Pigeons

Is it a dove or a pigeon? The short answer is, yes. The terms tend to be used interchangeably. However, the current official name is pigeon.

Rock Pigeons were introduced to North America from Europe, and probably reached British Columbia with the first settlers. They have acclimatized to living with people and prefer to roost on bridges, and the ledges of buildings to setting up house in the wild. Indeed, the only place I have seen these birds around the Lake is in Nelson where favorite haunts are the Orange Bridge and the Chahko Mika Mall.

Rock Pigeons sit on the wire for the Nelson Electric Tramway. It is late November and the birds have their feathers fluffed out to provide added insulation, but the added bulk makes them look somewhat supercilious.

The presence of the buff bird suggests an ancestry of captive breeding.

This Pigeon has extended its alulae. These are the small bumps part way along the wing. They are only employed rarely and during slow flight to provide extra lift and so keep the bird from stalling. The alulae (singular is alula) play the same role with birds as the forward slotted wing plays in aircraft.

Information from Wikipedia: Dove, Rock Dove.