Columbidae

Columbidae is a family of birds that includes doves and pigeons. These birds are stout with small heads, short necks, and slender bills. Some have special fleshy coverings near their bills called ceres. They mainly eat plant matter such as seeds, fruit, and leaves.

In everyday language, smaller birds in this family are often called doves, while larger ones are called pigeons, though this is not a strict rule. One well-known pigeon is the domestic pigeon, which comes from the wild rock dove. Rock doves are often seen living in cities.

There are 52 different groups of doves and pigeons, making up 353 species found all around the world. The most variety is seen in parts of Asia and Australia. Sadly, 118 species are at risk, and 13 have disappeared, including the famous dodo, a large bird that could not fly, and the passenger pigeon, which once numbered in the billions.

Etymology

The word "pigeon" comes from a French word that started from the Latin word pīpiō, which means a 'peeping' chick. The word "dove" shares roots with old languages like Old Norse and Gothic, and it comes from a very old word that imitates the cooing sound of birds like the woodpigeon and stock dove. In some English areas, a group of doves is called a "dule", which comes from the French word deuil, meaning 'mourning'.

Origin and evolution

The Columbiformes are a diverse group of birds, with their origins tracing back to the Cretaceous period. They experienced rapid diversification at the end of the K–Pg boundary. Whole genome studies show that Columbiformes are closely related to Pterocliformes, which include sandgrouses and mesites.

The family name 'Columbidae' was first used by English zoologist William Elford Leach in 1819. However, an older name, "Columbini", was established by Illiger in 1811.

The classification of doves and pigeons has been debated. Some scientists have suggested dividing them into up to six families, but recent studies recommend recognizing three main subfamilies: Columbinae, Claravinae, and Raphinae. There is ongoing discussion about where certain species, like the Cuban blue-headed quail-dove, fit within this family tree.

Columbids are not well represented in the fossil record, making it hard to find ancient examples. Some early fossils have been found, but many are now considered to belong to other groups, like sandgrouses. Most known fossils are from existing genera.

Description

Pigeons and doves, known as Columbidae, have short legs, small heads, and compact bodies. They have short bills with a fleshy covering called a cere. Unlike some birds, they do not have gall bladders, but they still produce bile that helps with digestion.

These birds are strong fliers because their large wings give them good lift. They can fly very well and turn quickly. Some pigeons can fly very fast and make up a big part of their body weight in wing muscles.

Their feathers are special. The main feathers on their bodies are broad, strong, and come off easily if a predator grabs the bird, helping it escape. The colors of their feathers can be dull or bright depending on what they eat. Some pigeons have crests or other fancy features on their heads.

Pigeons and doves range in size from very small, about the size of a house sparrow, to very large, almost the size of a turkey. The largest living species are crowned pigeons from New Guinea, while the smallest are tiny ground doves. Sadly, some large pigeon species, like the dodo, are no longer alive.

Distribution and habitat

Pigeons and doves live almost everywhere on Earth. They can be found in many different places, except for the driest parts of the Sahara Desert, Antarctica and its nearby islands, and the far north Arctic. These birds have made their home on oceanic islands all around the world, from the Pacific to the Indian Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean.

Some pigeons and doves live in trees, while others walk on the ground or do both. They live in many kinds of places, such as grasslands, forests, deserts, and even barren islands. Certain species travel very far. For example, the eared dove lives all across South America, and the Eurasian collared dove can be found from Britain to China.

The rock dove, also called the common pigeon, lives in many cities around the world. Originally found in places like Europe, Arabia, and Central Asia, its numbers grew huge after people began to keep them. Today, common pigeons are seen in cities across North America, South America, Southeast Asia, and even Australia. Some smaller pigeon species live only on specific islands or in tiny areas of certain countries.

Behaviour

Feeding

Pigeons and doves mainly eat seeds and fruit. Some species eat mostly seeds, while others eat more fruit and plants called mast. Many eat both kinds of food.

Seeds are usually found on the ground, so seed-eating birds often forage there. Fruit-eating birds usually stay in trees to find their food. Their bodies are different: seed-eaters have thicker walls in parts of their digestive system, while fruit-eaters have thinner walls and shorter intestines.

Besides seeds and fruit, many pigeons and doves also eat insects, worms, and even small reptiles. Some birds, like the atoll fruit dove, specialize in eating insects and reptiles. Others enjoy eating snails, moths, and flowers.

In cities, feral pigeons, which are descendants of rock doves, often eat food left by people or given to them directly.

Reproduction

Doves and pigeons build simple nests using sticks and other natural materials. These nests might be in trees, on rocky ledges, or on the ground, depending on the species. Sometimes, several pairs build nests close together.

Most doves and pigeons lay one or two white eggs. The eggs take between 11 and 30 days to hatch, with larger birds taking longer. Both the mother and father take care of the babies. Unlike most birds, doves and pigeons make a special milky fluid called "crop milk" to feed their young. This fluid comes from the lining of their crop.

Baby doves and pigeons are called squabs. They can usually fly after about five weeks and leave the nest between 25 and 32 days old.

Status and conservation

Many kinds of pigeons and doves have grown in number because of humans, but others have lost their homes and some have even disappeared forever. Two well-known birds that are no longer with us are the dodo and the passenger pigeon.

The passenger pigeon was once the most common bird on Earth, with huge flocks filling the sky. But it quickly disappeared because people hunted it for food. The dodo, living on an island without many dangers, also disappeared after people arrived and brought animals that attacked the birds.

Today, many pigeon and dove species are in danger. They face threats from new animals brought to their homes, loss of their living spaces, and hunting. To help these birds, people work hard to make laws, protect special areas where they live, and sometimes keep birds in safe places until they can return to the wild.

Domestication

Main article: Domestic pigeon

The domestic pigeon (Columba livia domestica) comes from the rock dove (Columba livia) and was tamed by humans thousands of years ago. These birds have been important symbols in many cultures, like for the goddesses Innana, Asherah, and Aphrodite, and in early Christian, Islamic, and Jewish religions. Pigeons were also used to carry messages, especially during wars, and some even received awards for their help.

The barbary dove is a smaller kind of pigeon that people kept for food. Because they were chosen to stay close to humans, they do not know how to survive if set free.