Columbidae Collection (page 7)

Gallicolumba luzonica, luzon bleeding-heart and another dove
Large Series plate 32, a watercolour from the John Reeves Collection of Zoological Drawings from Canton, China

Columba torringtoni, Sri Lanka woodpigeon
Plate 83, painting by Pieter Cornelius de Bevere, from the Loten Collection of coloured drawings of Birds, Mammals, Insects & Plants, (1754-57)

Treron vernans, pink-necked green pigeon
Plate 81, painting by Pieter Cornelius de Bevere, from the Loten Collection of coloured drawings of Birds, Mammals, Insects & Plants, (1754-57)

Ducula bicolor, pied imperial pigeon
Plate 78, painting by Pieter Cornelius de Bevere, from the Loten Collection of coloured drawings of Birds, Mammals, Insects & Plants, (1754-57)

Chalcophaps indica, emerald dove
Plate 82, painting by Pieter Cornelius de Bevere, from the Loten Collection of coloured drawings of Birds, Mammals, Insects & Plants, (1754-57)

Hedycarya arborea, pigeonwood tree
Finished watercolour by Fred Polydore Nodder from an original outline drawing by Sydney Parkinson made during Captain James Cooks first voyage across the Pacific, 1768-1771

Columba livia, rock dove
Plate 3 from John Goulds The Birds of Great Britain, Vol. 4 (1873). Hand coloured lithograph

Ptilinopus tannensis, Tanna fruit dove
Ff. 138. Watercolour painting by George Forster annotated Columba xanthura and made during Captain James Cooks second voyage to explore the southern continent (1772-75)

Streptopelia chinensis suratensis, spotted-necked dove
Plate 84, painting by Pieter Cornelius de Bevere, from the Loten Collection of coloured drawings of Birds, Mammals, Insects & Plants, (1754-57)

Ptilinopus purpuratus, grey-green fruit dove
Ff. 140. Watercolour painting by George Forster annotated Columba porphyracra and made during Captain James Cooks second voyage to explore the southern continent (1772-75)

Columba hodgsonii, speckled woodpigeon
Plate 70, a watercolour by Rajman Singh, from Brian Houghton Hodgsons collection of birds and mammals of Nepal

Red runt, pigeon
The skeleton of a pigeon, bred, examined and labelled by Charles Darwin as part of his research into evolution

Pouter, domestic pigeon
This pigeon is from the collection of domestic pigeons donated to the Natural History Museum by Charles Darwin in 1867. The bird probably came from Darwins own aviaries

Goura cristata, western crowned pigeon
Watercolour by Sarah Stone (1788) from the collection of Sir Ashton Lever

Geotrygon chrysia, Key West quail dove
Plate 167 from John James Audubons Birds of America, original double elephant folio (1831-34), hand-coloured aquatint. Engraved, printed and coloured by R. Havell (& Son), London

Ectopistes migratorius, passenger pigeon
Plate 62 from John James Audubons Birds of America, original double elephant folio (1827-30), hand-coloured aquatint. Engraved, printed and coloured by R. Havell (& Son), London

Columbina passerina, common ground dove
Plate 182 from John James Audubons Birds of America, original double elephant folio (1831-34), hand-coloured aquatint. Engraved, printed and coloured by R. Havell (& Son), London

Geophaps plumifera, spinifex pigeon
Plate 69, hand coloured lithograph by John and Elizabeth Gould from John Goulds The Birds of Australia, Vol. 5 (1840-1848)

Zenaida macroura, mourning dove
Plate 17 from John James Audubons Birds of America, original double elephant folio (1827-30), hand-coloured aquatint. Engraved, printed and coloured by R. Havell (& Son), London

Zenaida aurita, zenaida dove
Plate 162 from John James Audubons Birds of America, original double elephant folio (1831-34), hand-coloured aquatint. Engraved, printed and coloured by R. Havell (& Son), London

Starnoenas cyanocephala, blue-headed quail dove
Plate 172 from John James Audubons Birds of America, original double elephant folio (1831-34), hand-coloured aquatint. Engraved, printed and coloured by R. Havell (& Son), London

Raphus cucullatus, dodo, Ara macao, scarlet macaw
Oil painting attributed to Roelandt Savery (c. 1625). Given to The Natural History Museum, London, in 1759 by G. Edwards. See N04297 for black and white image

Columba leucocephala, white-crowned pigeon
Plate 177 from John James Audubons Birds of America, original double elephant folio (1831-34), hand-coloured aquatint. Engraved, printed and coloured by R. Havell (& Son), London

Ectopistes migratoria, passenger pigeon
Mounted specimen of a passenger pigeon (Ectopistes migratoria) at The Natural History Museum, London. Extinct since 1914, it was formerly abundant over North America. See image number 4709

Didunculus strigirostris, tooth-billed pigeon
Plate 2 from Sir Richard Owens Memoirs on the Dodo, (1866). Held in the Earth Science Library at the Natural History Museum, London

Streptopelia chinensis, spotted-necked dove
Plate 21, watercolour by Margaret Bushby Lascelles Cockburn from her Neilgherry birds and Miscellaneous, (1858)

