Photo: Imran Shah from Islamabad, Pakistan / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Snow Pigeon
Columba leuconota
Snow Pigeon (Columba leuconota) — Pigeons & Doves of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Snow Pigeon (Columba leuconota) is a member of the Columbidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 284 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 leuconota
Quick facts
- Weight
- 284 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Columbidae
- Order
- Columbiformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Snow Pigeon is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Behaviour
A bird of rocky terrain, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Snow Pigeon is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Snow Pigeon (Columba leuconota) is a member of the Columbidae family, within the order Columbiformes. It occurs naturally across Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL sc, se.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 284 g, with a wing length of about 23.2 cm and a tail of around 11.5 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 2.7 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Snow Pigeon?
The Snow Pigeon is a large bird that weighs around 284 g.
Where does the Snow Pigeon live?
The Snow Pigeon is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL sc, se, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Snow Pigeon belong to?
The Snow Pigeon (Columba leuconota) belongs to the Columbidae family, in the order Columbiformes.
What does the Snow Pigeon eat?
The Snow Pigeon is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Snow Pigeon migrate?
The Snow Pigeon is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Snow 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 Snow Pigeon make?
1 real field recording of the Snow Pigeon can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Snow Pigeon's range?
The Snow Pigeon has a mapped global range of about 2.7 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.
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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.