Rock Pigeon Similar Species Comparison
Similar Species
Band-tailed Pigeon
Adult
Band-tailed Pigeons have a white crescent on the neck and a pale tip to the tail unlike the dark-tipped tail on Rock Pigeons. Band-tailed Pigeons occur more often in forested areas than in towns like Rock Pigeons.
© Rick Taylor | Macaulay LibraryWashington, May 01, 2017Similar Species
Mourning Dove
Adult
Mourning Doves are smaller than Rock Pigeons and have a longer, pointier tail. They are tan overall rather than gray like the Rock Pigeon.
© Ryan Schain | Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, April 08, 2014Similar Species
Eurasian Collared-Dove
Adult/immature
Eurasian Collared-Doves are smaller than Rock Pigeons, with a longer, square-tipped tail. They are uniform sandy brown except for a black collar on the neck.
© Ryan Schain | Macaulay LibraryFlorida, December 12, 2015Similar Species
White-winged Dove
Adult
White-winged Doves are smaller than Rock Pigeons, with a white patch on the wings that is visible both in flight and at rest.
© Ted Bradford | Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, December 12, 2016Main Species
Rock Pigeon
Plump bird with small head and straight, thin bill. Plumage is variable, but most common form has gray back, 2 black bars in the wing, and blue-gray head.
© Luke Seitz | Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, February 01, 2014Plump bird with short legs and small head. Plumage is variable; some birds are dark gray with green-purple iridescence on the neck. Tail usually shows a dark band at the tip.
© Don Danko | Macaulay LibraryMaryland, October 14, 2020Occasional variants are pale or rusty colored; often found in flocks with pigeons in standard gray plumage.
© Bob Myers | Macaulay LibraryGeorgia, December 22, 2020Struts on the ground with head-bobbing motion to pick at seeds and handouts.
© Marina Gorbunova | Macaulay LibrarySaint Petersburg, May 12, 2018Plumage is variable; some individuals can be nearly all white.
© Hui Sim | Macaulay LibraryBritish Columbia, March 21, 2015Gathers in large flocks in urban areas and on farms. In flight, most individuals have pale underwings and a dark band at the tail tip.
© Arlene Ripley | Macaulay LibraryDelhi, February 11, 2004Compare with Similar Species
Click on an image to compare
Species in This Family
Pigeons and Doves(Order: Columbiformes, Family: Columbidae)
More to Read
Need Bird ID Help? Try Merlin
Don't miss a thing! Join our email list
The Cornell Lab will send you updates about birds,
birding, and opportunities to help bird conservation.