What is Columbidae?
Columbidae is the family of birds that comprise pigeons and doves. There is biologically no difference between pigeons and doves, they are simply just two different names we use. BirdLife International currently recognizes 318 species of pigeons and doves. Anatomical and behavioural adaptations have enabled these birds to thrive in a wide range of habitats, from tropical forests to deserts to tiny oceanic islands to altitudes of 5,000 metres in the Himalayas. Only the Arctic Circle and Antarctica have no pigeons. Globally, there are three three coherent areas of columbid taxonomic distribution:

Americas
There are 12 genera and 72 species in the Americas. Nine of these genera (containing 63 species) are endemic to the area.

Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia
The columbids of Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia are similar as they comprise entirely, or are dominated by, species of Columba and Streptopelia. There are 55 species in this area but with the exception of Africa (47 species), the individual regions have low columbid diversity.

Asia, Australasia and Oceania
there are 196 species of columbid in Asia, Australasia and Oceania, representing 64.5% of the columbid species extant in the wild.

Are pigeons important?
Columbid diversity is highest in the forests of the tropics where the many frugivorous columbids, through their role as seed dispersers, are ecologically important in the maintenance of tropical forest diversity and in some cases are the only vector by which seeds of certain tree species are dispersed. Columbids are also fundamental agents in the regeneration of non- wooded areas and are among the most important agents in the colonization and building of wooded habitats on islands. As a consequence, local declines in frugivorous columbid populations may have long-term detrimental effects for regeneration of tropical forest ecosystems. In extreme cases, the loss of columbid species may result in some plants having no means of seed dispersal.

Are pigeons and doves at risk of extinction?
Of the 318 species of columbid, 13 are already extinct. One of the most famous recent extinctions was one of these species, the Passenger Pigeon Ectopistes migratorius. The Passenger Pigeon once ranged across North America in the billions - it was probably the most abundant bird ever to live on earth. Hunting of this pigeon as an agricultural pest and the loss of its oak and chestnut food trees with the settlement of the West sealed the fate this pigeon.

One species of pigeon, the Socorro Dove Zenaida graysoni, is extinct in the wild - that is it only exists in captivity. Of the remaining species 19% (59) are categorised as Threatened and a further 13% (41) as Near Threatened. Overall, nearly one third of extant columbids face some degree of extinction threat. Of the threatened species, nine (15%) are Critically Endangered, 15 (25%) are Endangered and 35 (59%) are Vulnerable. Only one species is currently showing signs of recovery, the Pink Pigeon Streptopelia mayeri, as a result of intense conservation effort. Fifty-two species (88%) have populations that are still in decline, although six species (10%) have global populations that are stable. Virtually all threatened pigeons and doves are confined to the tropics, are dependent on forests, and predominantly inhabit islands and have restricted ranges with over three-quarters inhabiting the tropical forests of Asia, Australasia and Oceania, where 91% inhabit islands.

What's the cause of the extinction risk among pigeons and doves?
The threats affecting most species of threatened columbids are habitat loss and degradation, hunting, and invasive alien species.

Habitat loss is the greatest threat facing columbid diversity. It is listed as a threat to all but one threatened species. Halting, and for some species reversing, forest loss, fragmentation and degradation is essential to the global conservation of threatened pigeons and doves. It is not just the extent, but also the quality of remaining forest that affects columbids. Many species have been identified as being affected by fragmentation because they display minimum thresholds in the size of the forest they inhabit or visit and tend to favour primary forest.

Hunting is a greater threat to species at risk of extinction in Asia, Australasia and Oceania than in the rest of the world. This may be because on the islands that make up these regions agricultural protein production may not meet demand or bushmeat may be a preferred source of protein.

Introduced alien species are currently only a threat to pigeon and dove species that inhabit islands. Introduced predators that have resulted in columbid declines are most commonly rats and feral cats but include crab-eating macaques, possums, swamp harriers and mongooses. The destruction or degradation of columbid habitat from introduced/invasive species such as feral goats and pigs is also a problem. Introduced pathogens are also negatively affect some pigeon and dove species.

What can we do?
Awareness, and conservation commitment and resources, need to be generated and targeted towards the many threatened pigeon and dove species. Columbidae Conservation works to highlight the plight of threatened pigeon and dove species and secure their long-term future through research, species and habitat conservation. Please support our work to conserve.

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