Hanne & Jens Eriksen / Laughing dove (Spilopelia senegalensis) pair at nest, Qatar, November

Konrad Wothe / Emerald dove (Chalcophaps indica) perched, Queensland, Australia, November

Roger Powell / Woodpigeon (Columba palumba) portrait. Druridge, Northumberland, UK, February.

Roger Powell / Woodpigeon (Columba palumbus) perched on hawthorn. Druridge, Northumberland, UK, February.

Ernie Janes / Wood pigeon (Columba palumbus) yawning, Norfolk, UK, July

Ole Jorgen Liodden / Black-faced Sandgrouse (Pterocles decoratus) on ground. Samburu, Kenya, December.

Ole Jorgen Liodden / Galapagos Dove (Zenaida galapagoensis) on ground. Galapagos

Ole Jorgen Liodden / Galapagos Dove (Zenaida galapagoensis) on ground. Galapagos Islands

Philippe Clement / Eurasian Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto). Belgium, June.

Andrew Parkinson / Wood pigeon (Columba palambus) feathers ruffled, perched on a rusty wire fence, Gloucestershire, UK, October.

Loic Poidevin / Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus) perched on stump. Breton Marsh, Loire Atlantique, France, September.

Klaus Echle / Stock Dove (Columba oenas) in Heather. Black Forest, Germany, September.

Klaus Echle / Stock Dove (Columba oenas) in a field. Black Forest, Germany, May.

Klaus Echle / Stock Dove (Columba oenas) portrait. Black Forest, Germany, April.

Klaus Echle / Stock Dove (Columba oenas) perched in a tree. Black Forest, Germany, April.

Colin Varndell / Woodpigeon (Columba palumbus) perched. Gloucestershire, UK, April.

Rolf Nussbaumer / White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica), adult among Strawberry Hedgehog Cactus (Echinocereus enneacanthus) flowers. Laredo, Webb County, South Texas, USA, April.

Paul Hobson / Wood pigeon (Columba palumbus) drinking, UK, May

Ernie Janes / White Fantail pigeons (Columba sp) on tiles roof, UK

Ernie Janes / White Fantail pigeon (Columba sp)at dovecot, Norfolk, UK

Alan Williams / Woodpigeon (Columba palumbus) perched on garden fence, Cheshire, UK, April

David Kjaer / Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus) in flight. Gloucestershire, UK, January.

Barry Mansell / White-Crowned Pigeon (Columba leuocephala / leucomela) perching. West Lake, Everglades National Park, South Florida, USA, April.

Barry Mansell / White-Crowned Pigeon (Columba leuocephala / leucomela) perching. West Lake, Everglades National Park, South Florida, USA, April.

Mary McDonald / Yellow-throated sandgrouse (Pterocles gutturalis) male, Masai Mara Game Reserve, Kenya, East Africa

Philippe Clement / Feral pigeons / Rock doves (Columba livia) Belgium, April.

Colin Varndell / Adult Woodpigeon (Columba palumbus) in breeding condition. Dorset, UK, March.

Brent Stephenson / Pink Pigeon (Nesoenas / Columba mayeri) perched in trees near the research station in the Black River Gorges National Park, Mauritius.

Brent Stephenson / Pink Pigeon (Nesoenas / Columba mayeri) perched in trees near the research station in the Black River Gorges National Park, Mauritius.

Ernie Janes / Stock Dove (Columba oenas) perching on fence post, UK, April.

Ernie Janes / Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus) preening. UK, April.

Ernie Janes / Stock Dove (Columba oenas) in flight. UK, April.

Ernie Janes / Stock Doves (Columba oenas) perching. Uk, April.

Marie Read / Crested Pigeon (Ocyphaps / Geophaps lophotes) perching. Atherton Tableland, Queensland, Australia, October.

Marie Read / Crested Pigeons (Ocyphaps / Geophaps lophotes) pair, with one preening its mate as part of courtship. Atherton Tableland, Queensland, Australia, October.

Thomas Rabeil / Chestnut Bellied Sandgrouse (Pterocles exustus) standing on sand. Dilia Achetinamou, Niger, Africa.

Mike Read / Diamond Dove (Geopelia cuneata), an escaped bird on garden fence. Hampshire, UK, June.

Steve Nicholls / Close up of feathers of Nicobar pigeon (Caloenas nicobarica) from south east asia

Steve Nicholls / Wood pigeon (Columba palumbus) with feathers fluffed out for warmth, perched on a frost-covered branch in winter. Gloucestershire, UK, December

Rod Williams / Mauritius pink pigeon (Columba / Nesoenas mayeri) Captive, occurs Mauritius, Endangered.

Rod Williams / Luzon bleeding-heart dove (Gallicolumba luzonica) Captive, occurs Luzon, Philippines

Diane McAllister / Mourning dove (Zenaida macroura) perched on a Sycamore tree branch in the early morning light in a backyard in Reno. Nevada, USA, January

Luiz Claudio Marigo / Two Scaled Doves (Columbina squammata) perching. The Pantanal wetlands of Mato Grosso State, Center-West of Brazil.

Staffan Widstrand / Galapagos Dove (Zenaida galapagoensis) perched on rock. Punta Suarez, Espaniola, Galapagos, Ecuador, April.

Markus Varesvuo / Lichtenstein's Sandgrouse (Pterocles lichtensteinii)male, Israel, May

Kevin Schafer / Emerald Dove (Chalcophaps indica) male on rainforest floor. Kuranda National Park, Atherton Tablelands, Queensland, Australia.

Kevin Schafer / Emerald Dove (Chalcophaps indica) male on rainforest floor. Kuranda National Park, Atherton Tablelands, Queensland, Australia.

