Columbidae
Bird family of doves and pigeons, worldwide and diverse.
Columbidae is a bird family comprising doves and pigeons, the sole family within the order Columbiformes. These birds are stout-bodied, with small heads, relatively short necks, and slender bills; in some species, the bill features fleshy ceres. Their diet consists largely of plant matter, primarily seeds (granivory), fruit (frugivory), and foliage (folivory). The family is found worldwide, often living close to humans, but its greatest diversity occurs in the Indomalayan and Australasian realms. In everyday English, smaller species are typically called "doves" and larger ones "pigeons," but this distinction is inconsistent and carries no scientific weight. Historically, common names have varied greatly. The domestic pigeon, descended from the wild rock dove, is the bird most commonly referred to simply as "pigeon" and is a familiar feral inhabitant of cities.
The family contains 52 genera and 353 species. Of these, 118 species (34%) are currently at risk, and 13 are extinct. The most famous extinct examples are the dodo, a large, flightless island bird, and the passenger pigeon, which once flocked in the billions. The word "pigeon" comes from the French, derived from the Latin *pīpiō* meaning a 'peeping' chick. "Dove" shares origins with Old Norse and Gothic words, stemming from a Proto-Germanic term imitative of the cooing calls of the woodpigeon and stock dove. The dialectal English word "culver" appears to derive from the Latin *columba*. A group of doves has sometimes been called a "dule," taken from the French word *deuil* ('mourning').
Columbiformes is a highly diverse non-passerine clade of neoavians, with origins in the Cretaceous and a rapid diversification at the end of the K–Pg boundary. Whole genome analyses place Columbiformes as the sister clade to Pteroclimesites, a group uniting sandgrouses and mesites; this larger clade is called Columbimorphae. The name Columbidae was first used by the English zoologist William Elford Leach in 1819, though an older family-group name, "Columbini," was established by Illiger in 1811. Interrelationships within columbids have been debated, with past classifications using up to five or six families. A 2024 paper recommended three subfamilies: Columbinae (typical doves, quail-doves, and cuckoo-doves), Claravinae (American ground doves), and Raphinae (Old World fruit doves, green pigeons, and relatives, includi
- Number of genera
- 52
- Extinct species
- 13
- Notable extinct species
- dodo and passenger pigeon
- Order
- Columbiformes
Lore & Background
Columbidae, the family of doves and pigeons, comprises stout-bodied birds with small heads, relatively short necks, and slender bills that in some species feature fleshy ceres. Their diet is largely plant-based, consisting of seeds, fruit, and foliage. In common English, smaller species are typically called doves and larger ones pigeons, though this distinction is not scientifically consistent and has varied historically. The domestic pigeon, descended from the wild rock dove, is the bird most often simply called "pigeon" and is a familiar feral inhabitant of cities worldwide. The family occurs globally, often near humans, but its greatest diversity is found in the Indomalayan and Australasian realms. Of the 353 species across 52 genera, 118 species (34%) are currently at risk, and 13 are extinct. The most famous extinct members are the dodo, a large, flightless island bird, and the passenger pigeon, which once formed flocks numbering in the billions. The family’s taxonomy has been debated, with past classifications using up to five or six families, including Raphidae for the dodo and Rodrigues solitaire. These issues are exacerbated by a poor fossil record, with no truly primitive forms found to date.
Reader's Guide
Columbidae is significant as one of the most diverse non-passerine clades of neoavians, with origins in the Cretaceous and rapid diversification after the K–Pg boundary. Whole genome analyses place Columbiformes as sister to the clade Pteroclimesites (sandgrouses and mesites), forming the group Columbimorphae. Their anatomy features short legs, small heads, compact bodies, fleshy ceres, and no gall bladder, with bile secreted directly into the gut. The wings have eleven primary feathers and strong muscles comprising 31–44% of body weight, making them among the strongest fliers. The family's global distribution and close association with humans, especially the feral pigeon descended from the rock dove, underscore its ecological and cultural importance.
Did You Know?
- The English dialectal word 'culver' appears to derive from Latin 'columba'.
- A group of doves has sometimes been called a 'dule', from the French word for 'mourning'.
- The dodo and Rodrigues solitaire were once placed in the family Raphidae.
- Pigeon wing muscles comprise 31–44% of their body weight.
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