# Wood Pigeon (*Columba palumbus*) The wood pigeon is a gentle bird with a soft cooing sound. It has beautiful gray feathers and can often be seen in parks and gardens. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Also known as:** Columba palumbus, Ring Dove ![Wood Pigeon](https://media.snappit.app/site-media-v1/aab6bc57da900dd2a4e39a7d3a9972bba3af916fcb09be44d9fe015dd51fe15e/image-560x560/w-560.webp) ## Appearance The Wood Pigeon is a large, plump bird with a small head and a long tail. It has distinctive white patches on the sides of its neck and white bars on its wings, which are visible in flight, setting it apart from other pigeons. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Columbiformes - **Family:** Columbidae - **Genus:** Columba ## Interesting facts - Nests are often so flimsy, you can see eggs right through! - Their wings make a loud 'clatter' sound when they suddenly take flight! - They are excellent at finding food, even from under snow! - Wood Pigeons sometimes gather in huge flocks of thousands during winter! ## Special abilities - **Crop Milk Power-up:** Wood Pigeons have a special 'crop milk' that helps them feed their babies with a nutritious, energy-rich liquid. - **Booming Coo:** Wood Pigeons can make a deep, five-note cooing call that helps them communicate with other pigeons from a distance. - **Water Guzzler:** Wood Pigeons can drink water continuously without tilting their heads back, unlike most other birds. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 38-43 cm - **Wingspan:** 70-80 cm - **Weight:** 0.3-0.6 kg - **Lifespan:** 3-5 years - **Speed:** 80 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 1-2 - **Incubation:** 16-17 days - **Migration Distance:** 500 km ## Diet & Feeding These adaptable birds eat lots of seeds, leaves, and berries they find on the ground and in trees. - **Age differences:** Young pigeons are fed 'crop milk' by parents, then transition to adult diet. - **Primary Foods:** seeds, leaves, berries, cereals, buds, small invertebrates - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** [Eurasian Sparrowhawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eurasian-sparrowhawk) (*Accipiter nisus*) — A common predator that ambushes adult pigeons. - **Eats:** [Domestic Cat](https://www.snappit.app/explore/domestic-cat) (*Felis catus*) — Preys on young pigeons and occasional adults. - **Depends on:** Common Oak (*Quercus robur*) — Eats acorns and uses branches for nesting. - **Eats:** Common Wheat (*Triticum aestivum*) — Feeds on fallen grains in agricultural fields. ## Traits - [Wildlife](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wildlife): Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats. - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Singing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/singing): Singing animals produce complex vocalizations, often for purposes of attracting mates, defending territory, or communicating within their species. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Wood pigeons are friendly and harmless. Just watch them from a distance and enjoy their beauty. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Wood Pigeon? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Wood Pigeon? 38-43 cm ### What is Wood Pigeon's wingspan? 70-80 cm ### How much does Wood Pigeon weigh? 0.3-0.6 kg ### How long does Wood Pigeon live? 3-5 years ### How fast can Wood Pigeon move? 80 km/h ### What does Wood Pigeon eat? These adaptable birds eat lots of seeds, leaves, and berries they find on the ground and in trees. ### How does Wood Pigeon hunt? Foraging ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Wood Pigeon: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/wood-pigeon)