Rock Pigeon
Columba livia
This common pigeon in Phoenix, Arizona was photographed February, 2009.
That this bird has adapted to city environments around the Globe is testiment to its range of temperature tolerances, ability to utilize novel food sources, and to adjust its breeding biology to match the local conditions. They have also learned to avoid the depredations of ever-present stray house cats. Now that Peregrine Falcons have been invited back into the urban setting, rock pigeons are under predation pressure anew. How will their life-style tactics change in response? Urban naturalists can still learn new things about this long studied and partly domesticated bird.