Geographic size variation in rock pigeons, columba livia

Abstract

The rock pigeon Columba livia has a large Afro-Eurasian distribution throughout which it shows significant variation in size. Individuals from the British Isles are of intermediate size, and those to the south and at eastern Mediterranean localities are smaller. East of Iraq, however, and extending through Pakistan to the Himalayas, sizes average from intermediate to decidedly large. Interior populations of the North African desert have small individuals, whether from low or high elevations. Current infraspecific taxonomy does not accurately reflect size variation. © 1992 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.