For centuries, pigeons have been kept for their beauty, for racing and message carrying, and for their meat. There are more than 200 distinct breeds of domestic pigeons, all descended from the rock dove. The breeds vary greatly in color, markings, and habits, but are only slightly different in size. Domestic pigeons may live 35 years.

Pigeons often are kept as pets or for show purposes. Pouters and fantails strut and dance with the chest puffed up. Rollers and tumblers are acrobats in flight.

Homing pigeons are trained to return to the roost over long distances. They are used today mainly for pigeon racing, a popular sport in many countries. They have also been used—since the time of the ancient Egyptians—to carry messages, especially during wartime. When they are so used, the birds are called carrier pigeons. It is not unusual for a homing pigeon to fly a distance of 500 miles (about 800 km) between dawn and dusk.

Plump fledgling pigeons, raised for the table, are called squabs. In the United States, most squabs are produced in private lofts for family consumption. There also are commercial squab farms near most large cities.

Escaped pigeons readily become semi-wild. They often remain near man, and may become pests around buildings or harm crops.

The American Racing Pigeon Union, founded in 1910, has 12,000 members. The National Pigeon Association (1921) has 1,500 members who raise pigeons for commercial, racing, and exhibition purposes. The association sponsors the annual Grand National Pigeon Show and publishes a quarterly magazine, National Pigeon Review.