Rock Pigeon (Rock Dove, Feral Pigeon)

This is a small down feather from a Rock Pigeon, a stout-bodied bird with a short neck and small head. The bird itself typically displays a grey plumage with iridescent throat feathers, though feral populations show wide color variation.

Uniformly pale grey to off-white; typical of the neutral down tones found in the blue-grey morph of the species.

Plumulaceous (downy); long, flexible barbs with non-interlocking barbules and no hooklets, creating a lofted air-trapping structure.

Extremely soft, light, and 'powdery' to the touch; matte appearance with high flexibility.

Plumulaceous structure, lack of a central rachis, greyish-white coloration, and association with the pigeon's characteristic 'powder down' production.

Highly adaptable; primarily urban and suburban environments, agricultural areas, and rocky seaside cliffs.

Worldwide distribution (except the High Arctic and Antarctic); found on every continent except Antarctica.

Primary prey source for urban raptors like Peregrine Falcons; also act as seed dispersers and scavengers.

Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) down is similar but often more buff-colored; Eurasian Collared-Dove (Streptopelia decaocto) is also comparable.

Rock Pigeons produce a 'crop milk' to feed their young and were the first bird species to be domesticated by humans over 5,000 years ago.

Fair to Poor;appears clumped and slightly soiled, likely naturally shed or lost during preening.