Columba (genus)
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[Photo] Wood Pigeon, Columba palumbus. Photo by http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Sannse

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The large bird genus Columba comprises a group of medium to large stout-bodied pigeons, often referred to as the typical pigeons.

As with other genera in the family, the terms dove and pigeon are used interchangeably, although smaller species are more likely to be called doves. The species commonly referred to just as the "pigeon" is the feral Rock Pigeon.

Most species in this genus are found in the Old World, but there are a few representatives in the Americas, and some species, notably the Feral Pigeon, have been introduced outside their natural range.

The American species of Columba should be split off as a separate genus, Patagioenas, as it was done by the American Ornithological Union. That the American radiation constitutes a distinct lineage is borne out by molecular evidence (e.g. Johnson et al., 2001)

Species remaining in Columba are:

Rock Pigeon, Columba livia
- Domestic and feral pigeons, Columba livia domestica
Stock Pigeon, Columba oenas
Trocaz Pigeon, Columba trocaz
Bolle's Pigeon, Columba bollii
Laurel Pigeon, Columba junoniae
Hill Pigeon, Columba rupestris
Snow Pigeon, Columba leuconota
Speckled Pigeon, Columba guinea
White-collared Pigeon, Columba albitorques
Pale-backed Pigeon, Columba eversmanni
Somali Pigeon, Columba oliviae
Wood Pigeon or Common Woodpigeon, Columba palumbus
- Madeiran Wood Pigeon, Columba palumbus maderensis - extinct (early 20th century)
Afep Pigeon, Columba unicincta
African Olive-pigeon, Columba arquatrix
Cameroon Olive-pigeon, Columba sjostedti
S??o Tom?? Olive-pigeon, Columba thomensis
Comoro Olive-pigeon, Columba polleni
Speckled Wood-pigeon, Columba hodgsonii
White-naped Pigeon, Columba albinucha
Ashy Wood-pigeon, Columba pulchricollis
Nilgiri Wood-pigeon, Columba elphinstonii
Sri Lanka Wood-pigeon, Columba torringtoni
Pale-capped Pigeon, Columba punicea
Silvery Pigeon, Columba argentina - possibly extinct (mid-late 20th century?)
Andaman Wood-pigeon, Columba palumboides
Japanese Wood-pigeon, Columba janthina
- Ogasawara Wood-pigeon, Columba janthina nitens - extinct (1980s)
Bonin Wood-pigeon, Columba versicolor - extinct (c.1890)
Ryukyu Wood-pigeon, Columba jouyi - extinct (late 1930s)
Metallic Pigeon or White-throated Pigeon, Columba vitiensis
- Lord Howe Metallic Pigeon, Columba vitiensis godmanae - extinct (1853)
- Tongan Metallic Pigeon, Columba vitiensis ssp. - extinct (late 18th century); validity doubtful
White-headed Pigeon, Columba leucomela
Yellow-legged Pigeon, Columba pallidiceps
Eastern Bronze-naped Pigeon, Columba delegorguei
Western Bronze-naped Pigeon, Columba iriditorques
S??o Tom?? Bronze-naped Pigeon, Columba malherbii
African Lemon-dove, Columba larvata - sometimes placed in Aplopelia
S??o Tom?? Lemon-dove, Columba simplex - sometimes placed in Aplopelia

A fossil species, Columba omnisanctorum, was described from the Early Pliocene (5.3-3.6 mya) of the Gargano Peninsula and surroundings, Italy. A supposed "falcon" fossil from nearby contemporary and Middle Pliocene (3.6-2.6 mya) sites may either be a distinct species Columba pisana or the same, in which case the latter name would apply.(Ml??kovsk?? 2002)

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