Common Wood Pigeon drinking

This week my Saturday Bird is the Common Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus) or Wood Pigeon it was known as when I was growing up. Some references hyphenate Wood-pigeon and I’ve also seen it referenced as Woodpigeon. It’s primarily a European species although its range does extend into western Asia.

The bird is drinking at a small garden pond at Faddiley near Nantwich in southern Cheshire, England. This angle shows the iridescent feathers around the neck and shoulders.