Rob Robinson

Wood Pigeon breeds from W Europe/N Africa to W Asia, avoiding particularly dry and cold regions (BirdLife International 2021, with scattered nuclei up to the Himalayas. Its migratory strategy varies from resident to partial or total migrant (migratory behavior increases to the N and E). Urban populations tend to be resident.

Season of assessment

B

Population trendIncreasing
Population size
(min-max, best estimate)		41400000-57600000,48400000
Red List categoryLC
Franks, S., Fiedler, W., Arizaga, J., Jiguet, F., Nikolov, B., van der Jeugd, Ambrosini, R, Aizpurua, O., Bairlein, F., Clark, J., Fattorini, N, Hammond, M., Higgins, D, Levering, H., Skellorn, W., Spina, F, Thorup, K. Walker, J., Woodward, I. and Baillie, S.R. (1) (2022) Online Atlas of the movements of European bird populations. https://migrationatlas.org EURING/CMS (1) Principal investigator
Map

Overall Connectivity for Common Wood Pigeon

European populations move mainly NE-SW. W, C and N Wood Pigeons concentrate in SW Europe (Iberia, W France) in winter. Birds from E/SE Europe move SW, overwintering  in Italy and S France (Bankovics 2001), more rarely reaching Iberia. These movements have been confirmed by genetic (Butkauskas et al. 2019) or stable isotope analyses (Hobson et al. 2009). Thus, connectivity is relatively weak as populations of distinct origin are found in the non-breeding quarters. However, there is a decreasing proportion of N migrants with latitude, suggesting leapfrog migration (Hobson et al. 2009).

Recoveries by Condition for Common Wood Pigeon

As Wood Pigeon is hunred in most countries, overall about half of all recoveries are of shot birds, with 38% shot from 1991. Before 1991, almost all recoveries were of birds found dead with up to ca. 75% of them being shot in 1961-1990. Since 1991, the percentage of recoveries of birds found alive is ca. 40%.

Annual Movements for Common Wood Pigeon

Mgration towards SW Europe occurs in Sep-Oct, with a main passage through the W Pyrenees (one of the main flyways) in Oct. Encounters from Nov onwards are in the wintering areas, spread across W Europe, from Iberia to NW Germany and the British Isles, where they remain until Feb-Mar. By Mar, there are hardly any encounters in Iberia, and spring migration is active. Birds arrive in the N breeding quarters, in Fennoscandia, Apr-May.

Connectivity by Month by Region for Common Wood Pigeon

Birds from S and W Europe, including the British Isles are mostly resident. The Baltic and N European birds migrate along Atlantic flyway to overwinter in SW Europe, mostly Iberia (birds shot in France are residents; Hobson et al. 2009). Birds leave the breeding grounds in Sep-Oct and peak in the W Pyrenees (with annual counts of >2.5 million birds) in Oct (Cohou et al. 2006). Departure from winter quarters is in Feb-Mar. Similar temporal patterns are seen on the Mediterranean flyway, which is used by birds from E Europe (up to Ukraine), which overwinter in Italyand S France.

Juan Arizaga

References

Statistics Map
N records N individuals N recoveries
Mapped data*
Total available data
*Mapped data include only distant (>= 50 km) recoveries
References Map
Bankovics, A.2001 . The migration of Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus) and Turtle Dove (Streptopelia turtur) in Hungary. Naturzale 16: 83–93
BirdLife International 2021 . Species factsheet: Columba palumbus.
Butkauskas, D., Svazas, S., Bea, A., Prakas, P., Olano, I., Grishanov, G., Mischenko, A., Kozulin, A., Stanevi ius, V., Báldi, A., Huysentruyt, F., Vaitkuvieo , D., Red'kin, Y. A.2019 . Designation of flyways and genetic structure of Woodpigeon Columba palumbus in Europe and Morocco. European Journal of Wildlife Research 65
Cohou, V., Beitia, R., Mourguiart, P., Veiga, J.2006 . Nouvelees données sur la migration post-nuptiale transpyrénéenne du Pigeon ramier. Période 1999-2004. Supplément au faune sauvage 273: 14–18
Hobson, K. A., Lormee, H., Van Wilgenburg, S. L., Wassenaar, L. I., Boutin, J. M.2009 . Stable isotopes (δD) delineate the origins and migratory connectivity of harvested animals: the case of European woodpigeons. Journal of Applied Ecology 46: 572–581

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