Beak

Rock pigeons’ bills are adapted for picking up small seeds and insects.

Appearance

They come in many colours, many having colourful iridescent feathers on their necks that glimmer in the sunlight.

Food

These ground-feeding birds are easily recognized as the gobble up seed that has been left on the ground. They are heavy and have great difficulty landing on hanging feeders, but will take whatever spills from them. Like other doves, they can hold many hundreds of seeds in their crop waiting for their stomachs to catch up with digestion.

To discourage pigeons, try to keep the feeding area as clean as possible, removing excess seeds from the ground. It is always interesting to have one or two come to the yard but soon the "word" gets out and it isn't long before you may be overrun.

Habitat

These birds have adapted very well to human building practices. They make their homes on building ledges, bridges, building girders, balconies, and neon signs where they battle for space with apartment dwellers and homeowners.  In farmyards and barns, it is quite common to find these birds where they have ample grain to feed on and plenty of rafters in which to nest.