From Where Do Pigeons Originate?

Pigeons do not have one particular area of origin which is known, but they can be found anywhere in the world with a temperate climate i.e. A climate which is not too cold.  All pigeons belong to the family Columbidae, so racing pigeons, doves, the rock dove, common pigeons etc are all related.  Even the now extinct Dodo is a relative of the pigeon and it is likely that they are evolved from the most ancient of prehistoric birds and have adapted through evolution to survive and become prolific breeders.  They had certainly evolved into 'pigeons' as we recognise them today by the Stone Age, since there are pictures of pigeons in early cave paintings.    Later, pigeons are mentioned in the Bible, with doves being released from Noah's Ark.  They were also used in Ancient Egypt as a means of transporting information.  In the early Olympic games they were used to relay messages.  

Pigeons or doves as they are known belong to the class Aves and the family Columbidae and are supposed to have originated in Asia. Pigeons and doves have originated thousands of years before with mention of doves found in the Bible; doves are symbolized as harbingers of love and peace usually depicted with an olive branch.

The ubiquitous bluish gray pigeon found in cities around the world is the rock or the feral pigeon who have multiplied in large numbers in the different environments where they have been introduced. The habitat of these pigeons is building ledges and bridges where they breed according to the availability of food. In some places pigeons are hunted for food.

There are numerous interesting facts associated with the pigeon in World War times where they served as message bearers and were instrumental in saving a number of lives. The most famous incident in World War II involved the receiving of a message via pigeons that a village in Italy which was to be bombed by the allies had been captured by British troops which resulted in their lives being saved.