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Columba (genus)
Encyclopedia
The large bird
genus
Columba comprises a group of medium to large stout-bodied pigeons
, often referred to as the typical pigeons. The terms "dove" and "pigeon" are used indiscriminately for smaller and larger Columbidae, respectively. Columba species – at least those of Columba sensu stricto – are generally termed "pigeons", and in many cases wood-pigeons. The species commonly referred to just as "the pigeon" is the Feral Pigeon
(C. livia domestica). It is derived from the Rock Pigeon
(C. livia), which also has given rise to the majority of domesticated pigeon
breeds, such as the racing pigeon
. Meanwhile, "wood pigeon" by itself usually means the Common Wood-pigeon (C. palumbus).
This genus as understood today is native to the Old World
, but some – notably the domestic and feral Rock Pigeon – have been introduced outside their natural range, for example in the Americas
.
columba, "a dove", the feminine form of columbus, "a male dove", itself the latinisation
of the Greek
κόλυμβος (kolumbos), "diver", which derives from the verb κολυμβάω (kolumbaō), "to dive, plunge headlong, swim". The feminine form of kolumbos, κολυμβίς (kolumbis), "diver", was the name applied by Aristophanes
and others to the common rock pigeons
of Greece
, because of the "swimming" motion made by their wings when flying.
again. That the American radiation constitutes a distinct lineage is borne out by molecular evidence; in fact, the Patagioenas "pigeons" are basal to the split between the Columba "pigeons" and the Streptopelia
"doves". The typical pigeons together with Streptopelia and the minor Nesoenas
and Stigmatopelia
lineages constitute the dominant evolutionary radiation
of Columbidae in temperate
Eurasia
, though they also occur in tropical regions. The taxonomic status of some African pigeons presently placed here is in need of further study; they are smaller than the usual Columba (and hence often called "doves"), and differ in some other aspects. They might be separable as genus Aplopelia. That nonwithstanding, the ineage of the typical pigeons probably diverged from its closest relatives in the Late Miocene
, perhaps some 7-8 million years ago (Ma).
Species
remaining in Columba are:
A fossil
species, C. omnisanctorum, was described from the Early Pliocene (5.3-3.6 Ma) of the Gargano
Peninsula and surroundings, Italy
. A supposed "falcon" fossil from nearby contemporary and Middle Pliocene (3.6-2.6 Ma) sites may either be of the same species or another pigeon; the name Columba pisana would apply for it or (if conspecific) for both. C. melitensis is a fossil pigeon from the Late Pleistocene
of Malta
. Only known from a coracoid described by Richard Lydekker
in 1891, whether it is indeed distinct from the living species and not just a paleosubspecies needs to be studied, given its late age. Indeterminate remains of a Columba were also found in Late Pliocene/Early Pleistocene
(ELMMZ MN 17) deposits at Varshets
(Bulgaria
) and Šandalja (Croatia
).
Another prehistoric pigeon, C. congi, was described from Early Pleistocene remains found in the famous Zhoukoudian
caves in China
. This, too, needs to be studied regarding whether it is not just an ancestral population of a still-living species.
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
Columba comprises a group of medium to large stout-bodied pigeons
Dove
Pigeons and doves constitute the bird family Columbidae within the order Columbiformes, which include some 300 species of near passerines. In general terms "dove" and "pigeon" are used somewhat interchangeably...
, often referred to as the typical pigeons. The terms "dove" and "pigeon" are used indiscriminately for smaller and larger Columbidae, respectively. Columba species – at least those of Columba sensu stricto – are generally termed "pigeons", and in many cases wood-pigeons. The species commonly referred to just as "the pigeon" is the Feral Pigeon
Feral Pigeon
Feral pigeons , also called city doves, flying rats, city pigeons or street pigeons, are derived from domestic pigeons that have returned to the wild. The domestic pigeon was originally bred from the wild Rock Pigeon, which naturally inhabits sea-cliffs and mountains. All three types readily...
(C. livia domestica). It is derived from the Rock Pigeon
Rock Pigeon
The Rock Dove or Rock Pigeon, is a member of the bird family Columbidae . In common usage, this bird is often simply referred to as the "pigeon"....
(C. livia), which also has given rise to the majority of domesticated pigeon
Domestic Pigeon
The Domestic Pigeon was derived from the Rock Pigeon. The Rock Pigeon is the world's oldest domesticated bird. Mesopotamian cuneiform tablets mention the domestication of pigeons more than 5,000 years ago, as do Egyptian hieroglyphics.Research suggests that domestication of pigeons was as early as...
breeds, such as the racing pigeon
Racing Homer
A Racing Homer is a breed of pigeon that has been selectively bred for more speed, and enhanced homing instinct for the sport of Pigeon racing. A popular domestic pigeon breed, the Racing Homer is also one of the newest.-Development:...
