Rock Dove Columba livia Gmelin       Field Guide IDs: NG-234; G-166; PE-180; PW-pl 23; AE-pl 327; AW-pl 346; AM(II)-136 Nest Location Nest Type Eggs & Mating System Dev. & Parental Care Primary & 2ndary Diet.. Foraging Strategy BUILDING MF I: 16-19 DAYS ALTRICIAL CLIFF F -M 2 (1-2) MONOG F: 25-26 DAYS MF BREEDING: Cities, towns, rural areas, but always near human habitations. 4-5 or more broods. DISPLAYS: Courting male inflates neck, spreads tail, and with much bowing accompanied by polysyllabic cooing, pursues female on ground, following and circling around her. NEST: On building ledge, under eaves, under bridges, etc.; rarely on cliff ledge, the presumed ancestral type of nest site. Loose saucer of roots, stems, leaves, etc., no lining. EGGS: White, unmarked. 1.6" (39 mm). DIET: Esp grain, occ green leaves, invertebrates. Young initially fed crop milk. CONSERVATION: Winter resident. Introduced. NOTES: Gregarious, often seen in flocks when roosting, feeding or flying; prefer to breed in groups. Impressive flight capability, marked by much gliding and wheeling; often glide to landing. May breed at 6 months. Young brooded for 7 days. Urban feeding groups are not closed flocks; individuals sample many feeding sites, temporarily adopting particularly good sites. Marked individual feeding preferences. STANFORD. NOTES: This exotic species is a fairly common breeder throughout main campus, nesting exclusively on buildings and other artificial structures. ESSAYS: Bird Milk; Navigation and Orientation; Urban Birds; Feral Birds; Monogamy REFERENCES: Cramp, 1985; Giraldeau and Lefebvre, 1985; Lefebvre, 1985.