized diet rather than a real relationship to the parrots.
The family is usually divided into five subfamilies, but this is probably inaccurate. For example, the American ground and quail doves which are usually placed in the Columbinae seem to be two distinct subfamilies.
[3]
The order presented here follows Baptista
et al.
(1997) with some updates (Johnson & Clayton 2000, Johnson
et al.
2001, Shapiro
et al.
2002).
The arrangement of genera and naming of subfamilies is in some cases provisional because analysis of different
DNA sequences yield results that differ, often radically, in the placement of certain (mainly Indo-Australian) genera. This ambiguity, probably caused by
long branch attraction, seems to confirm that the first pigeons evolved in the Australasian region, and that the "Treronidae" and allied forms (crowned and pheasant pigeons, for example) represent the earliest radiation of the group.
As the
Dodo and
Rodrigues Solitaire are in all likelihood part of the Indo-Australian radiation that produced the 3 small subfamilies mentioned above with the fruit-doves and -pigeons (including the
Nicobar Pigeon), they are here included as a subfamily
Raphinae, pending better material evidence of their exact relationships.
Exacerbating these issues, columbids are not well represented in the
fossil record. No truly primitive forms have been found to date. The genus
Gerandia
which most likely belongs to the Columbinae has been described from
Early Miocene deposits of
France. Fragmentary remains of an indeterminate (probably "treronine") Early/
Middle Miocene pigeon were found in
New Zealand. Apart from that, all other fossils belong to extant genera. For these, and for the considerable number of more recently extinct prehistoric species, see the respective genus accounts.
Genera
A list of all the species, sortable by common and scientific name, is at
list of Columbidae species
Family Columbidae
thumb,
Chalcophaps indica
, native to tropical southern
Asia and
Australia
thumb
thumb Pigeon
Gallicolumba crinigera
, native to the Philippines
thumb Goura victoria
in
Bristol Zoo
thumb,
Ducula bicolor
thumb,
Caloenas nicobarica
- Subfamily Columbinae
– typical pigeons & doves
- * Genus Columba
including Aplopelia
– Old World pigeons (33-34 living species, 2-3 recently extinct)
- * Genus Streptopelia
including Stigmatopelia
and Nesoenas
– turtledoves (14-18 living species)
- * Genus Patagioenas
– American pigeons; formerly included in Columba
(17 species)
- * Genus Macropygia
(10 species)
- * Genus Reinwardtoena
(3 species)
- * Genus Turacoena
(2 species)
- Subfamily N.N.
– Bronzewings and relatives
- * Genus Turtur
– African wood-doves (5 species; tentatively placed here)
- * Genus Oena
– Namaqua Dove (tentatively placed here)
- * Genus Chalcophaps
(2 species)
- * Genus Henicophaps
(2 species)
- * Genus Phaps
(3 species)
- * Genus Ocyphaps
– Crested Pigeon
- * Genus Geophaps
(3 species)
- * Genus Petrophassa
– rock-pigeons (2 species)
- * Genus Geopelia
(3–5 species)
- Subfamily Leptotilinae
– Zenaidine and quail-doves
- * Genus Zenaida
(7 species)
- * Genus Ectopistes
– Passenger Pigeon (extinct; 1914)
- * Genus Leptotila
(11 species)
- * Genus Geotrygon
– quail-doves (16 species)
- * Genus Starnoenas
– Blue-headed Quail-dove
- Subfamily Columbininae
– American ground doves
- * Genus Columbina
(7 species)
- * Genus Claravis
(3 species)
- * Genus Metriopelia
(4 species)
- * Genus Scardafella
– possibly belongs into Columbina
(2 species)
- * Genus Uropelia
– Long-tailed Ground Dove
- Subfamily N.N.
– Indopacific ground doves
- * Genus Gallicolumba
(16-17 living species, 3-4 recently extinct)
- * Genus Trugon
– Thick-billed Ground Pigeon
- Subfamily Otidiphabinae
– Pheasant Pigeon
- * Genus Otidiphaps
– Pheasant Pigeon
- Subfamily Didunculinae
– Tooth-billed Pigeon
- * Genus Didunculus
– Tooth-billed Pigeon
- Subfamily Gourinae
– crowned pigeons
- * Genus Goura
(3 species)
- Subfamily N.N. ("Treroninae")
– green and fruit-doves and imperial pigeons
- * Genus Ducula
– imperial-pigeons (36 species)
- * Genus Lopholaimus
– Topknot Pigeon
- * Genus Hemiphaga
(2 species)
- * Genus Cryptophaps
– Sombre Pigeon
- * Genus Gymnophaps
– mountain-pigeons (3 species)
- * Genus Ptilinopus
– fruit-doves (some 50 living species, 1-2 recently extinct)
- * Genus Natunaornis
– Viti Levu Giant Pigeon (prehistoric)
- * Genus Drepanoptila
– Cloven-feathered Dove
- * Genus Alectroenas
– blue pigeons (3 living species)
- Subfamily Raphinae
– didines
- * Genus Raphus
– Dodo (extinct; late 17th century)
- * Genus Pezophaps
– Rodrigues Solitaire (extinct; c.1730)
- Placement unresolved
- * Genus Caloenas
– Nicobar Pigeon
- * Genus Treron
– green pigeons (23 species)
- * Genus Phapitreron
– brown doves (3 species)
- * Genus Leucosarcia
– Wonga Pigeon
- * Genus Microgoura
– Choiseul Crested Pigeon (extinct; early 20th century)
- * Genus Dysmoropelia
– Saint Helena Dove (extinct)
- * Genus Bountyphaps
- Henderson Island Archaic Pigeon (prehistoric)
thumb
Relationship with humans
As food
Several species of pigeon or dove are used as
food, and probably any could be; the powerful breast muscles characteristic of the family make excellent meat. In Europe the
Wood Pigeon is commonly shot as a
game bird, while
Rock Pigeons were originally domesticated as a food species, and many breeds were developed for their meat-bearing qualities. The extinction of the
Passenger Pigeon was at least partly due to shooting for use as food. According to the
Tanakh, doves are
kosher, and they are the only birds that may be used for a
korban. Other kosher birds may be eaten, but not brought as a korban.
