h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Enjoyable article. Something that intrigues me, though, is what type of pigeons are the ones that hang around city centres - the colours are varied, and they often don't seem to have distinguishing marks such as neckrings or wingbars.

And what are the pigeons who live in caves on the Pembrokeshire (Wales, UK) coast - again, descriptions don't match any of those given.

It may be that both types are crosses between domestic pigeons, but I don't know for sure.

The pigeons in town centres (known to bird-watchers as "feral" pigeons, a term implying near-total contempt) are basically rock doves, at least according to the books. I guess they're probably descended from escaped domestic pigeons, rather than the wild species, but everyone I've ever heard talking about them has called them rock doves.

Unless like me you regard them as flying rats.

I AM a 'Birder', and as far as I have been able to ascertain, 'feral'
pigeons are mostly hybrids of domestic/stock dove/woodpigeon/collared dove/rock dove in any kind of combination you like. It makes identification difficult too, unless you are in the right habitat for the particular pigeon you are looking for.