- Lifespan
- 8–15 years in the wild; up to 25 years in captivity
- Size & Weight
- 25–26 cm; wingspan 64–72 cm; 300–500 g
- Habitat
- Urban and suburban areas including towns, cities, farmland, cliffs, and industrial sites; highly adaptable to human-dominated landscapes.
- UK Distribution
- Found throughout the UK in towns and cities; resident year-round with populations sustained by continuous breeding and feral populations descended from domestic stock.
- Diet
- Seeds, grains, bread, fruit, vegetation, and food scraps; opportunistic feeders that readily accept human-provided food in urban areas.
- Predators
- Peregrine falcon (primary predator), sparrowhawk, common kestrel, and occasionally domestic and feral cats.
- Mating Season
- Year-round, with peaks in spring and autumn
- Breeding
- Clutch of 2 white eggs; incubation period 17–19 days; fledging at 25–32 days; typically 8–10 broods per year in favourable conditions.
- Behaviour
- Highly gregarious, forming large flocks in urban centres; exhibits strong site fidelity and complex social hierarchies. Pigeons are monogamous and show remarkable homing ability, using the sun and magnetic fields for navigation.