[090] Columba palumbus, Woodpigeon
Introduction
Columba palumbus, the Woodpigeon (or Wood-pigeon or Wood Pigeon,) is a large pigeon no longer a woodland species but one of the most common bird species found in gardens. It is sometimes known in the southeast of England as a culver.
There are other species of Columba called wood pigeons, so Columba palumbus is a Common Wood Pigeon.
Taxonomy
Kingdom – Animals
Phylum – Chordates
Class – Aves (Birds)
Order – Columbiformes (One family)
Family – Columbidae (Doves and Pigeons)
Subfamily – Columbinae
Tribe – Columbini
Genus – Columba
Scientific Name – Columba palumbus
Name
Culver is an Old English name for pigeons, derived from the Latin Columbus. Palumbus is the Latin name for this bird.
Description
The Woodpigeon is similar in shape to a Pigeon but distinctly larger and fatter.
Its colour is a bluish grey with pinkish underparts and a distinctive white circle at the side of its neck.
Juvenile birds are similar but without the white circle.
They are mostly herbivorous, eating leaves, shoots, grain, fruits and berries. In winter they will eat acorns and buds on trees.
Habitat
The natural range of the Woodpigeon more or less corresponds to the area of Europe. In some parts it is migratory but it is always widespread and common all over Britain.
(The migration of birds is not always noticed. Many thousands of birds of many species migrate out of Britain every winter but many thousands of the same species may migrate into Britain. This includes Woodpigeon, so we may not see the same birds throughout the year.)
Woodpigeon are gregarious and are often seen in large flocks in agricultural fields. But they are also often seen individually. They have become very much a bird of parks and gardens, and of towns and cities.
They are one of the few garden birds that don’t feed from feeders, not through a lack of trying but because they are too heavy! They will scavenge around on the ground instead for whatever is dropped.
Other Notes
The Woodpigeon is one of my favourite birds because it is quite attractive, but in gardens it does look like a fat, lazy scavenger. They seem to be fond of water.
See also
Apart from the Pigeon and others mentioned yesterday, the Stock Dove, Columba oenas, is another species sometimes seen in Britain. It is fairly rare and not easy to distinguish from some types of Pigeon.
The Species of Britain 