Columba elphinstonii, Nilgiri woodpigeon
Plate 26, watercolour by Margaret Bushby Lascelles Cockburn from her Neilgherry birds and Miscellaneous, (1858)

Collection birds eggs
Plate 58 from Neilgherry birds and Miscellaneous (1858) by Margaret Bushby Lascelles Cockburn

Columba vitiensis, white-throated pigeon
Drawing No. 72, watercolour by George Raper (1792) from The Raper Collection

Ducula zoeae, banded imperial pigeon
Plate 39 from Louis-Isidore Duperreys Voyage de la Coquille 1822-1825, Zoologie Atlas, (1826). From drawings made during his voyage to Chile, Peru, Polynesia, Indoneasia

Pezophaps solitaria, Rodrigues solitaire
Plate number 512 c by Richard Owen drawn from a male skeleton specimen at Cambridge university.This giant flightless pigeon was the closest relative of the dodo, it was native to Rodrigues Island

Tupinambis nigropunctatus, black tegu
Photograph of a display case of pigeons, taken in the Central Hall of the Natural History Museum in April 1895 by Miss K M Reynolds

Pigeon types, c. 1918, the Natural History Museum, London
As food shortages hit during World War I, carrier pigeons that saved lives by relaying messages from downed pilots or disabled ships sometimes ended up shot for pigeon pie

Roller Tumbler, domestic pigeon
This pigeon is from the collection of domestic pigeons donated to the Natural History Museum by Charles Darwin in 1867. The bird probably came from Darwins own aviaries

Streptopelia senegalensis, laughing dove
Plate 22, watercolour by Margaret Bushby Lascelles Cockburn from her Neilgherry birds and Miscellaneous, (1858)

Ptilinopus magnificus, woompoo fruit dove
Plate 58, hand coloured lihtograph by John and Elizabeth Gould from John Goulds The Birds of Australia, Vol. 5 (1840-1848)

Microgoura meeki, Choiseul pigeon
Photograph of Microgoura meeki specimen. Photographed by Harry Taylor, 2009. This species is presumed extinct

Columba jouyi, Ryukyu pigeon
Photograph of Columba jouyi specimen. Photographed by Harry Taylor, 2009. This species is now extinct

Columba versicolor, Bonin wood pigeon
Photograph of Columba versicolor specimen. Photographed by Harry Taylor, 2009. This species is now extinct

Ptilinopus wallacii, Wallaces fruit-dove
Plate 55 from John Goulds The Birds of New Guinea, Vol. 5 (1875-88). Hand coloured lithograph

Fancy domestic pigeons
Mounted fancy pigeon varieties, similar to those studied by Charles Darwin as he developed his ideas on evolution through natural selection

Columba fasciata, band-tailed pigeon
Plate 367 from John James Audubons Birds of America, original double elephant folio (1835-38), hand-coloured aquatint. Engraved, printed and coloured by R. Havell (& Son), London

Ducula pacifica, Macropygia mackinlayi, Columba vitiensis
Watercolour by Thomas Theodore Barnard (1922)

Columba livia, Jjacobine pigeon (domestic)
Watercolour by Edward Lear (c. 1835), Charles Darwin estimated that there were 150 different species of domestic pigeons

Columba livia, domestic pigeon
Watercolour by unknown artist (c. 1850). Originally illustrated in one of five volumes bought by the Natural History Museum by an unknown source from Japan

Dodo, peacocks and turkeys
Plate XXVII from Francies Willughbys ornithologi libri tres : in quibus Aves omnes hactenus cognit... describuntur... Totum opus recognovit, di gessit, supplevit J. Raius, &c, 1676

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Columbidae, also known as fancy pigeon breeds, are a diverse group of birds that captivate with their unique features and stunning plumage. One such member is the Eurasian Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto), depicted in an illustration resembling a majestic pigeon-like bird. With its buffy-pink plumage and distinctive black neck collar, this dove exudes elegance from every angle. Another fascinating species within the Columbidae family is the New Zealand Pigeon Kereru (Raphus solitarius). Unlike any other bird, it shares similarities with the extinct Reunion white dodo (Raphus cucullatus). These remarkable creatures remind us of the diversity that once existed on our planet. Pigeons have long been associated with urban landscapes, often seen perched on rooftops. Their presence adds charm to city skylines and serves as a reminder of nature's resilience amidst concrete jungles. The Didus ineptus or dodo design showcases pigeons in flight, symbolizing freedom and adaptability. Muffed Flying Tumblers are another breed worth mentioning; these pigeons possess unique traits like fluffy feathers around their legs while soaring through the sky. They exemplify gracefulness combined with unmatched aerial acrobatics. In contrast to these fancy breeds, we find common wood pigeons (Columba palumbus) perched on branches across Europe's Baltic Sea island of Fehmarn in Germany. Their peaceful demeanor reminds us of how nature can thrive even in unexpected places. Lastly, let's not forget about the dodo - Raphus cucullatus - whose skeletal remains serve as a haunting reminder of extinction caused by human activities. This unfortunate fate highlights our responsibility to protect and preserve all members for future generations to appreciate their beauty and significance.