Colin Varndell / Woodpigeon (Columba palumbus) perched on branch stretching wing, Dorset, UK, May.

Stephen Dalton / Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus) on nest. UK, July.

Stephen Dalton / A pair of Barred Ground Doves / Zebra Doves (Geopelia striata) on a rock. Seychelles, March.

Stephen Dalton / Barred Ground Dove / Zebra Dove (Geopelia striata) feeding on bread on a chair. Seychelles, March.

Colin Varndell / Adult Wood pigeon (Columba palumbus). Dorset, UK, April.

Fergus Gill / Collared dove (Streptopelia decaocto) resting on a snowy branch in winter. Perthshire, Scotland, December

Mark Carwardine / Wood pigeon / Woodpigeon (Columba palumbus) perched on twig, Gloucestershire, UK, June

Mark Carwardine / Wood pigeon (Columba palumbus) portrait, Gloucestershire, UK, December

Mark Carwardine / Wood pigeon / Woodpigeon (Columba palumbus) portrait, Gloucestershire, UK, March

Mark Carwardine / Wood pigeon / woodpigeon (Columba palumbus) portrait, Gloucestershire, UK, March

Mark Carwardine / Feral pigeon (Columba livia) portrait, showing very similar plumage to rock dove, Gloucestershire, UK, March

Mark Carwardine / Feral pigeon (Columba livia) showing very similar plumage to rock dove, Gloucestershire, UK

Tony Heald / Burchell's / Variegated sandgrouse [Pterocles burchelli] drinking, Etosha National Park, Namibia, August

Pete Oxford / Galapagos dove (Zenaida galapagoensis) Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos Islands, endemic

Bernard Castelein / Hill Pigeon (Columba rupestris) preening feathers, sitting in hole in wall, Tsomoriri lake, Ladakh, India, June

Bernard Castelein / Hill Pigeon (Columba rupestris) on rocks, Tsomoriri lake, Ladakh, India

Philippe Clement / Eurasian Collared dove (Streptopelia decaocto) drinking from bird bath in garden in summer, Belgium, June

Ernie Janes / White fantail doves (Columba livia) on tower, UK, March

David Tipling / Man feeding Feral pigeons (Columba livia) in front of Gandan Monastery in Ulan Bator, Mongolia, September 2008

Andrew Walmsley / Print on a window after impact by Woodpigeon, (Columba palumbus) bottom print, and possibly a Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) top print. Windermere, Cumbria May 2010

Andrew Walmsley / Print on window after impact from Woodpigeon (Columba palumbus) Windermere, Cumbria, England, May 2010

Laurent Geslin / Wood pigeon (Columba palumbus) drinking beside a discarded coke can in Paris, France

Laurent Geslin / Wood pigeon (Columba palumbus) standing by a discarded coke can in Paris, France

Laurent Geslin / Wood pigeon (Columba palumbus) on a bush in Paris, France

Laurent Geslin / Ring necked dove (Streptopelia capicola) Chobe National Park, Botswana, Southern Africa, August

Laurent Geslin / Wood pigeons (Columba palumbus) nesting in a stone gutter. Paris, France

Laurent Geslin / Wood pigeons (Columba palumbus) nesting in a stone gutter in Paris, France

Laurent Geslin / Feral pigeon portrait (Columba livia) in Paris, France

Laurent Geslin / Male and female Feral pigeons (Columba palumbus) touching beaks. Paris, France

Laurent Geslin / Male Feral pigeon (Columba livia) with wings spread, mating with female. Paris, France

Laurent Geslin / Male and female Feral pigeons (Columba livia) sitting together on a wall. Paris, France

Laurent Geslin / Male and female Feral pigeons (Columba livia) touching beaks. Paris, France

Laurent Geslin / Male Feral pigeon with wings spread (Columba livia) mating with female, Paris, France

Kevin Schafer / Nicobar pigeon (Caloenas nicobarica) Nicobar Islands, India. Captive

Michel Poinsignon / Wood pigeon (Columba palumbus) perched in Scots pine tree (Pinus syvestris) Lorraine, France, May

Andrew Walmsley / Wood pigeon (Columba palumbus) in garden, Lake District, Cumbria, England, May

Andrew Walmsley / Wood pigeon (Columba palumbus) amongst Bluebells in garden, Lake District, Cumbria, England, May

Christophe Courteau / Speckled / Green pigeon (Columba guinea) and moon, South Africa, June

Mark Carwardine / Pink pigeon (Columba / Nesoenas mayeri) threatened / endangered species, Black River Gorges, Mauritius, Indian Ocean, wild

Mark Carwardine / Pink pigeon (Columba / Nesoenas mayeri) threatened / endangered species, Black River Gorges, Mauritius, Indian Ocean, wild

Mark Carwardine / Pink pigeon (Nesoenas / Columba mayeri) threatened / endangered species, Black River Gorges, Mauritius, Indian Ocean, wild

Steve Knell / Woodpigeon (Columba palumbus) perched on branch. Yorkshire, England, May

Dave Bevan / Wood pigeon (Columba palumbus) killed by Sparrowhawk, Norfolk, UK

Gerrit Vyn / White-tipped Dove (Leptotila verreauxi) walking along sandy ground, Starr County, Texas, USA, March.

Laurent Geslin / Collared dove (Streptopelia decaocto) nesting on a balcony, with view of urban landscape behind, France, March.

Laurent Geslin / Wood pigeons (Columba palumbus) perched on the wall, urban park, Paris, France, April.

Laurent Geslin / Wood pigeon (Columba palumbus) perched on a wall, urban park, Paris, France, April.

Laurent Geslin / Wood pigeon (Columba palumbus) perched on a wall, urban park, Paris, France, April.