Rock dove

    Columba livia

Castilian: Paloma bravía

Catalan: Colom roquer

Gallego: Pomba das rochas

Euskera: Haitz-usoa

CLASIFICACIÓN:

Orden: Columbiformes

Family: Columbidae

Migratory status: Permanent resident

CONSERVATION STATUS:

In the 2004 edition of the Red Book of Spanish Birds (Libro Rojo de las Aves de España) it is listed as “Not Evaluated”.

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THREATS

The wild dove population (as opposed to the domestic population) is declining due to the deterioration of its habitat and because of hybridisation with domestic doves.

Length / size: 31-34 cm / 63-70 cm

Identification: Medium-sized, compact bird whose plumage is mostly greyish with a white rump and two black stripes on its wings. It flies quickly and beats its wings strongly. The domestic pigeon descended from this bird, and it is usually difficult to distinguish one from another due to frequent hybridisation.

Song: It makes a characteristic cooing, a mournful and repetitive "droooo-oo".

Diet: It feeds on grain seeds, both leguminous and herbaceous, and sometimes complements its diet with leaves and invertebrates. Adults produce a milky secretion that they use to feed their chicks.

Reproduction: It is a monogamous species that breeds year-round, although activity is concentrated in spring and summer, and can be done alone or in small colonies. The nest is located in cavities or chasm ledges, and is made of twigs and other plant matter. Both sexes incubate the eggs and care for the chicks.

HABITAT

Wild specimens nest in rocky places, especially along the coast, but without necessarily avoiding river chasms or mountain ravines. Domestic specimens depend on man-made structures in urban and rural areas.

DISTRIBUTION

In Spain: It is distributed throughout the entire Iberian Peninsula and the Canary and Balearic Islands.

In Castile and León: The wild population is primarily limited to river cliffs in the Duero basin; the domestic population is widely distributed throughout all the provinces, occupying towns and cities.

Movements and migrations: It makes short, local movements and migrations.

POPULATION

In Spain: There is an estimated population of 2-3 million breeding pairs.

In Castile and León: