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Domestic pigeons have developed from the rock dove, Columba livia, living in Western Europe, and carrier pigeons escaped from their dovecotes. From crosses of these, today’s domestic pigeon has evolved. Because of this their plumage colour varies widely, from white to nearly black, but the basic type is quite similar to their relative, the rock pigeon.

The domestic pigeon is probably the first foreign bird species to become native in Estonia: it was brought here as a domestic bird from Germany, and already in the 20th century it had become a common resident of our cities.

Domestic pigeons are difficult to count in winter because they are constantly hunting for food, they change their territories, and there are no permanent flocks. During the last twenty years a small decrease in their number has been noted