Photo: william_stephens / CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Rock Dove
Columba livia
Rock Dove (Columba livia) — Pigeons & Doves of Worldwide.
Found across 17 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Rock Dove (Columba livia) is a member of the Columbidae family found in Africa, Australia & Oceania and Central America & Caribbean. Adults weigh 354 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 livia
Where it lives
Worldwide worldwide due largely to introductions; native to southern Eurasia, northern Africa to India
Quick facts
- Weight
- 354 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Columbidae
- Order
- Columbiformes
- Habitat
- Urban & human-modified
How to identify
Male vs female
Sexes look nearly alike (wild type: blue-grey with two black wingbars and a green-purple iridescent neck); the female's neck iridescence is slightly less intense and more restricted to the rear and sides, so males average showier, but plumage is highly variable in feral birds.
Juvenile appearance
Juveniles are duller with little or no neck gloss and a browner cast.
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Rock Dove is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Behaviour
A bird of farmland, parks and gardens, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Rock Dove is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Rock Dove (Columba livia) is a member of the Columbidae family, within the order Columbiformes. Its range spans Africa, Australia & Oceania and Central America & Caribbean. Its distribution covers Worldwide worldwide due largely to introductions; native to s Eurasia, n Africa to India.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 354 g, with a wing length of about 22 cm and a tail of around 10.6 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 17.5 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Rock Dove?
The Rock Dove is a large bird that weighs around 354 g.
Where does the Rock Dove live?
The Rock Dove is found across Africa, Australia & Oceania and Central America & Caribbean with a range covering Worldwide worldwide due largely to introductions; native to s Eurasia, n Africa to India, where it adapts readily to towns, parks and gardens.
What family does the Rock Dove belong to?
The Rock Dove (Columba livia) belongs to the Columbidae family, in the order Columbiformes.
What does the Rock Dove eat?
The Rock Dove is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Rock Dove migrate?
The Rock Dove is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Rock Dove 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 Rock Dove make?
1 real field recording of the Rock Dove — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Rock Dove's range?
The Rock Dove has a mapped global range of about 17.5 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
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Guides for this bird
Mourning Dove vs Rock Dove: How to Tell Them Apart
How to tell a Mourning Dove from a Rock Dove — size, range, family and status compared side by side, with links to each bird’s full ID guide.
Meet the Columbidae
A field guide to the Columbidae family — 352 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.