Birds to look for in October — Wood Pigeon

The woodpigeon (Columba palumbus) is the UK’s largest and most common pigeon.  Some people view them as a pest because they feed on crops like cabbages, sprouts, peas, grain, buds, shoots, seeds, nuts and berries. Both males and females have a mauve pink breast with splashes of turquoise and white with glossy green/purple necks, but females are slightly thinner and paler than males. Although they look like they have big tummies, woodpigeon’s bulk is all in its feathers which weigh more than its skeleton! Their song is a familiar sound and has been described by the BTO (British Trust for Ornithology) as sounding like 'my toe bleeds, Betty', 'take two cows, Taffy', or 'a proud Wood-pig-eon'. Why don’t you come up with your own rhymes?

Tweet of the Day

To hear the woodpigeon’s song follow the link to the BBC’s Tweet of the Day

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0378svz

For more info see https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/woodpigeon/