Diet
What do rock pigeons eat?
Seeds, grain and human food scraps.
Pigeons and doves (Columbidae)Rock PigeonColumba livia
Spring and summer diet
- Grain, seeds, bread and scraps
Fall and winter diet
- Grain and scraps
Best feeder foods
- None recommended — flocks crowd out other feeder birds
The city pigeon, introduced in the 1600s. Use tube and caged feeders to keep flocks off small-bird seed.
Where rock pigeons need winter food
Regions where rock pigeons are present in the cold months:
AlabamaAlaskaAlbertaArizonaArkansasBritish ColumbiaCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineManitobaMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew BrunswickNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNewfoundland and LabradorNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaNorthwest TerritoriesNova ScotiaOhioOklahomaOntarioOregonPennsylvaniaPrince Edward IslandQuebecRhode IslandSaskatchewanSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyomingYukon
Frequently asked
What do rock pigeons eat?
Seeds, grain and human food scraps.
What is the best food to feed rock pigeons?
None recommended — flocks crowd out other feeder birds.
What do rock pigeons eat in winter?
Grain and scraps.
Sources
- Rock Pigeon — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Rock Pigeon life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Rock Pigeon — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.