Pigeon Anatomy & Physiology: 15 Facts

Key Points

  • The production of powder down or feather powder is quite high in some pigeons.
  • Doves are adept at the anti-predator adaptation known as fright molt.
  • The uropygial gland is absent in most pigeons and doves.
  • Pigeons are strong fliers. The keel or carina of the sternum is relatively long to allow for insertion of prominent flight muscles.
  • Pigeons and doves possess a large, well-developed, bilobed crop.
  • Pigeons and doves exclusively feed chicks crop milk during the first week of life. Crop milk is rich in protein, immunoglobulin A, and fat, but low in carbohydrates.
  • Pigeons possess a complex network of subcutaneous vessels in the skin overlying the neck.

Although pigeons and doves are a diverse group of birds, they do share some clinically significant anatomy and physiology, including a large, bilobed crop or ingluvies, crop milk production, as well as a vascular plexus found in the subcutis of pigeons. This post also touches on specialized anatomic features unique to fruit pigeons before summarizing some features of the columbid integumentary system, musculoskeletal system, and urogenital tract . . .


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References

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Dent S. Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase & Fable, 19th ed. City: Hodder’s Publishers; 2012.

De Herdt P, Pasmans. Pigeons. In: Tully TN, Dorrestein GM, Jones AK (eds). Handbook of Avian Medicine, 2nd ed. St. Louis, MO:Saunders Elsevier; 2009. P. 350.

Garrod AH. On some points on the anatomy of the Columbae. Proc Zool Soc London 17:249-259, 1874.

Hagey LR, Schteingart CD, Ton-Nu HT, Hofmann AF. Biliary bile acids of fruit pigeons and doves (Columbiformes): presence of 1ß-hydroxycheodeoxycholic acid and conjugation with glycine as well as taurine. J Lipid Research. 1994; 35:2041-2048. PMID: 7868982.

Hooimeijer J, Dorrestein GM. Pigeons and doves. In: Altman R, Clubb SL, Dorrestein GM, Quesenberry K (eds). Avian Medicine and Surgery. 1997; Philadelphia, PA: WB Saunders. Pp. 886-909.

Lumeij JT. Plasma urea, creatinine and uric acid concentrations in response to dehydration in racing pigeons (Columba livia domestica). Avian Pathol. 1987; 16(3):377-382. doi: 10.1080/03079458708436388. PMID: 18766627.

Lumeij JT, De Bruijne JJ, Slob A, et al. Enzyme activities in tissues and elimination half-lives of homologous muscle and liver enzymes in the racing pigeon (Columba livia domestica). Avian Pathol. 1988; 17(4):851-864. doi: 10.1080/03079458808436507. PMID: 18766746.

Lumeij JT, Meidam M, Wolfswinkel J, et al. Changes in plasma chemistry after drug-induced liver disease or muscle necrosis in racing pigeons (Columba livia domestica). Avian Pathol. 1988; 17(4):865-874. doi: 10.1080/03079458808436508. PMID: 18766747.

Marshall KL, Craig LE, Jones MP, Daniel GB. Quantitative renal scintigraphy in domestic pigeons (Columba livia domestica) exposed to toxic doses of gentamicin. Am J Vet Res. 2003; 64(4):453-462. doi: 10.2460/ajvr.2003.64.453. PMID: 12693536.

McLelland J. Anatomy of the avian cecum. J Exp Zool Suppl. 1989; 3:2-9. doi: 10.1002/jez.1402520503. PMID: 2575123.

Pigeon Control Resource Centre. Fancy breeds of pigeons. 2009. Available at http://www.pigeoncontrolresourcecentre.org/html/about-pigeons.html#about8. Accessed April 8, 2016.

Tudor DC. Pigeon Health and Disease. 1991. Ames, Iowa: Iowa State University Press. Pp. 12, 14-15, 227.

Wimsatt J, Canon N, Pearce RD, et al. Assessment of novel avian renal disease markers for the detection of experimental nephrotoxicosis in pigeons (Columba livia). J Zoo Wildl Med. 2009.  40(3):487-494. doi: 10.1638/2008-0169.1. PMID: 19746864.

To cite this page:

Pollock C. Pigeon anatomy & physiology: 15 facts. April 8, 2016. LafeberVet Web site. Available at https://lafeber.com/vet/pigeon-anatomy-physiology-15-key-facts/