When it comes to the wide variety of bird species we are able to see and enjoy in this world, it is obvious that pigeons are very much concentrated on the ‘small to medium’ of the spectrum.
If somebody were to ask you to close your eyes are imagine the size and measurements of a typical pigeon, it’s safe to say that you would end up describing the kind of bird that most of us see every day hovering in our gardens and urban areas waiting for a chance to pick up a few crumbs.
Pigeons, however, are a much more diverse species than most of us realize with plenty of variety across many key defining characteristics, including size.
The following table highlights just how wide the spectrum of size is and how much difference there can be in certain pigeon sizes:
| Length | Wingspan | Weight | |
| Valencian Figurita | 12cm | 30cm | 150 – 190 g |
| White-Crowned Pigeon | 35cm | 59cm | 150-300 g |
| Rock Pigeon | 35cm | 60cm | 240-380 g |
| King Pigeon | 40cm | 72cm | 900+ g |
| Victoria Crowned Pigeon | 74cm | 72cm | 3.5 kg |
This data showcases just how different both ends of the spectrum are with the tiny Valencian Figurita versus the mighty Victoria Crowned Pigeon.
It is, however, best to discount the Victorian Crown Pigeon as being anywhere near the average because it really is a huge example compared to the rest of the birds in the Columbidae family.
Having discounted the anomaly, the difference between a miniature, delicate Valencian Figurita and a large, robust King Pigeon is still striking, but it’s important to remember that these are very much the extremes!
The reality is that most birds within the pigeon family are going to share similar size characteristics as the two breeds listed in the middle of the table.
There is certainly diversity within the pigeon family, but in the grand scheme of things, the White-Crowned Pigeon and Rock Pigeon are more representatives of the average.
The Rock Pigeon is also known as the common pigeon or feral/wild pigeon or city pigeon and is the one we would most easily recognize and also see every day.
It is the most common breed of pigeon in the world and is also one of the world’s most common birds with estimates numbering around 400 million.
Size is a key factor for pigeon fanciers for certain breeds.
The Giant Runt, for example, was originally selectively bred to produce a big game bird for meat and due to its natural size, the King pigeon is also seen as a meat bird.
The smaller birds such as the Valencian Figurita are mainly produced as show birds, while the littlest Portuguese tumblers are prized for their flying abilities both in terms of speed and agility.
Whatever you may feel about pigeons (mostly based on our views of the common pigeon), there’s no denying they are a fantastic example of natural diversity.