# How Long Do Pigeons Live?

> Pigeon lifespan is typically 3–5 years wild (up to 15). What shortens or extends life, life stages, and status (Least Concern).

- **Species:** Pigeon (*Columba livia*)
- **Conservation status:** Least Concern
- **Diet:** Granivore (seeds, grain, scraps)
- **Habitat:** Cities, cliffs, farmland worldwide
- **Lifespan:** 3–5 years wild (up to 15)
- **Top speed:** 90 km/h (56 mph), faster when racing
- **Canonical HTML:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/pigeon/how-long-do-pigeon-live/
- **Parent profile:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/pigeon/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Quick answer

The pigeon (Columba livia), also called the rock dove, is a familiar grey city bird found on every continent except Antarctica. Descended from wild cliff-dwelling doves, it weighs 300 to 500 g and can fly at 90 km/h (56 mph), even faster when racing. Pigeons are famed for an extraordinary homing sense that lets them navigate back over hundreds of miles, and they are listed as Least Concern.

## Who should skip this page

Skip this if you need a prognosis for one named animal. This page is a species lifespan range.

## Origins and appearance

The city pigeon is a domesticated and feral form of the wild rock dove, a bird that naturally nests on sea cliffs and rocky ledges. That cliff heritage is why pigeons feel at home on the ledges and window sills of buildings, which mimic their ancestral crags. Typical birds are grey with two dark wing bars and a glossy green-and-purple neck, though centuries of domestication have produced many colours and patterns.

## Help protect the Pigeon

Even familiar animals lose ground as wild habitat keeps shrinking worldwide.

[Donate to wildlife protection](https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/donate/)

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/pigeon/how-long-do-pigeon-live/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.