March 15, 2026
Nature Done Wright
Incorporating the Celery Farm and Screech Owl Companion blogs
Monday Morning Mystery 022111
I saw this bird earlier this month at Newark Airport at Terminal C leaving the baggage claim after a short flight.
What kind of bird is it? Please be specific.
Quite a few clues here. Answer appears tomorrow unless I forget.
4 comments
-
Normally much more “statuesque”
Since no luggage in hand, obviously not a “carrier” pigeon
Although with the traffic outside the door, likely to become “carri-on” -
I suppose the official name is (or was) “Rock Dove” but depending on what kind of music was being played over the loud speakers, it could even be a Rap Dove. With its scientific name “Columbia livia” (or should it be “Coo-lumbia”?) we might sing “Columbia Rules the Airport”.
Alternate names: “peregrine Food” and, based on what it probably has left behind, “Stool Pigeon” -
I saw the same on February 16th while returning.
Smart Rock Pigeon staying out of the cold! -
I’m leaning toward extinct or mythical.
The bird appears to be silent, so not a Great “Awk”.
It is walking, not flying, so maybe a “flightless” Dodo.
It is dove-like in appearance – a “Roc” pigeon?
Perhaps, being at an airport, it is a “passenger” pigeon.
I give up–not enough clues.






4 comments
Joe A
Normally much more “statuesque”
Since no luggage in hand, obviously not a “carrier” pigeon
Although with the traffic outside the door, likely to become “carri-on”
Tom Burr
I suppose the official name is (or was) “Rock Dove” but depending on what kind of music was being played over the loud speakers, it could even be a Rap Dove. With its scientific name “Columbia livia” (or should it be “Coo-lumbia”?) we might sing “Columbia Rules the Airport”.
Alternate names: “peregrine Food” and, based on what it probably has left behind, “Stool Pigeon”
Deedeeburnside
I saw the same on February 16th while returning.
Smart Rock Pigeon staying out of the cold!
Joe Lafferty
I’m leaning toward extinct or mythical.
The bird appears to be silent, so not a Great “Awk”.
It is walking, not flying, so maybe a “flightless” Dodo.
It is dove-like in appearance – a “Roc” pigeon?
Perhaps, being at an airport, it is a “passenger” pigeon.
I give up–not enough clues.