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!
