The feral pigeons that we see in the towns and cities of Britain are the domesticated descendants of the rock dove (Columba livia), a wild bird that is still native to the UK. The feral versions carry the same Latin name even though in many (though not all) instances they look quite different from their wild ancestor. Today the truly wild rock doves inhabit a just a few northerly sea cliff locations. However, their descendants are everywhere. This feral pigeon, perched on a sill at the old Borough Flour Mill at Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, perhaps saw the building as an inland cliff.
photo © T. Boughen Camera: Olympus OMD E-M10
