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Scientific Name
Columba livia (forma domestica)
Arabic Name
الحمام الدوري
Kuwaiti name
حمام دحل , يشمل حمام المدن
Family
Similar species
Information
Abundant resident. Hundreds nest in cities and farms; often also kept in dovecots. Domesticated descendent of the Rock Dove. Although no true wild Rock Doves have been confirmed in Kuwait, feral birds are also found away from cities or farms.
Where in Kuwait
The scarcity of the pure wild species is partly due to interbreeding with feral birds and it is difficult to identify a true Feral Pigeon with certainty in Kuwait.
In the world
It has an extremely large range but is suspected to be decreasing owing to interbreeding with domestic form. The Domestic Pigeon (Columba livia domestica) was derived from the Rock Pigeon. The Rock Pigeon is the world's oldest domesticated bird. Common Pigeons that are found in towns and cities are Feral Pigeons, descended from Domestic Pigeons. Pigeons have made contributions of considerable importance to humanity, especially in times of war. In war the homing ability of pigeons has been put to use by making them messengers. So-called war pigeons have carried many vital messages and some have been decorated for their services. Domestic pigeons are sometimes called "thoroughbreds of the air," while feral pigeons are sometimes called "rats with wings." A group of pigeons flying together is called a "kit"
Local threats
Often used cruelly (damaging wing feathers, sowing eyelids shut or adding a weight to hinder free flight) by falconers to train falcons to hunt