. Meanwhile, "wood pigeon" by itself usually means the Common Wood-pigeon (C. palumbus).
This genus as understood today is native to the Old World
Old World
The Old World consists of those parts of the world known to classical antiquity and the European Middle Ages. It is used in the context of, and contrast with, the "New World" ....
, but some – notably the domestic and feral Rock Pigeon – have been introduced outside their natural range, for example in the Americas
Americas
The Americas, or America , are lands in the Western hemisphere, also known as the New World. In English, the plural form the Americas is often used to refer to the landmasses of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions, while the singular form America is primarily...
.
Etymology
The term columba comes from the LatinLatin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
columba, "a dove", the feminine form of columbus, "a male dove", itself the latinisation
Latinisation (literature)
Latinisation is the practice of rendering a non-Latin name in a Latin style. It is commonly met with for historical personal names, with toponyms, or for the standard binomial nomenclature of the life sciences. It goes further than Romanisation, which is the writing of a word in the Latin alphabet...
of the Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
κόλυμβος (kolumbos), "diver", which derives from the verb κολυμβάω (kolumbaō), "to dive, plunge headlong, swim". The feminine form of kolumbos, κολυμβίς (kolumbis), "diver", was the name applied by Aristophanes
Aristophanes
Aristophanes , son of Philippus, of the deme Cydathenaus, was a comic playwright of ancient Athens. Eleven of his forty plays survive virtually complete...
and others to the common rock pigeons
Rock Pigeon
The Rock Dove or Rock Pigeon, is a member of the bird family Columbidae . In common usage, this bird is often simply referred to as the "pigeon"....
of Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, because of the "swimming" motion made by their wings when flying.
Systematics
The American pigeons formerly in Columba are now split off as a separate genus PatagioenasPatagioenas
Patagioenas is a genus of New World pigeons whose distinctness from the genus Columba was long disputed but ultimately confirmed. It is basal to the Columba-Streptopelia radiation. Their ancestors diverged from that lineage probably over 8 million years ago...
again. That the American radiation constitutes a distinct lineage is borne out by molecular evidence; in fact, the Patagioenas "pigeons" are basal to the split between the Columba "pigeons" and the Streptopelia
Streptopelia
Streptopelia is a genus of birds in the dove family. These are mainly slim, small to medium-sized species. The upperparts tend to be pale brown, and the underparts are often a shade of pink. Many have a characteristic black-and-white patch on the neck, and monotonous cooing songs.The heartland of...
"doves". The typical pigeons together with Streptopelia and the minor Nesoenas
Nesoenas
Nesoenas is a bird genus in the pigeon and dove family, Columbidae. It is often included with the typical turtle-doves in Streptopelia or the typical pigeons . By those wo accepted it, it was usually treated as monotypic, containing only the Pink Pigeon Nesoenas is a bird genus in the pigeon and...
and Stigmatopelia
Stigmatopelia
Stigmatopelia is a bird genus in the pigeon and dove family . It was formerly included with the turtle-doves and collared doves in Streptopelia.It contains the following species:* Spotted Dove, Stigmatopelia chinensis...
lineages constitute the dominant evolutionary radiation
Evolutionary radiation
An evolutionary radiation is an increase in taxonomic diversity or morphological disparity, due to adaptive change or the opening of ecospace. Radiations may affect one clade or many, and be rapid or gradual; where they are rapid, and driven by a single lineage's adaptation to their environment,...
of Columbidae in temperate
Temperate
In geography, temperate or tepid latitudes of the globe lie between the tropics and the polar circles. The changes in these regions between summer and winter are generally relatively moderate, rather than extreme hot or cold...
Eurasia
Eurasia
Eurasia is a continent or supercontinent comprising the traditional continents of Europe and Asia ; covering about 52,990,000 km2 or about 10.6% of the Earth's surface located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres...
, though they also occur in tropical regions. The taxonomic status of some African pigeons presently placed here is in need of further study; they are smaller than the usual Columba (and hence often called "doves"), and differ in some other aspects. They might be separable as genus Aplopelia. That nonwithstanding, the ineage of the typical pigeons probably diverged from its closest relatives in the Late Miocene
Late Miocene
The Late Miocene is a sub-epoch of the Miocene Epoch made up of two stages. The Tortonian and Messinian stages comprise the Late Miocene sub-epoch....
, perhaps some 7-8 million years ago (Ma).
Species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
remaining in Columba are:
- Rock PigeonRock PigeonThe Rock Dove or Rock Pigeon, is a member of the bird family Columbidae . In common usage, this bird is often simply referred to as the "pigeon"....
