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Domestic pigeon
A selection of domestic pigeon breeds and colors; a result of centuries of selective breeding. The names of the depicted breeds can be seen here.
Conservation status
Domesticated
Scientific classification
Domain:
Eukaryota
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Aves
Order:
Columbiformes
Family:
Columbidae
Genus:
Columba
Species:
C. livia
Subspecies:
C. l. domestica
Trinomial name
Columba livia domestica
Gmelin, 1789[1]
Synonyms
Columba domestica
Columba livia rustica
The domestic pigeon (Columba livia domestica or Columba liviaformadomestica)[2] is a pigeon subspecies that was derived from the rock dove or rock pigeon. The rock pigeon is the world's oldest domesticated bird. Mesopotamian cuneiform tablets mention the domestication of pigeons more than 5,000 years ago, as do Egyptian hieroglyphics. Pigeons were most likely domesticated in the Mediterranean at least 3000-5000 years ago, and may have been domesticated earlier as a food source.[3] Research suggests that domestication of pigeons occurred as early as 10,000 years ago.[4]
Pigeons have held historical importance to humans as food, pets, holy animals, and messengers. Due to their homing ability, pigeons have been used to deliver messages, including during the world wars.[5] Despite this, city pigeons, which are feral birds released for one reason or another, are generally seen as pests, mainly due to their droppings. Feral pigeons are considered invasive in many parts of the world,[6] though they have a positive impact on wild bird populations, serving as an important prey species for birds of prey.[citation needed][7]
^Krautwald-Junghanns, Maria-Elisabeth; Zebisch, Ralph; Schmidt, Volker (2009). "Relevance and Treatment of Coccidiosis in Domestic Pigeons (Columba livia forma domestica) with Particular Emphasis on Toltrazuril". Journal of Avian Medicine and Surgery. 23 (1). Association of Avian Veterinarians: 1–5. doi:10.1647/2007-049R.1. JSTOR 27670700. PMID 19530399. S2CID 31939394.
^Stringham, Sydney A.; Mulroy, Elisabeth E.; Xing, Jinchuan; Record, David; Guernsey, Michael W.; Aldenhoven, Jaclyn T.; Osborne, Edward J.; Shapiro, Michael D. (February 2012). "Divergence, Convergence, and the Ancestry of Feral Populations in the Domestic Rock Pigeon". Current Biology. 22 (4): 302–308. Bibcode:2012CBio...22..302S. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2011.12.045. PMC 3288640. PMID 22264611.
^Blechman, Andrew (2007). Pigeons-The fascinating saga of the world's most revered and reviled bird. St Lucia, Queensland: University of Queensland Press. ISBN 978-0-7022-3641-9.
^Levi, Wendell (1977). The Pigeon. Sumter, S.C.: Levi Publishing Co, Inc. ISBN 978-0-85390-013-9.
^Capoccia, Stella; Boyle, Callie; Darnell, Tedd (2018). "Loved or loathed, feral pigeons as subjects in ecological and social research". Journal of Urban Ecology. 4 (1). doi:10.1093/jue/juy024.
^"Introduced predators and nest competitors shape distribution and breeding performance of seabirds: feral pigeons as a new threat - Biological Invasions". SpringerLink. doi:10.1007/s10530-022-02746-1. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
domesticpigeon (Columba livia domestica or Columba livia forma domestica) is a pigeon subspecies that was derived from the rock dove or rock pigeon....
This is an alphabetical list of pigeon breeds; these are exclusively breeds of the domesticpigeon (Columba livia domestica). Other Columbidae species...
Fancy pigeon refers to any breed of domesticpigeon, which is a domesticated form of the wild rock dove (Columba livia). They are bred by pigeon fanciers...
pigeons (Columba livia domestica or Columba livia forma urbana), also called city doves, city pigeons, or street pigeons, are descendants of domestic...
The homing pigeon, also called the mail pigeon or messenger pigeon, is a variety of domesticpigeons (Columba livia domestica) derived from the wild rock...
Pigeon keeping or pigeon fancying is the art and science of breeding domesticpigeons. People have practiced pigeon keeping for at least 5,000 years and...
In culinary terminology, squab is an immature domesticpigeon, typically under four weeks old, or its meat. Some authors describe it as tasting like dark...
Homing pigeons have long played an important role in war. Due to their homing ability, speed, and altitude, they were often used as military messengers...
Pigeon post is the use of homing pigeons to carry messages. Pigeons are effective as messengers due to their natural homing abilities. The pigeons are...
The Chinese Flying pigeon is a breed of domesticpigeon. Chinese Flying pigeons, along with other varieties of domesticated pigeons, are all descendants...
The passenger pigeon or wild pigeon (Ectopistes migratorius) is an extinct species of pigeon that was endemic to North America. Its common name is derived...
there is considerable knowledge of pigeon intelligence. Available data show[citation needed], for example, that: Pigeons have the capacity to share attention...
PPMV1 or pigeon paramyxovirus type 1 is a virus closely related to Newcastle disease which affects domesticpigeons and other bird species. It probably...
J.; Groves, C. P. (2004). "The naming of wild animal species and their domestic derivatives" (PDF). Journal of Archaeological Science. 31 (5): 645–651...
pigeon developed by selective breeding primarily as a utility and exhibition breed. American Giant Runts, along with other varieties of the domestic pigeon...
The domesticpigeon has been used both for food and as a means of communication between far-flung places through the exploitation of the pigeon's homing...
proposal to carry Internet Protocol (IP) traffic by birds such as homing pigeons. IP over Avian Carriers was initially described in RFC 1149 issued by the...
is the name given to the young of domesticpigeons that are destined for the table. Like other domesticated pigeons, birds used for this purpose are descended...
Utility pigeons are domesticated pigeons bred to be a source of meat called squab. Squabs have been used as a food in many nations for centuries. They...
Doves, typically domesticpigeons white in plumage, are used in many settings as symbols of peace, freedom, or love. Doves appear in the symbolism of Judaism...
The Pouter or Cropper pigeons are domesticated varieties of the rock dove, Columba livia, characterized by a very large, inflatable crop. They are kept...
Tumbler pigeons are varieties of domesticated pigeons that are descendants of the rock dove that have been selected for their ability to tumble or roll...
white doves are released. Sometimes doves are called pigeons, there is no distinction. Usually domestic rock doves (Columba livia domestica) bred for small...
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