Pigeons belong to the bird family Columbidae, which includes around 310 species of doves and pigeons. They can be found worldwide in a variety of habitats. Many other bird species share physical and behavioral characteristics with pigeons, leading them to be commonly mistaken for their close relative. This article explores some of the birds that are often confused with or that resemble pigeons.
Rock Doves
Rock doves, also known as domestic pigeons, are likely the type of pigeon most familiar to people. These pigeons originated from the wild rock dove but have been domesticated over thousands of years. The wild ancestors of domestic pigeons inhabited sea cliffs and mountains across Europe, North Africa, and South Asia. Domestic rock doves are the most common bird found in urban areas. Their predominant coloration is various shades of gray and white, though selective breeding has produced many color variants.
Rock doves have a wingspan of around 2 feet and weigh under 1 pound. Their stout bodies, rounded heads, and sturdy bills give them a distinctive pigeon shape. Like all pigeons and doves, they drink by suction rather than lifting their beaks. Rock doves can be found in parks, on windowsills, and under the eaves of buildings in most cities worldwide.
Mourning Doves
Mourning doves are a medium-sized, slender dove native across North America. Despite their sorrowful name, these birds are quite common and not usually a symbol of grief. Their coloration consists of soft browns and pinks with black spot accents. The mourning dove’s long, tapered tail and pointed wings give it a streamlined look in flight.
Weighing 4-6 ounces with a wingspan around 17 inches, mourning doves are only slightly smaller than rock pigeons. They can be identified by their long, pointed tails, tiny heads, and soft cooing vocalizations. Mourning doves often frequent backyards and parks and walk gracefully along the ground while bobbing their heads. They build flimsy nests of twigs and stems in trees and shrubs.
Eurasian Collared-Doves
The Eurasian collared-dove is an invasive species originating from Europe and Asia. These doves were introduced to the Bahamas in the 1970s and have since spread across North America. Similar in size to mourning doves, they measure around 12 inches long with grayish-beige plumage and dark collar markings on the neck. The tail feathers are white-tipped with a distinct black band near the end.
Eurasian collared-doves forage on the ground for seeds and grain and roost on utility lines. They adapted readily to urban and suburban environments. Their monotonous cooing sounds almost like they are singing “I don’t know.” Collared-doves are now common across the southern and eastern U.S., with their range continuing to expand north and west.
White-winged Doves
Native to the southernmost regions of the U.S. and Mexico, white-winged doves are named for the white wing patches that are visible during flight. They are medium-sized doves around 12 inches long with grayish-brown overall plumage and a blue-gray crown and nape. White-winged doves have a bold white teardrop shape beneath their eyes.
These birds thrive in hot climates and arid regions. They forage for seeds, grains, and berries on scrubby grasslands and agricultural fields. White-winged doves produce a low-pitched who-cooks-for-you call that sounds similar to the mourning dove. Their populations are stable and even increasing along with the availability of grain crops.
Band-tailed Pigeons
The band-tailed pigeon is the closest living relative of the passenger pigeon, which became extinct in 1914. Native to western North America, it is among the largest pigeons at 16-18 inches long with a weight of around 1 pound. The band-tailed pigeon has a purple head, pink neck, yellow bill with a black tip, and bluish-gray body. The tail has a wide black band along the end, giving the bird its common name.
This pigeon inhabits forests and oak woodlands stretching along the Pacific Coast to the Rocky Mountains. It feeds on acorns, berries, and conifer seeds. Band-tailed pigeons form large flocks that may congregate at mineral hot springs. Their numbers dropped significantly in the 1900s due to hunting and habitat loss.
Common Ground-Doves
Common ground-doves are tiny, semi-terrestrial doves that inhabit arid scrublands and grasslands in Central and South America. They have a sand-colored upper body with black spots on the wings and tail and a pinkish underside. These small doves reach just 8 inches in length and weigh 25-40 grams.
As their name indicates, common ground-doves spend most of their time walking along open ground looking for seeds and insects. If startled, they explode into flight on whirring wings, appearing more like a mouse running for cover than a graceful dove in flight. Their diminutive size and dusty brown coloration provide camouflage against the ground.
Inca Doves
Inca doves are petite, seed-eating doves that dwell in the desert southwest of the United States. Their tan coloration with scaled markings allows them to blend into dusty, arid habitats. Black half-collar bands sit on the lower neck, while the tail is edged in white. At under 8 inches long, Inca doves are one of the smallest dove species.
With a repetitive cooing call, Inca doves bear an uncanny similarity to squeaky toy. They forage in small groups around human dwellings, parks, and agricultural areas. Originally native to the southwestern U.S. and Mexico, Inca doves have also become established in Hawaii and southern Florida.