, Columba livia- DomesticDomestic PigeonThe Domestic Pigeon was derived from the Rock Pigeon. The Rock Pigeon is the world's oldest domesticated bird. Mesopotamian cuneiform tablets mention the domestication of pigeons more than 5,000 years ago, as do Egyptian hieroglyphics.Research suggests that domestication of pigeons was as early as...
and feral pigeonFeral PigeonFeral pigeons , also called city doves, flying rats, city pigeons or street pigeons, are derived from domestic pigeons that have returned to the wild. The domestic pigeon was originally bred from the wild Rock Pigeon, which naturally inhabits sea-cliffs and mountains. All three types readily...
s, Columba livia domestica
- Domestic
- Stock Dove, Columba oenas
- Trocaz PigeonTrocaz PigeonThe Trocaz Pigeon, Madeira Laurel Pigeon or Long-toed Pigeon is a pigeon which is endemic to the island of Madeira. It is a mainly grey bird with a pinkish breast; its silvery neck patch and lack of white wing markings distinguish it from its close relative and probable ancestor, the Common Wood...
, Columba trocaz - Bolle's PigeonBolle's PigeonThe Bolle's Pigeon is a species of Columba genus of the family Columbidae, of doves and pigeons, which is endemic to the Canary Islands, Spain. This bird is named after the German naturalist Carl Bolle, who was the first to distinguish it from the Laurel Pigeon...
, Columba bollii - Laurel PigeonLaurel PigeonThe Laurel Pigeon, White-tailed Laurel Pigeon, Paloma rabiche, is a species of bird in the Columba genus in the Columbidae family. It is a member of the family Columbidae of doves and pigeons, which is endemic to the Canary Islands, Spain...
, Columba junoniae - Hill PigeonHill PigeonThe Hill Pigeon or Eastern Rock Dove or Turkestan Hill Dove is a species of bird in the Columbidae family.- Description :...
, Columba rupestris - Snow PigeonSnow PigeonThe Snow Pigeon is a species of bird in the Columba genus in the Columbidae family.- Description :Snow Pigeon has a blackish head contrasting with white neck collar and white underparts shading into ashy on the abdomen. Back is brownish grey with a white patch on the lower back. Wing is pale grey...
, Columba leuconota - Speckled PigeonSpeckled PigeonThe Speckled Pigeon or Rock Pigeon is a pigeon which is a resident breeding bird in much of Africa south of the Sahara. It is a common and widespread species in open habitats over a good deal of its range, although there are sizeable gaps in its distribution.This species builds a large stick nest...
, Columba guinea - White-collared PigeonWhite-collared PigeonThe White-collared Pigeon is a species of bird in the Columbidae family.The species is endemic to the Ethiopian highlands in Eritrea and Ethiopia. It occupies countryside surrounding rocky cliffs and gorges. Also common in town centres-Description: long. This large grey-brown pigeon has an obvious...
, Columba albitorques - Yellow-eyed Pigeon, Columba eversmanni
- Somali PigeonSomali PigeonThe Somali Pigeon is a species of bird in the Columbidae family. It is endemic to Somalia.Its natural habitat is temperate grassland.-References:* BirdLife International 2008. . Downloaded on 25 May 2010....
, Columba oliviae - Common Wood Pigeon or Wood Pigeon, Columba palumbus
- Madeiran Wood PigeonMadeiran Wood PigeonThe Madeiran Wood Pigeon was an endemic subspecies of the Wood Pigeon for Madeira . This Wood Pigeon is endemic to the Laurel forest habitat....
, Columba palumbus maderensis – extinct (early 20th century)
- Madeiran Wood Pigeon
- Afep PigeonAfep PigeonThe Afep Pigeon also known as the African Wood-Pigeon, or Gray Wood-Pigeon is a member of the Columbidae family which lives in Africa.Like many other pigeons, it mainly feeds on grain and seeds....
, Columba unicincta - African Olive Pigeon, Columba arquatrix
- Cameroon Olive Pigeon, Columba sjostedti
- São Tomé Olive Pigeon, Columba thomensis
- Comoros Olive Pigeon, Columba polleni
- Speckled Wood Pigeon, Columba hodgsonii
- White-naped PigeonWhite-naped PigeonThe White-naped Pigeon is a species of bird in the Columbidae family. It is found in Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan, and Uganda....
, Columba albinucha - Ashy Wood Pigeon, Columba pulchricollis
- Nilgiri Wood Pigeon, Columba elphinstonii
- Sri Lanka Wood Pigeon, Columba torringtoni
- Pale-capped PigeonPale-capped PigeonThe Pale-capped Pigeon also known as the Purple Wood Pigeon is a species of large pigeon that is found patchily distributed in parts of South and Southeast Asia. It has a slow flight and spends a lot of time sitting still in the foliage of large fruiting trees, often in riverine forest on the plains...
