[Tweeters] Feral vs. Wild Rock Pigeons

[HAL MICHAEL]

Pigeons were introduced/escaped into North America. It's like Red Junglefowl; any seen in N America will be feral. I also doubt that there are any populations in N America that are pure wild Rock Pigeon.

Hal Michael
Board of Directors,Ecologists Without Borders (http://ecowb.org/)
Olympia WA
360-459-4005
360-791-7702 (C)
ucd880 at comcast.net


> On 02/19/2022 6:47 PM Carol Riddell <cariddellwa at gmail.com> wrote:

> 

>  

> Dennis Paulson raised a great question about why some pigeon sightings turn up as rare birds in eBird. Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) is the listing on the basic checklist. If you want to report a wild type, you have to add a species to the checklist and select Rock Pigeon (wild type). That is considered a rare bird. But how are we to determine what is a feral pigeon and what is a wild type Rock Pigeon? There is no guidance in eBird that I can find. When should we consider using the wild type category and what evidence of a rare pigeon sighting would eBird reviewers want to consider when deciding whether to include the report in the public data?

> 

> I think knowing this would be as useful to birders who do not use eBird as it would be to eBirders. We all want to improve our birding skills and learn how to distinguish things in the field. Any answers from any local eBird reviewer who might feel so inclined? Thanks.

> 

> Carol Riddell

> Edmonds, WA

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