Common Pigeon Or Rock Pigeon, 2. Stock Photo

The common pigeon or rock pigeon, the domesticated pigeon, Columba livia domestica, is such a successful bird as to be the most common bird around the world. Their habitats are everything from cliffs and rock, or skyscraper ledges, to the very ground we all walk on.The pidgin was domesticated at least five thousand years ago, and some have been so well trained, they were even used during WW2 as carriers, bringing not just messages but medicine to the troops. In fact, of all the animals that received medals of honor during the wars, the pigeon received more than any other.Still, humans need to be cautious about contagions passed by pigeons.