# Pigeon (*Columba livia*)

> 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.

- **Category:** Bird
- **Conservation status (IUCN):** Least Concern
- **Range:** The wild rock dove is native to Europe, North Africa, and southwest Asia; feral pigeons now live in cities on every continent except Antarctica.
- **Canonical page:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/pigeon/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Scientific classification

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Aves
- **Order:** Columbiformes
- **Family:** Columbidae
- **Genus:** Columba

## Facts at a glance

| Attribute | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Scientific name | Columba livia |
| Diet | Granivore (seeds, grain, scraps) |
| Habitat | Cities, cliffs, farmland worldwide |
| Lifespan | 3–5 years wild (up to 15) |
| Weight | 300–500 g (11–18 oz) |
| Top speed | 90 km/h (56 mph), faster when racing |
| Conservation status | Least Concern (IUCN) |

## 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.

## Homing and navigation

Pigeons possess one of the most remarkable navigation abilities in the animal world, able to find their way home from hundreds of miles away in unfamiliar territory. They appear to combine several senses, including the Earth's magnetic field, the position of the sun, and even smell and low-frequency sound, to build a mental map. This talent made them prized racing and messenger birds, and homing pigeons carried vital messages in both World Wars.

## Diet and city life

Pigeons are granivores that naturally eat seeds and grain, but in towns they readily scavenge bread, scraps, and other human food. This adaptable diet is a key reason they thrive in cities across the world. They feed in flocks and can drink by sucking water up directly, unlike most birds that must tip their heads back to swallow.

## Breeding and crop milk

Pigeons breed year-round in mild conditions and usually lay two white eggs at a time. Both parents share incubation and feed their chicks, called squabs, on a rich secretion known as crop milk that is produced in the lining of the crop. This nutritious food lets pigeons raise young even when seeds are scarce, helping them nest repeatedly through the year.

## Flight and speed

Pigeons are powerful, fast fliers, cruising at around 90 km/h (56 mph) and reaching higher speeds when racing over long distances. Their strong flight muscles and streamlined build let them cover great distances with ease. Racing pigeons bred for speed and endurance can fly home across hundreds of miles in a single day.

## Intelligence and lifespan

Pigeons are surprisingly intelligent birds that can recognise individual human faces, learn to distinguish letters of the alphabet, and even tell apart paintings by different artists in laboratory tests. In the wild they usually live 3 to 5 years, but well-kept birds can reach around 15 years of age. Widespread and adaptable, the pigeon is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN.

## Frequently asked questions

### How do pigeons find their way home?

Pigeons combine several senses to navigate, including detecting the Earth's magnetic field, using the position of the sun, and relying on smell and low-frequency sound. Together these allow a homing pigeon to return from hundreds of miles away in unfamiliar country.

### How fast can a pigeon fly?

Pigeons typically fly at around 90 km/h (56 mph) and can go even faster when racing over long distances. Their strong flight muscles let them cover great distances quickly.

### What do pigeons eat?

Pigeons are seed and grain eaters by nature, but in cities they readily feed on bread, scraps, and other human food. This flexible diet is one reason they thrive in urban areas worldwide.

### How long do pigeons live?

Wild city pigeons usually live around 3 to 5 years, largely because of predators, traffic, and disease. Well-cared-for birds, including racing and pet pigeons, can live up to about 15 years.

### Are pigeons intelligent?

Yes, pigeons are notably intelligent. In laboratory studies they can recognise individual human faces, learn letters of the alphabet, and even distinguish between paintings by different artists.

### Why are there so many pigeons in cities?

City pigeons descend from wild rock doves that nest on cliffs, so building ledges suit them perfectly. Combined with a flexible diet of human food scraps and year-round breeding, this lets them flourish in towns everywhere.

## Sources

- [IUCN Red List — Columba livia.](https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Columba%20livia&searchType=species)
- [Animal Diversity Web — Columba livia. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.](https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Columba_livia/)
- [Wikipedia — Pigeon.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_dove)

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