What is "rock dove"

Rock \Rock\, n. [OF. roke, F. roche; cf. Armor. roc'h, and AS. rocc.]

1. A large concreted mass of stony material; a large fixed stone or crag. See Stone.

   Come one, come all! this rock shall fly From its firm base as soon as I.
   --Sir W. Scott.

2. (Geol.) Any natural deposit forming a part of the earth's crust, whether consolidated or not, including sand, earth, clay, etc., when in natural beds.

3. That which resembles a rock in firmness; a defense; a support; a refuge.

   The Lord is my rock, and my fortress.
   --2 Sam. xxii. 2.

4. Fig.: Anything which causes a disaster or wreck resembling the wreck of a vessel upon a rock.

5. (Zo["o]l.) The striped bass. See under Bass. Note: This word is frequently used in the formation of self-explaining compounds; as, rock-bound, rock-built, rock-ribbed, rock-roofed, and the like. Rock alum. [Probably so called by confusion with F. roche a rock.] Same as Roche alum. Rock barnacle (Zo["o]l.), a barnacle ( Balanus balanoides) very abundant on rocks washed by tides. Rock bass. (Zo["o]l.)

   1. The stripped bass. See under Bass.

   2. The goggle-eye.

   3. The cabrilla. Other species are also locally called rock bass. Rock builder (Zo["o]l.), any species of animal whose remains contribute to the formation of rocks, especially the corals and Foraminifera. Rock butter (Min.), native alum mixed with clay and oxide of iron, usually in soft masses of a yellowish white color, occuring in cavities and fissures in argillaceous slate. Rock candy, a form of candy consisting of crystals of pure sugar which are very hard, whence the name. Rock cavy. (Zo["o]l.) See Moco. Rock cod (Zo["o]l.)

      1. A small, often reddish or brown, variety of the cod found about rocks andledges.

      2. A California rockfish. Rock cook. (Zo["o]l.)

         1. A European wrasse ( Centrolabrus exoletus).

         2. A rockling. Rock cork (Min.), a variety of asbestus the fibers of which are loosely interlaced. It resembles cork in its texture. Rock crab (Zo["o]l.), any one of several species of large crabs of the genus C, as the two species of the New England coast ( Cancer irroratus and Cancer borealis). See Illust. under Cancer. Rock cress (Bot.), a name of several plants of the cress kind found on rocks, as Arabis petr[ae]a, Arabis lyrata, etc. Rock crystal (Min.), limpid quartz. See Quartz, and under Crystal. Rock dove (Zo["o]l.), the rock pigeon; -- called also rock doo. Rock drill, an implement for drilling holes in rock; esp., a machine impelled by steam or compressed air, for drilling holes for blasting, etc. Rock duck (Zo["o]l.), the harlequin duck. Rock eel. (Zo["o]l.) See Gunnel. Rock goat (Zo["o]l.), a wild goat, or ibex. Rock hopper (Zo["o]l.), a penguin of the genus Catarractes. See under Penguin. Rock kangaroo. (Zo["o]l.) See Kangaroo, and Petrogale. Rock lobster (Zo["o]l.), any one of several species of large spinose lobsters of the genera Panulirus and Palinurus. They have no large claws. Called also spiny lobster, and sea crayfish. Rock meal (Min.), a light powdery variety of calcite occuring as an efflorescence. Rock milk. (Min.) See Agaric mineral, under Agaric. Rock moss, a kind of lichen; the cudbear. See Cudbear. Rock oil. See Petroleum. Rock parrakeet (Zo["o]l.), a small Australian parrakeet ( Euphema petrophila), which nests in holes among the rocks of high cliffs. Its general color is yellowish olive green; a frontal band and the outer edge of the wing quills are deep blue, and the central tail feathers bluish green. Rock pigeon (Zo["o]l.), the wild pigeon ( Columba livia) Of Europe and Asia, from which the domestic pigeon was derived. See Illust. under Pigeon. Rock pipit. (Zo["o]l.) See the Note under Pipit. Rock plover. (Zo["o]l.)

