Feral pigeon with feathered legs and feet?

[Wee Timmy]

I’ve been seeing this guy for about a year at the local park. He looks just like a normal feral pigeon but he has feathered legs and feet. Is he an escaped domestic or is this a naturally occurring mutation? If so, does it just pop up in clean legged populations or do the parents have to carry a feathered leg gene? And has anyone else seen a feral with feathered feet before? By the way, his name is Lenard.

 

[sourland]

Either an escaped domestic or the progeny of one.

 

[purslanegarden]

What species is it? The ones I have, have those feathered feet, but I have not tried to ID it because from what I've seen, many of these pigeons have this same kind of feather color scheme but are called all different sorts of names.

 

[jak2002003]

It's not a fancy breed. It is a feral pigeon with the genetic mutation for feather feet.

Perhaps some time back in its parents history there was a cross with a fancy feathered legged domestic pigeon.

I have seen a few exactly the same as yours in feral flocks over the years.

If it was one of the feather legged fancy pedigree breeds there would be much more feathering (longer and more bushy) on the legs and feet.

 

[Hokum Coco]

Is he an escaped domestic

Yes all pigeons in North America are escaped domestics. They are a kin to rabbits in Australia not native to the country they inhabit.

 

[Wee Timmy]

What species is it? The ones I have, have those feathered feet, but I have not tried to ID it because from what I've seen, many of these pigeons have this same kind of feather color scheme but are called all different sorts of names.

Rock dove or rock pigeon. That’s what all feral and domestic pigeons descended from.