Pigeon (Rock Dove)

QUICK FACTS

Length: ~ 1 feet
Color: Bluish-gray head with a glossy, multicolored sheen along the neck and feathers
Diet: Herbivorous (Seeds, berries and grains)
Habitat: Cities, towns, suburbs, and cliffsides
Average Lifespan: 6 years
Nests: Cliffledges, widowsills and rain gutters
Status: Least Concern (not endangered)

 

Pigeon (Columba livia); taken outside of the Boott Cotton Mills

These birds have adapted to a wide variety of climates and ecosystems, remaining a constant presence across most of North America and the world (outside of the Sahara Desert and Antarctica).

The pigeon is a very common species, appearing in large bands throughout cities. In groups they may be a nuisance to farmers, and can spread disease in their droppings. But pigeons do have positive impacts on city ecosystems too! For hawks and falcons living in urban areas like Lowell, these birds are the primary source of food.

Though pigeons can fly straight as an arrow, like other birds (e.g. chickens, quails, etc.) pigeons bob their heads as they walk. While humans move their eyes to get a better idea of their surroundings, pigeons move their entire heads instead!