The Rock Pigeon is a familiar non-native bird found throughout Arizona. Originally introduced from Europe, Asia, and North Africa, it has adapted easily to the state’s urban and rural settings. These pigeons are most often seen in cities, towns, and farming areas, where buildings, bridges, and cliffs provide the rocky ledges they favor for nesting. In Arizona they feed on a wide variety of seeds and grains, but they also thrive on human food scraps, which makes them a common sight around parks, plazas, and agricultural fields.
Rock Pigeons are medium-sized birds, about 11 to 13 inches long with a wingspan of 19 to 25 inches. They show a wide range of plumage variation, but most individuals are gray with two dark wing bars and iridescent green and purple on the neck. Birds with white, brown, or nearly black plumage also appear regularly in Arizona flocks.
Now firmly established in the state, Columba livia breeds year-round, particularly in major cities such as Phoenix and Tucson. While widespread and abundant, they are often considered nuisance birds because of their droppings and tendency to nest on buildings, yet they remain one of the most visible and recognizable bird species in Arizona.
