• The common wood pigeon is the largest pigeon species in the forests of Eurasia, with a body length exceeding 40 cm and a weight reaching up to 930 grams.
• The common wood pigeon, despite its large size and bulky body, is capable of performing breathtaking acrobatic maneuvers in the air.
• Common wood pigeons carefully inspect each piece of nesting material with their beak before deciding whether to use it or discard it.

The common wood pigeon has short, strong beaks suited for gathering seeds and acorns from the ground, and adult individuals possess yellow or orange eyes with dark pupils that aid in long-distance vision. Adult plumage is greyish-blue with bright white patches on the sides of the neck and a white stripe on the wing; young birds after rapid growth have grey plumage with less vibrant white spots on the neck than adults. The species’ wings are broad and strong, enabling swift flight between trees. A fledgling has a short beak with soft waxy material used to take food from the parents' crop, and its body is covered in soft yellowish down that helps retain heat. The young also have plumage that is grey with less pronounced white spots on the neck than adults.