Domestication
The
Rock Pigeon has been domesticated for hundreds of years. It has been bred into several varieties kept by hobbyists, of which the best known is the
homing pigeon or
racing homer. Other popular breeds are tumbling pigeons such as the
Birmingham Roller and fancy varieties that are bred for certain physical characteristics, such as large feathers on the feet or fan-shaped tails. Domesticated Rock Pigeons are also bred as
Carrier pigeons, used for thousands of years to carry brief written messages, and
Release Doves used in ceremonies.
In religion
thumb
In
Genesis in the Bible, Noah sends out a dove after the flood. In the
New Testament a dove is the symbol of the
Holy Spirit. In Islam, doves and the pigeon clan in general are respected and favoured because they are believed to have assisted the prophet of Islam,
Muhammad, in distracting his enemies outside the cave of Thaw'r in the great
Hijra.
In popular culture
Songs about doves and pigeons include:
- Aspro peristeri
(White dove, Greek: ?sp?? pe??st???) by Manos Hatzidakis and Nikos Gatsos, originally sung by Dimitra Galani
- Hilia peristeria
(A thousand pigeons, Greek: ????a pe??st???a) by Giorgos Zampetas
- Peristeraki tis ftohias avlis
(Little pigeon of the poor yard, Greek: ?e??ste???? t?? ft??e??? a????) by Kostas Kindynis and Giannis Glezos, originally sung by Giannis Poulopoulos
- Skyline Pigeon
by Elton John from the album Empty Sky
- Tromagmeno peristeri
(Frightened pigeon, Greek: ???µa?µ??? pe??st???) by Apostolos Kaldaras and Eftichia Papagianopoulou, originally sung by George Dalaras
- White, white dove
by Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel from the album Timeless Flight
Threats and conservation
While many species of pigeons and doves have benefited from human activities and have increased their ranges, many other species have declined in numbers and some have become
threatened or even succumbed to
extinction. Amongst the 10 species that have become extinct since 1600 (the conventional date for estimating modern extinctions) are two of the most famous extinct species, the
Dodo and the
Passenger Pigeon. The Passenger Pigeon was exceptional for a number of reasons, along with being the only pigeon species to have gone extinct in modern times that was not an island species. It was once the most numerous species of bird on
Earth. Its former numbers are difficult to estimate but one ornithologist,
Alexander Wilson, estimated that one flock he observed contained over two billion birds. The decline of the species was abrupt; in 1871 a breeding colony was estimated to contain over a hundred million birds, yet the last individual in the species was dead by 1914. Although habitat loss was a contributing factor, the species is thought to have been massively overhunted, being used as food for slaves and, later, the poor in the
United States throughout the 19th century.
The Dodo, and its extinction, was more typical of the extinctions of pigeons in the past. Like many species that colonize remote islands with few predators it lost much of its
anti-predator behaviour, along with its ability to fly. The arrival of people, along with a suite of other
introduced species such as rats, pigs and cats, quickly spelt the end for this species and all the other island forms that have become extinct.
Around 59 species of pigeon and dove are threatened with extinction today, this is 19% of all species.
[4] Most of these are tropical and live on islands. All of the species threatened today are threatened by introduced predators, habitat loss and hunting, or a combination of these factors. In some cases they may be
extinct in the wild, as is the
Socorro Dove of
Socorro Island, Mexico, which was driven to the extinction by habitat loss and introduced
feral cats.
[5] In some areas a lack of knowledge means that the true status of a species is unknown; the
Negros Fruit Dove has not been seen since 1953 and may or may not be extinct, and the
Polynesian Ground-dove is classified as
critically endangered as it is unknown whether it survives or not on remote islands in the far west of the
Pacific Ocean.
Various
conservation techniques are employed to prevent these extinctions. These include laws and regulations to control hunting pressure, the establishment of protected areas to prevent further habitat loss, the establishment of captive populations for reintroduction back into the wild (
ex situ
conservation) and the translocation of individuals to suitable habitat to create additional populations.
See also
right.
- Alphabetical species list
- War pigeon
- Gamasoidosis
References
- Encyclopaedia of Animals: Birds
- Baptista, L. F.; Trail, P. W. & Horblit, H. M. (1997): Family Columbidae (Doves and Pigeons). ''In:'' del Hoyo, J.; Elliott, A. & Sargatal, J. (editors): ''Handbook of birds of the world, Volume 4: Sandgrouse to Cuckoos''. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. ISBN 84-87334-22-9
-
Basically, the conventional treatment had 2 large subfamilies, one for the fruit-doves, imperial pigeons and fruit-pigeons, and another for nearly all of the remaining species. Additionally, there were 3 monotypic subfamilies, one each for the genera ''Goura'', ''Otidiphaps'' and ''Didunculus''. The old subfamily Columbinae consists of 5 distinct lineages, whereas the other 4 groups are more or less accurate representations of the evolutionary relationships.
- Walker, J. (2007) "Geographical patterns of threat among pigeons and doves (Columbidae)" ''Oryx'' '''41''' (3): 289-299.
- Socorro Dove ''Zenaida graysoni''