Common Wood-Pigeons
Common wood-pigeons are the most abundant pigeon in Europe and western Asia. Also known simply as wood-pigeons, these stocky birds reach 16 inches long and weigh over 1 pound. The plumage appears gray from a distance but has an iridescent sheen of pink, green, and purple up close. White neck bars and wing bars decorate the otherwise gray bird.
Wood-pigeons inhabit deciduous and mixed forests across Europe and parts of North Africa and Asia Minor. They construct loose stick nests in trees and feed on plant material and cereal grains. These birds are an agricultural pest in some regions. Their melodious cooing provides a quintessential sound of the European countryside.
Diamond Doves
The petite diamond dove is native to Australia and measures just 7-8 inches from tail tip to beak. Their compact, rounded body is ash gray with a white diamond pattern on the lower back and wings. Diamond doves exhibit sexual dimorphism, meaning males and females have different coloring. Males have brighter plumage with a white-ringed eye patch, while females are duller overall.
These tiny doves inhabit open woodlands and arid scrubs across most of Australia. They feed on small seeds and are quite sociable. Diamond doves are kept as pets due to their small size and pleasant cooing voices. Their populations are considered stable in the wild.
Laughing Doves
Laughing doves are aptly named for their loud, laughing coo that sounds like human laughter. These small, long-tailed doves belong to the genus Spilopelia. There are various species found across Africa, southern Europe, and Asia. They reach 8-13 inches in length and weigh just a few ounces.
Laughing doves favor dry, open habitats such as savanna, palm groves, and agricultural areas. Their speckled brown or gray plumage provides camouflage when on the ground. These social doves gather in small flocks and communicate using a variety of cooing sounds. Some species have adapted readily to urban areas.
Spotted Doves
This name refers to small, long-tailed doves of the genus Streptopelia that are native to Africa and Asia. There are several species of spotted doves, including the laughing dove. In general, these doves inhabit open and semi-open habitats. They forage for seeds and grains on the ground.
Spotted doves are slim, graceful birds around 11 inches long. Plumage is pale brown or gray with black neck spots or bars in most species. These sociable doves roost in small groups and produce soft cooing calls. Spotted doves readily visit gardens and agricultural areas.
Zebra Doves
Zebra doves are named for their distinctive zebra-striped markings. Most of the plumage is brownish-gray, while the neck and breast feathers have dense black-and-white barring. The tail is also boldly barred black and white. These petite doves reach just 8-9 inches in length.
Native to southeast Asia, zebra doves were introduced to Hawaii in 1922 and have become naturalized. They also inhabit parts of Australia and New Zealand. Zebra doves forage on the ground for seeds and grains. They are quite social and gather in large flocks around human settlements.
Key Identification Features
When trying to distinguish pigeons and doves from one another, there are a few key features to look for:
- Overall size and proportions
- Shape of head and beak
- Plumage color and markings
- Behavioral habits
- Geographic range
Collared doves and band-tailed pigeons are nearly indistinguishable from rock pigeons in terms of size and body shape. Separating species in the wild requires paying close attention to subtle differences in plumage like neck bands and tail markings. Doves tend to be smaller and slimmer than pigeons, with longer, more tapered tails and pointed wings.
Geographic range provides the most reliable clue, as most birds have distinct ranges. A dove species like the Inca dove would not show up in an eastern U.S. city the way a rock pigeon would. Getting a look at the head can also help – pigeons have stouter bills than most doves.
Dove, Pigeon, or Pigeon-Dove?
There is no standardized distinction between doves and pigeons, with many birds referred to interchangeably as both. However, here are some generalizations about the terms:
- Pigeons tend to be larger and chunkier than doves.
- Doves are more likely to feed on the ground than pigeons.
- Doves frequently have pointed tails, while pigeon tails are squared off.
- “Dove” tends to be used for smaller, delicate-looking species.
- “Pigeon” refers to larger, more urban species.
Some species have common names that use both terms, like the rock pigeon/rock dove and band-tailed pigeon. There are also no taxonomic rules – doves and pigeons are all classified in the same Columbidae family. Outside of their physical differences, the names are interchangeable.
Conclusion
Pigeons occupy urban spaces worldwide, but many birds bear an uncanny resemblance to their wild cousins. With so many species in the Columbidae family, identification can be tricky. Doves like the mourning dove and Inca dove share the familiar rounded body shape and small size. Larger species like the band-tailed pigeon display similar plumage patterns like the iconic gray and white coloration.
Subtle variations in size, proportions, plumage coloration, behavior, and geographic range are key to distinguishing lookalike species. So although many birds may seem like urban pigeons at first glance, a closer look will reveal an amazing diversity of wild doves spanning the Americas, Europe, Africa, and Australia.