            1. The black-bellied, or whistling, plover.

            2. The rock snipe. Rock ptarmigan (Zo["o]l.), an arctic American ptarmigan ( Lagopus rupestris), which in winter is white, with the tail and lores black. In summer the males are grayish brown, coarsely vermiculated with black, and have black patches on the back. Rock rabbit (Zo["o]l.), the hyrax. See Cony, and Daman. Rock ruby (Min.), a fine reddish variety of garnet. Rock salt (Min.), cloride of sodium (common salt) occuring in rocklike masses in mines; mineral salt; salt dug from the earth. In the United States this name is sometimes given to salt in large crystals, formed by evaporation from sea water in large basins or cavities. Rock seal (Zo["o]l.), the harbor seal. See Seal. Rock shell (Zo["o]l.), any species of Murex, Purpura, and allied genera. Rock snake (Zo["o]l.), any one of several large pythons; as, the royal rock snake ( Python regia) of Africa, and the rock snake of India ( Python molurus). The Australian rock snakes mostly belong to the allied genus Morelia. Rock snipe (Zo["o]l.), the purple sandpiper ( Tringa maritima); -- called also rock bird, rock plover, winter snipe. Rock soap (Min.), a kind of clay having a smooth, greasy feel, and adhering to the tongue. Rock sparrow. (Zo["o]l.)

               1. Any one of several species of Old World sparrows of the genus Petronia, as Petronia stulla, of Europe.

               2. A North American sparrow ( Puc[ae]a ruficeps).

                  Rock tar, petroleum.

                  Rock thrush (Zo["o]l.), any Old World thrush of the genus Monticola, or Petrocossyphus; as, the European rock thrush ( Monticola saxatilis), and the blue rock thrush of India ( Monticola cyaneus), in which the male is blue throughout.

                  Rock tripe (Bot.), a kind of lichen ( Umbilicaria Dillenii) growing on rocks in the northen parts of America, and forming broad, flat, coriaceous, dark fuscous or blackish expansions. It has been used as food in cases of extremity.

                  Rock trout (Zo["o]l.), any one of several species of marine food fishes of the genus Hexagrammus, family Chirad[ae], native of the North Pacific coasts; -- called also sea trout, boregat, bodieron, and starling.

                  Rock warbler (Zo["o]l.), a small Australian singing bird ( Origma rubricata) which frequents rocky ravines and water courses; -- called also cataract bird.

                  Rock wren (Zo["o]l.), any one of several species of wrens of the genus Salpinctes, native of the arid plains of Lower California and Mexico.

alt. A term used for the pigeon species, ''Columba livia''. Over the years both the terms "rock dove" and "rock pigeon" have been used interchangeably for this species. (See the note on the nomenclature of this species: ) n. A term used for the pigeon species, ''Columba livia''. Over the years both the terms "rock dove" and "rock pigeon" have been used interchangeably for this species. (See the note on the nomenclature of this species: )

n. pale gray Eurasian pigeon having black-striped wings from which most domestic species are descended [syn: rock pigeon, Columba livia]

The rock dove or rock pigeon ( also ; Columba livia) is a member of the bird family Columbidae (doves and pigeons). In common usage, this bird is often simply referred to as the "pigeon".

The species includes the domestic pigeon, including the fancy pigeon. Escaped domestic pigeons have given rise to populations of feral pigeons around the world.

Wild rock doves are pale grey with two black bars on each wing, while domestic and feral pigeons are very variable in colour and pattern. There are few visible differences between males and females. The species is generally monogamous, with two squabs (young) per brood. Both parents care for the young for a time.

Habitats include various open and semi-open environments. Cliffs and rock ledges are used for roosting and breeding in the wild. Originally found wild in Europe, North Africa, and western Asia, pigeons have become established in cities around the world. The species is abundant, with an estimated population of 17 to 28 million feral and wild birds in Europe.