Birdland
Pigeon Talk
In general, the words “dove” and “pigeon” are used interchangeably to identify these tubby birds with small heads and short legs. Pigeon is a French word that derives from the Latin pipio, for a “peeping” chick. Dove is Germanic, and refers to a bird’s diving flight. The birds in the photograph are often called rock pigeons, and they are generally monogamous. Wild rock pigeons have an innate homing ability, meaning that they will generally return to their nests, using magnetoreception. These pigeons were photographed by Park Hill resident Mark Silverstein.