Rock Dove

birds · city life · wild ancestors

Original pigeon. Rock doves are the wild version of regular pigeons. Every pigeon in cities is actually a domesticated rock dove that humans have raised for thousands of years.

Cliff home. In the wild, rock doves live on rocky cliffs and coastal areas where they nest in small caves and crevices. This cliff habit is where they got their name.

Worldwide spread. Rock doves are now found on every continent except Antarctica. Humans brought them everywhere because they raised them for food, as messengers, and as pets.

Super adaptable. Rock doves can survive in almost any environment, from deserts to cold cities, because they eat many kinds of seeds and learn quickly how to find food in new places.

Amazing navigation. Rock doves have incredible homing abilities and can find their way home from places they've never been before, which is why they were used to carry messages across long distances.