Galapagos Species Database

Taxon category: Accepted

Origin: Introduced - not established

Year of first record: 1972

Year of introduction: 1972

Mode of introduction: Intentional

Introduction Pathway: Intentional

Subpathway: Animals for breeding

Introduced status: Eradicated

Impact in Galapagos: No impact was ever recorded in Galapagos, but the species was eradicated due to worries about disease transmission to native birds, such as the endemic dove, and poultry.

Impact elsewhere: Currently pigeons have become a pest; represent a serious public health problem. In cities they are a problem for the economy, feces of these birds are corrosive and produce various infrastructure damage of buildings, sculptures and cars that require repair, and continuous cleaning. Studies in the United States, estimated at millions of dollars expenses generated by having to clean the acid feces of C. livia in cars, monuments, buildings, and even cover employees' health and treatment costs of illness and injury caused by pigeons. Compete for the habitat with other granivorous birds, it gregarious behavior and tendency to associate with other species facilitates interspecific transmission of diseases, therefore there is the potential risk of decline or extinction of native and endemic species. Are considered that the birds spread the pathogen Trichomonas gallinae to populations of wild birds in the places where they were introduced. In Galapagos, rock pigeon was the bearer of Trichomonas gallinae, a potentially fatal disease for endemic Galapagos doves and poultry.

Control History in Galapagos: The Galapagos islands system is the largest area where the introduced pigeon has been eradicated. In 2000, the Charles Darwin Foundation (CDF) in cooperation with the Galapagos National Park (GNP) began a campaign to eradicate the rock pigeons. As this is a related species to humans was essential to make several preliminary steps with the community before starting eradication of C. livia, with a campaign on radio and television people were sensitized on the risks of keeping pigeons living with the human population. The program began with the intensive search of pigeons in populated areas, through direct observations and surveys of community residents, observations are geographically referenced. Before starting to the eradication, various capture methods were tested as the use of birds nets and the baits with Alpha-chloralose anesthetic (which allow manually capture pigeons for to sacrifice and burnt), this with the considerations necessary to avoid affecting non-target species. Caged pigeons were also used as a decoy to attract other, however it was not an effective method, the pigeons showed neophobia and traps vigilance is required to avoid robberies. Finally the few specimens that remained, were acquired directly from their owners, moreover the Ecuadorian Agricultural Health Service - System Inspection and Quarantine Galapagos (SESA-SICGAL) developed a special status to limit the maintenance of pigeons. Several methods were tested, however, the most efficient technique was the use of high-powered rifle air. The inclusion and support of the community and local agencies was decisive for the project success.

Control methods elsewhere: To eradicate or control birds, planning and integration strategies are required: 1) Characterization of birds, with three fundamental aspects: 1.1) Determine and identify patterns of activity of non-target species at risk that could fall; 1.2) to establish the areas that the birds use for nesting, roosting, feeding and drinking; 1.3) to know the relationship of birds and their environment, this includes structures, topsoil, trees, shrubs, availability of food and water. 2) Clean up or remove food, exclude and modify the habitat and use bird repellents, cause discomfort in daily activities of pigeons, this is going to deter, disrupt and cause abandonment of the occupied areas. This solves the problem temporarily, because doves migrate and occupy elsewhere. 3) Reduce populations using toxic baits and hooks, traps and firearms. Avicides or toxic substances that poison birds as bait is important to use large grains such as corn and so it prevents them from being eaten by smaller species that are not subject to eradication. The Avitrol is used more as a repellent, causing disorientation, called pigeons started warning that alienates others. Another is Strychnine, this is lethal. Another effective method is chemical sterilizers that cause temporary infertility in birds without harming them. It is effective in the medium and long term as it reduces the population to a number that can be tolerated by society. If the goal is to eradicate the only alternative is using toxic bait. The programs capture and culling not prove to be effective because it does not involve a habitat management of the species. The strategies that are commonly used are habitat modification, exclusion, repulsion with chemicals and mechanical products, poisons and nest removal. In some countries the use of drugs that inhibit sperm receptors on the egg was implemented, which decreases the rate of lay of the species. For a program to control pigeon populations succeed, you must ensure that there is synergy between all the tools implemented and further, it is necessary to accompany any strategy implemented with an education campaign to a community control whereas the species is highly associated with human settlements.

Known Pest elsewhere: Widespread

Preference for an altitude zone in Galapagos: Coastal zonera - humid zone

Habitat preferences: In its natural habitat lives on rocky cliffs, riverbeds, caves, coastal areas, deserts, rocky mountains where they can find cracks; nest on coastal cliffs or interior highlands. As exotic species shows preference for urban areas; it is very common worldwide. They tend to congregate in flocks of several hundred and usually move, fly and roost together. Inhabit ceilings, shelves, drain pipes, attics, caves where build their nests with twigs and grasses placed on a simple base. They occur from sea level to 4500 m.

Feeding preferences: They eat all kinds of seeds found in the soil, also fruits and small invertebrates.

Trophic role: Omnivorous

Persistence mechanisms: The common pigeon shows two typical characteristics of an invasive species, presents dense local populations and a rapid expansion of range once it has been established. C. livia is a monogamous species, is reproduced throughout the year, can have up to five broods per year; the parental care is very short (three weeks) and they are ready to breed at six months of age, thus their population number is growing rapidly.

Reproduction mode: Exclusively sexual

Reproductive biology: They live in large colonies, building simple nests. A female can lay a clutch of eggs up to 6 times per year, with each brood of 2 eggs. Young are cared for and fed with a milky substance produced by both parents. They become independent at about 50 days.

Distribution origin: Originally found wild in Europe, Asia and Africa

Distribution classification: Temperate (not specified)

Natural enemies: In all places where C. livia occurs raptorial birds are their main predators. It is food for the barn owl (Tyto alba), the Harris's Hawk (Parabuteo unicintus), peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) and cats (Felis catus).

Economic Use: For years C. livia was domesticated and trained as homing pigeon, they can become very costly; at a recent auction of homing pigeons a Belgian pigeon called Bolt reached a record price of € 310,000 ($ 400,000). The breeder guarantees quality with your name and the successes of his sporting career. An entire lot of pigeons auctioned a known coach, consisted of 530 birds and reached a total price of 4.3 million Euros.

Disease vector: Are reservoir at least 40 viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites that affect humans, domestic animals and wild birds. Some of the diseases that are transmitted to humans are: histoplasmosis, salmonellosis, psittacosis, cryptococcosis. Were detected more than 20 diseases that can be transmitted to other birds, including avian malaria, it is spread by a virus which used as the vector mosquito Culex quinquefasciatus. In Hawaii pigeons introduced this virus and in addition to habitat destruction, has destroyed 75% of the native avifauna, only survived, birds living outside the altitude range of the mosquito.

Map of specimen collection localities or observation records for this species in our collections database.

Distribution: This species was eradicated from Galapagos in 2004; it was present on the islands Santa Cruz, San Cristobal and Isabela.

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