, Columba punicea - Silvery PigeonSilvery PigeonThe Silvery Pigeon , also known as Silvery Wood-pigeon or Grey Wood-pigeon is a species of pigeon found in Indonesia and Malaysia...
, Columba argentina – possibly extinct (mid-late 20th century?) - Andaman Wood Pigeon, Columba palumboides
- Japanese Wood Pigeon, Columba janthina
- Ogasawara Wood Pigeon, Columba janthina nitens – extinct (1980s)
- Bonin Wood Pigeon, Columba versicolor – extinct (c.1890)
- Ryukyu Wood Pigeon, Columba jouyi – extinct (late 1930s)
- Metallic PigeonMetallic PigeonThe Metallic Pigeon, also known as White-throated Pigeon is a medium-sized, up to 37cm long, bird in the family Columbidae.-Identification:...
or White-throated Pigeon, Columba vitiensis- Lord Howe Metallic Pigeon, Columba vitiensis godmanae – extinct (1853)
- Tongan Metallic Pigeon, Columba vitiensis ssp. – extinct (late 18th century); validity doubtful
- White-headed PigeonWhite-headed PigeonThe White-headed Pigeon is a pigeon native to the east coast of Australia, belonging to the same genus as the domestic pigeon C. livia....
, Columba leucomela - Yellow-legged PigeonYellow-legged PigeonThe Yellow-legged Pigeon is a bird species in the family Columbidae. It is found in Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands....
, Columba pallidiceps - Eastern Bronze-naped PigeonEastern Bronze-naped PigeonThe Eastern Bronze-naped Pigeon is a species of bird in the Columbidae family. It is found in Angola, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. It is part of the Turturoena subgenus.-References:* BirdLife International 2004. . Downloaded on 24...
, Columba delegorguei - Western Bronze-naped PigeonWestern Bronze-naped PigeonThe Western Bronze-naped Pigeon is a species of bird in the Columbidae family.It is found in Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Sudan,...
, Columba iriditorques - Island Bronze-naped Pigeon, Columba malherbii
- Lemon Dove, Columba larvata – sometimes placed in Aplopelia
- São Tomé Lemon Dove, Columba (larvata) simplex – sometimes placed in Aplopelia
A fossil
Fossil
Fossils are the preserved remains or traces of animals , plants, and other organisms from the remote past...
species, C. omnisanctorum, was described from the Early Pliocene (5.3-3.6 Ma) of the Gargano
Gargano
Gargano is a historical and geographical Italian sub-region situated in Apulia, consisting of a wide isolated mountain massif made of highland and several peaks and forming the backbone of the Gargano Promontory projecting into the Adriatic Sea. The high point is Monte Calvo at . Most of the upland...
Peninsula and surroundings, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. A supposed "falcon" fossil from nearby contemporary and Middle Pliocene (3.6-2.6 Ma) sites may either be of the same species or another pigeon; the name Columba pisana would apply for it or (if conspecific) for both. C. melitensis is a fossil pigeon from the Late Pleistocene
Late Pleistocene
The Late Pleistocene is a stage of the Pleistocene Epoch. The beginning of the stage is defined by the base of the Eemian interglacial phase before the final glacial episode of the Pleistocene 126,000 ± 5,000 years ago. The end of the stage is defined exactly at 10,000 Carbon-14 years BP...
of Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
. Only known from a coracoid described by Richard Lydekker
Richard Lydekker
Richard Lydekker was an English naturalist, geologist and writer of numerous books on natural history.-Biography:...
in 1891, whether it is indeed distinct from the living species and not just a paleosubspecies needs to be studied, given its late age. Indeterminate remains of a Columba were also found in Late Pliocene/Early Pleistocene
Early Pleistocene
Calabrian is a subdivision of the Pleistocene Epoch of the Geologic time scale. ~1.8 Ma.—781,000 years ago ± 5,000 years, a period of ~.The end of the stage is defined by the last magnetic pole reversal and plunge in to an ice age and global drying possibly colder and drier than the late Miocene ...
(ELMMZ MN 17) deposits at Varshets
Varshets
Varshets is a spa town in Montana Province, northwestern Bulgaria. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous Varshets Municipality. As of December 2009, its population is 6,538. The town is located on the northern slopes of the western part of the Balkan mountains in the small valley of...
(Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
) and Šandalja (Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
).
Another prehistoric pigeon, C. congi, was described from Early Pleistocene remains found in the famous Zhoukoudian
Zhoukoudian
Zhoukoudian or Choukoutien is a cave system in Beijing, China. It has yielded many archaeological discoveries, including one of the first specimens of Homo erectus, dubbed Peking Man, and a fine assemblage of bones of the gigantic hyena Pachycrocuta brevirostris...
caves in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. This, too, needs to be studied regarding whether it is not just an ancestral population of a still-living species.