Typical pigeons
| Columba | |
|---|---|
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|
| Wood pigeon in Taormina, Sicily | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Columbiformes |
| Family: | Columbidae |
| Subfamily: | Columbinae |
| Genus: |
Columba Linnaeus, 1758 |
| Diversity | |
| 33–35 species | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Aplopelia Bonaparte, 1855 (but see text) |
|
Aplopelia Bonaparte, 1855 (but see text)
Trocaza Bonaparte, 1854
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.
The term columba comes from the Latin 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.
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Wikipedia