Rock Pigeon ( livia) Karen T. Cleveland

Detroit River, MI 1/30/2008 © Jerry Jourdan

(Click to view a comparison of Atlas I to II)

An abundant species, the Rock Pigeon is that simulate their natural cliff habitat. While they are ubiquitous in urban environments, familiar to all residents of Michigan in their making use of tall buildings for nesting, they are gregarious flocks that have adapted to coexist also found using small alcoves typical of with man. First domesticated around 4500 BC in suburban and agricultural structures. The the Mediterranean (Link 2004), the Rock Pigeon distribution of the Rock Pigeon in Michigan is has accompanied European explorers and little changed from MBBA I. settlers around the globe both as a food source and a means of communication. Their value for Breeding Biology both food and recreation is hinted at through the Nesting occurs primarily from late winter retention of the term “clay pigeon” for the through early fall but may take place year-round targets used to replace live in the mid- in suitable areas of the SLP (McPeek 1994). 1800s at trapshooting events (Ammer 1997). Pairs are monogamous and generally lay two to

three clutches of two eggs annually, but Distribution relatively low survival rates (20-45%) for Native to the Old World, the Rock Pigeon was hatchlings are typical of the species across the introduced to North America by early settlers U.S. (Johnston 1992). Nests are generally built who often kept domesticated birds. Early on sheltered ledges, with bridges, industrial records of domesticated Rock Pigeons in installations, and open agricultural structures Michigan date from the founding of Detroit replacing more natural cliff ledges and rocky where the inventory of Cadillac’s estate in 1711 fissures as nesting habitat across most of included a (Schorger 1952). Little is Michigan (Eastman 1991). known of the actual establishment of the Rock

Pigeon as a naturalized species in Michigan Abundance and Population Trends since few natural histories acknowledged the The Rock Pigeon is a common resident in urban species until very recently; this is probably due and suburban areas as documented in both to its domesticated status and the likelihood that MBBA I and MBBA II. However, long term releases of birds were accidental and sporadic. population trends documented in the BBS

indicate declining numbers of Rock Pigeons in Rock Pigeons can be found in Michigan Michigan since 1980. This may be the result of wherever man has settled and built structures

© 2010 Kalamazoo Nature Center Rock Pigeon (Columba livia) Karen T. Cleveland a number of factors including changing land use Literature Cited patterns as agricultural land has been converted Ammer, C.. 1997. The American Heritage for development or succeeded to forest, Dictionary of Idioms. Houghton Mifflin increasing densities of urban and suburban Harcourt, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. predators including the Cooper’s , and the Eastman, J. 1991. . In Brewer, R., development of additional pigeon control G.A. McPeek, and R. J. Adams, Jr. (eds.). techniques. 1991. The Atlas of Breeding Birds of Michigan. Michigan State University Press. East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Conservation Needs Johnston, R.F. 1992. Rock Dove (Columba While the Rock Pigeon is a well established livia), In The Birds of North America No. 13 non-native species, no organized efforts have (A. Poole, and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of been undertaken to eliminate the Rock Pigeon North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA. from Michigan. This is in contrast to the Link, R. 2004. Living with Wildlife in the bounties enacted in state law for the House Pacific Northwest. University of Sparrow and European Starling in an effort to Washington Press, Seattle, Washington, eradicate these species from Michigan (Public USA. Act 4 of 1885) and is likely a result of the McPeek, G.A. 1994. Rock Dove. In McPeek, domesticated status of the Rock Pigeon. Since G.A., and R.J. Adams (eds.). 1994. The 1893, laws have been in place in Michigan to Birds of Michigan. Indiana University Press. protect homing and racing pigeons (Public Act Bloomington, Indiana, USA. 105 of 1983, Public Act 269 of 1925, Public Act Schorger, A.W. 1952. Introduction of the 451 of 1994). and racing Domestic Pigeon. Auk 69:462-463. continues to be a popular activity with at least 45 clubs in Michigan as of 2009. Suggested Citation

The success of the Rock Pigeon has led to Cleveland, K. T. 2010. Rock Pigeon (Columba conflicts in some locations where significant livia). In Chartier, A.T., J.J. Baldy, and J.M. numbers of birds roost and actual or perceived Brenneman (eds.). 2010. The Second risks to human health or safety exist. Given the Michigan Breeding Atlas. Kalamazoo current abundance and productivity of the Nature Center. Kalamazoo, MI. Accessed species, control activities are unlikely to have an online at: . most common methods of removal include lethal control using either pesticides or traps and the use of nonlethal pesticides to reduce productivity. Nonlethal exclusion practices meet with varying levels of success depending on the technique used and ability to fully exclude all access. Populations have not been significantly reduced by increasing populations of urban Peregrine , but the combined predation pressure of common urban and suburban predators such as cats and Cooper’s may be important.

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