Columbiformes contains plump land birds with small heads and short legs with reticulate scales. Feet not webbed, toes short. They have short bills with a down-curved culmen and a fleshy cere. All have a large crop, and most also have a muscular gizzard. The crop is the source of "pigeon milk" that is fed to the young. Their dense plumage is easily detached. Food consists primarily of fruits, seeds and grain. Some are exclusively frugivorous.

Total of two families, with Raphidae (Dodo & Solitaire) recently extinct. Earlier the family Pteroclidae, also spelled as Pteroclididae (sandgrouse) was a part of this order but has now been moved to Pteroclidiformes. The family Columbidae is represented by 28 species in India.

Family: Columbidae

Sub-family: Columbinae

Nilgiri Wood-Pigeon Columba elphinstonii - widespread resident
Pale-backed Pigeon Columba eversmanni - sparse winter visitor
Speckled Wood-Pigeon Columba hodgsonii - local resident
Snow Pigeon Columba leuconota - local resident
Rock Pigeon Columba livia - widespread common resident
Andaman Wood-Pigeon Columba palumboides - local resident
Common Wood-Pigeon Columba palumbus - sparse winter visitor
Ashy Wood-Pigeon Columba pulchricollis - local resident
Pale-capped Pigeon Columba punicea - local resident
Hill Pigeon Columba rupestris - local resident
Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensis - widespread resident
Eurasian Collared-Dove Streptopelia decaocto - widespread common resident
Oriental Turtle-Dove Streptopelia orientalis - widespread resident & winter visitor
Laughing Dove Streptopelia senegalensis - widespread resident
Red Collared-Dove Streptopelia tranquebarica - widespread resident
Andaman Cuckoo-Dove Macropygia rufipennis - local resident
Barred Cuckoo-Dove Macropygia unchall - local resident
Emerald Dove Chalcophaps indica - widespread resident
Nicobar Pigeon Caloenas nicobarica - local resident

Sub-family: Treroninae

Pin-tailed Green-Pigeon Treron apicauda - local resident
Orange-breasted Green-Pigeon Treron bicincta - widespread resident
Thick-billed Green-Pigeon Treron curvirostra - widespread resident
Yellow-footed Green-Pigeon Treron phoenicoptera - widespread resident
Pompadour Green-Pigeon Treron pompadora - widespread resident
Wedge-tailed Green-Pigeon Treron sphenura - local resident
Green Imperial-Pigeon Ducula aenea - widespread resident
Mountain Imperial-Pigeon Ducula badia - widespread resident
Pied Imperial-Pigeon Ducula bicolor - local resident