A Wild Dove Chase - Rock Dove Conservation and Hybridization

Explore the fascinating world of Rock Doves in this collaborative annual lecture with the British Ornithological Club. Delve into the often-overlooked wild form of the domestic pigeon, examining its current status and the challenges it faces due to hybridization with feral domestic pigeons. Learn about recent research identifying Rock Dove populations in the UK and Ireland that have experienced limited interbreeding, and understand the conservation implications and scientific opportunities these findings present. Discover how this research serves as a case study for 'extinction by hybridisation' and provides valuable natural comparisons for scientists studying domestic pigeons in laboratories. Gain insights from Will Smith, a PhD graduate in Zoology from the Edward Grey Institute of Field Ornithology, as he shares his work on avian genomics, non-native birds in Britain, parasite infection's impact on evolution, and the application of citizen science in zoological monitoring.