Rock Pigeon

Columba livia (Gmelin, 1789)

2006-02-17 Jarma region, East Kazakhstan oblast	© Askar Isabekov

Distribution

Wild Rock Dove breeds mostly in mountains and foothills of southern, eastern and south-eastern Kazakhstan. Please see the detailed distribution in the section Subspecies.

Biology

Common resident. In wild inhabits the rocky cliffs in low and high mountains at altitudes to 2000-2500 m, the caves, clay precipices, cracks, old grave monuments; in villages and towns hybridizes with feral Dove. Breeds by separate pairs or in colonies up to 25-30 pairs. Nest is built from thin twigs in clay holes, rock niches etc. Clutch of 2 eggs is laid in April to July. Both parents incubate clutch and care for chicks. Rears two or three brood per season. Regularly flies to cereals fields to feeding at morning and in evening.

Subspecies

Columba livia livia (Gmelin, 1789) Description. General colour is somewhat darker than neglecta. Rump is white, width of white is 40-60 mm. Distribution. Breeds in northern part of Kazakhstan, in south to Mangyshlak, Mugodzhary ridge and Zaysan depression, where intergradates with neglecta.

Columba livia neglecta (Hume, 1873) Description. General colour is somewhat lighter than livia. Rump is usually greyish-blue, some lighter than mantle, less often as dark as mantle and very rare rump is white. In the latter case width of white is usually 20-40 mm. Distribution. Breeds in southern part of Kazakhstan, in north to Mangyshlak, Mugodzhary ridge and Zaysan depression, where intergradates with livia.

References

Gavrilov E. I., Gavrilov A. E. "The Birds of Kazakhstan". Almaty, 2005. Э.И.Гаврилов. "Фауна и распространение птиц Казахстана". Алматы, 1999. В.К.Рябицев. "Птицы Урала, Приуралья и Западной Сибири". Екатеринбург. Изд-во Уральского университета, 2000.