# trying to identify new pigeons in feral "flock".



## snucky (Sep 3, 2011)

Hi all, sorry to be starting a new thread, but I have searched the forums and not have found an answer to my question. I live in San Francisco and my husband and I are rogue pigeon feeders. In the last two weeks, two new and very different pigeons (doves?) have joined the other regular urban birds that we feed. 
They look totally different from the pigeons we are used to, and we have been wondering where they come from. I even went as far as to speak to some folks are "WildCare"(a rescue foundation) in San Rafael, and they recommended this site, as they could not identify the birds in question. 
So the new birds appear to be a male and a female. They are very slender in the body, and have longer, more slender necks than our regular urban pigeons. Their beaks are also longer and more slender. They are different gradations of black (not the dark brown that some females in this area are). The one we presume to be male has a grey tummy...and both have black feet. They enjoy eating nuts and berries, unlike the other pigeons we feed, which are only interested in bready stuff. It was suggested that they might be a hybrid dove, which I suppose is possible. I am truly interested to know if they are indigenous to any other area, because I have never seen anything like them before. Any suggestions are appreciated!


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Hi

From your description, they don't actually sound like they _are_ pigeons or doves.

Gradations of black - and especially black feet - combined with their choice of food, indicates some other species, maybe a corvid of some kind.


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## ptras (Jun 29, 2010)

snucky said:


> Hi all, sorry to be starting a new thread, but I have searched the forums and not have found an answer to my question. I live in San Francisco and my husband and I are rogue pigeon feeders. In the last two weeks, two new and very different pigeons (doves?) have joined the other regular urban birds that we feed.
> They look totally different from the pigeons we are used to, and we have been wondering where they come from. I even went as far as to speak to some folks are "WildCare"(a rescue foundation) in San Rafael, and they recommended this site, as they could not identify the birds in question.
> So the new birds appear to be a male and a female. They are very slender in the body, and have longer, more slender necks than our regular urban pigeons. Their beaks are also longer and more slender. They are different gradations of black (not the dark brown that some females in this area are). The one we presume to be male has a grey tummy...and both have black feet. They enjoy eating nuts and berries, unlike the other pigeons we feed, which are only interested in bready stuff. It was suggested that they might be a hybrid dove, which I suppose is possible. I am truly interested to know if they are indigenous to any other area, because I have never seen anything like them before. Any suggestions are appreciated!


Can you take and post pictures of these birds?


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Yes. Only seeing pictures will answer the question as to what they are. As far as their liking nuts and berries over bread, maybe these birds were owned by someone, and have never seen bread, and don't recognize it as food.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

sounds very interesting... a picture would be great..I wonder what they are?... could they be some type of shore bird I wonder.. I do not know of any pigeon or doves with black feet.


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## snucky (Sep 3, 2011)

oh they eat bread...but the other urban pigeons are not interested in any fruit-like substance, while these ones are not picky. we just took a few pics with a galaxy tablet now. we did not get any side-view pics for now...
the ones in question are both at the bottom of the photo. the two at the top of the photo are our normal feral urban pigeons.


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## snucky (Sep 3, 2011)

i do not think they are corvids. however, when they first came around, my husband did say that they looked "kind of like crows". i think they are some sort of dove hybrid, but i honestly do not know much about this sort of thing!


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

It's a cute little pigeon. Some do have dark grayish or blackish feet.


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## loftkeeper (Sep 21, 2010)

they are pigeons the one appears to have a band on its leg maybe a lost racers or young that are lost


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## Quazar (Jul 27, 2010)

Jay3 said:


> It's a cute little pigeon. Some do have dark grayish or blackish feet.


Yep, 2 of my recent rescues (Jet & Tich) both had black feet.


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## snucky (Sep 3, 2011)

well maybe a side-shot would reveal more differences, they are def. different than our "urbans". well send more pics in the next few days.


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## pidgey boy (Dec 23, 2010)

ok, they are nice birds and yes the might belong to someone since they are banded iv never seen them before ( black feet? )


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Does that one with the black feet have a band on its leg? Sometimes escaped homers will join a flock and breed with a feral pigeon. It could be the offspring from such a breeding.


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## Quazar (Jul 27, 2010)

Not sure it is a band, its a bit far up the leg, difficult to tell even on enlarging the pic as its very pixelated at that point


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## pidgey boy (Dec 23, 2010)

yeah .....


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Well, there you go!

First time I've ever seen a pigeon with black feet. I think the one bottom left actually does have some 'normal' color in the feet, away from the toes, but the right hand bird is unusual. Does look like it has a band on one leg.


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## george simon (Feb 28, 2006)

*These two young birds are pigeons carring the DIRTY GENE . When they get older their feet will become more redish. When you get a youngster in the nest that is carring this gene its feet will be black.* GEORGE


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

John_D said:


> Well, there you go!
> 
> First time I've ever seen a pigeon with black feet. I think the one bottom left actually does have some 'normal' color in the feet, away from the toes, but the right hand bird is unusual. Does look like it has a band on one leg.


me too!... they are dark pigeons for sure..pretty cool. looks like they are surviving out there.


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