Photo: Tristan Ferne from UK / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Common Wood Pigeon
Columba palumbus
Common Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus) — Pigeons & Doves of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 12 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Common Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus) is a member of the Columbidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 490 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Columbiformes
- Family Columbidae Pigeons, Doves
- Genus Columba
- Species palumbus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 490 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Columbidae
- Order
- Columbiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Critically Endangered
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Endangered
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Common Wood Pigeon is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open woodland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Common Wood Pigeon is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Common Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus) belongs to the Columbidae family of the order Columbiformes. Its range spans Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL w, sw.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 490 g, with a wing length of about 24.6 cm and a tail of around 15.3 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 11.9 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Common Wood Pigeon?
The Common Wood Pigeon is a large bird that weighs around 490 g.
Where does the Common Wood Pigeon live?
The Common Wood Pigeon is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL w, sw, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Common Wood Pigeon belong to?
The Common Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus) belongs to the Columbidae family, in the order Columbiformes.
What does the Common Wood Pigeon eat?
The Common Wood Pigeon is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Common Wood Pigeon migrate?
The Common Wood Pigeon is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Common Wood Pigeon endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Common Wood Pigeon make?
1 real field recording of the Common Wood Pigeon — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Common Wood Pigeon's range?
The Common Wood Pigeon has a mapped global range of about 11.9 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
Explore more birds
More in Columbidae
Least Concern
Not Evaluated
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
More in Pigeons & Doves
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Guides for this bird
Meet the Columbidae
A field guide to the Columbidae family — 352 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.