Editing Columbidae (section)

===Feathers===
[[File:Pigeon Feathers - A Dissection Sampling.pdf|thumb|Pigeon feather types, excluding [[Down feather|down]]]]
Columbidae have unique body [[feather]]s, with the shaft being generally broad, strong, and flattened, tapering to a fine point, abruptly.<ref name=":1" /> In general, the aftershaft is absent; however, small ones on some tail and wing feathers may be present.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lK_tb2TICq8C&pg=PA313|title=Aves (Columbidae to Coraciidae)|last1=Schodde|first1=Richard|last2=Mason|first2=I. J.|date=1997|publisher=Csiro Publishing|isbn=978-0-643-06037-1}}</ref> Body feathers have very dense, fluffy bases, are attached loosely into the skin, and drop out easily.<ref>{{Cite journal|author=Skutch, A. F.|year=1964|title=Life Histories of Central American Pigeons|url=https://sora.unm.edu/sites/default/files/journals/wilson/v076n03/p0211-p0247.pdf|journal=Wilson Bulletin|volume=76|issue=3|page=211}}</ref> Possibly serving as a [[Anti-predator adaptation|predator avoidance mechanism]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://diversityoflife2012.wikispaces.com/Pigeon|title=DiversityofLife2012 – Pigeon|website=diversityoflife2012.wikispaces.com|access-date=23 April 2017|archive-date=6 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201106102827/http://diversityoflife2012.wikispaces.com/Pigeon|url-status=dead}}</ref> large numbers of feathers fall out in the attacker's mouth if the bird is snatched, facilitating the bird's escape. The [[plumage]] of the family is variable.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=40mFwoALUFUC&pg=PA316|title=Birds of Venezuela|last=Hilty|first=Steven L.|date=2002|publisher=Princeton University Press|isbn=978-1-4008-3409-9}}</ref>

[[Seed predation|Granivorous]] species tend to have dull plumage, with a few exceptions, whereas the [[Frugivore|frugivorous]] species have brightly coloured plumage.<ref name="HBW2">{{cite book|title=Handbook of birds of the world|last1=Baptista|first1=L. F.|last2=Trail|first2=P. W.|last3=Horblit|first3=H. M.|publisher=Lynx Edicions|year=1997|isbn=978-84-87334-22-1|editor-last1=del Hoyo|editor-first1=J.|volume=4: Sandgrouse to Cuckoos|place=Barcelona|chapter=Family Columbidae (Doves and Pigeons)|editor-last2=Elliott|editor-first2=A.|editor-last3=Sargatal|editor-first3=J.|chapter-url-access=registration|chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/handbookofbirdso0001unse}}</ref> The genera ''Chalcophaps'', ''Ptilinopus'' and ''Alectroenas'' include some of the most brightly coloured pigeons. Pigeons and doves may be sexually monochromatic or [[Sexual dimorphism|dichromatic]].<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Valdez|first1=Diego Javier|last2=Benitez-Vieyra|first2=Santiago Miguel|date=2016|title=A Spectrophotometric Study of Plumage Color in the Eared Dove (''Zenaida auriculata''), the Most Abundant South American Columbiforme|journal=PLOS ONE|volume=11|issue=5|pages=e0155501|bibcode=2016PLoSO..1155501V|doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0155501|pmc=4877085|pmid=27213273|doi-access=free}}</ref> In addition to bright colours, some pigeon species may have crests or other ornamentation.<ref name=":122">{{Cite web|url=http://creagrus.home.montereybay.com/pigeons.html|title=Pigeon family Columbidae|website=creagrus.home.montereybay.com}}</ref>
[[File:Snow Pigeon Flock Flying Pangolakha WLS Sikkim India 11.02.2016.jpg|thumb|right|[[Snow pigeon]]s flying at an altitude of {{Convert|12000|ft|m}} above sea level]]