GEOGRAPHIC SIZE VARIATION IN ROCK PIGEONS, COLUMBA-LIVIA

The rock pigeon Columba livia has a large Afro-Eurasian distribution t hroughout which it shows significant variation in size. Individuals fr om the British Isles are of intermediate size, and those to the south and at eastern Mediterranean localities are smaller. East of Iraq, how ever, and extending through Pakistan to the Himalayas, sizes average f rom intermediate to decidedly large. Interior populations of the North African desert have small individuals, whether from low or high eleva tions. Current infraspecific taxonomy does not accurately reflect size variation.