Rockin’ Rock Pigeons
A common sight in towns and cities around the world, Rock Pigeons gather around streets and public squares, living on discarded food and offered birdseed. I photographed these images in Ocean City Inlet parking lot in Maryland.
Rock Pigeons nest on buildings and window ledges. In the countryside, you’ll find them nesting in barns, under bridges, and on natural cliffs.
Typically a blue-gray bird with two dark wingbars, you can often also find many with plain, spotted, pale, or rusty-red coloring. Most Rock Pigeons have iridescent throat feathers that shine in the sunlight.
Rock Pigeons are considered to be one of the most intelligent birds on the planet. Pigeons can find their way home, even if released from a distant location blindfolded.
The earliest large-scale communication network using Pigeons as messengers was established in Syria and Persia around the 5th century BC.
Pigeons were introduced to North America from Europe in the early 1600s. They were used to carry messages for our U.S. Army Signal Corps during World War I and II, saving lives and providing vital strategic information.
Next time you see a Rock Pigeon, check out his/her rockin’ neck colors!
You’ve captured thence colors quite vivid Donna. Good photo work my friend. 🙂
Thanks HJ! 🙂
Wow, Donna! Up close and personal, these birds are quite beautiful! Great photos, and a great reminder to not overlook what we usually consider ‘ordinary’.
Thanks so much! I love when the sunshine lightens up their colors. And so right, we have some very beautiful ‘ordinary’ birds one tends to overlook. 🙂
Great, informative post, Donna! These birds are also beautiful in their coloring. I once spotted a lone Rock Pigeon right on the beach among all the gulls 🙂
Thanks Helen! Wow, on the beach, that lone Rock Pigeon must have been on a vacay! 😉
🙂
Really great photos Donna, those iridescent colours really stand out. The purple one is my favourite!
Thanks Sue! I love the purple one too! 🙂
Excellent images of one of the under-appreciated species of birds!
Thanks Jerry! They are so common, we do tend to forget what their valuable role has been through the years.
Really striking photos with plenty of colors for these rock pigeons!
Thanks Hien! Such a colorful bird in the sunshine! 🙂
Wow. Never knew they had such beauty!
I love their gorgeous eyes and yes, when the sun shines on them, they have lots of color! 🙂
Such beautiful birds. Great photos.
They are indeed, thanks so much!
You photographed their colors so beautifully!
Thanks Deborah! 🙂
🙂
A little luminescence can brighten anyone’s day. Great shots.
It surely can. Thanks Tom!
Wonderful photos of these much-maligned birds, Donna. They really are so beautiful, and your captures show them to full advantage.
Thanks, Sylvia! 🙂
Funny how size seems to determine popularity in a sense. The pigeons have equally gorgeous iridescent throat as the hummingbirds, but one is beloved while the other tends to be maligned. Perhaps in part because pigeons tend to be far messier than the tiny hummers? Great shots highlighting those marvelous colors.
Thanks Gunta! How true! Pigeons are messier and some think an annoyance when around in large flocks. But they are definitely easier to photograph than those fast, tiny hummers!
Your photos rock! Loved these!
Donna you have done these despised birds much honour in your post, and topped it off by showcasing their beautiful variety of colour.
I’m sure you agree, we have to give all bird species credit for their role in our lives and history, one way or another. 🙂
I SO appreciated this lovely tribute to rock pigeons, Donna. Your post highlighted their beauty and usefulness, a great bird to have on our planet. Your photos really captured their iridescence and variety, too.
Thanks Jet! They can be an easy photo op, and I enjoyed researching some of their valuable assets for our planet. 🙂
Beautiful photos of these pretty, common birds. Such a great title too, thanks for sharing this great post!
Thanks Inga! 🙂
They are wonderful birds … each one unique. Great post and captures!!!
Thanks Denise! You’re right, each is unique, almost hard to find a duplicate in all markings & colors!
The Beautiful of these birds are often overlooked, absolutely beautiful set!
Thanks John! I agree, they are often overlooked! 🙂
I’ve always thought they were beautiful birds.
Me too, thanks Rick!
I never realized how pretty they are!
Glad you enjoyed them, Neita!