We report several aspects of the nesting biology of columbids, with emphasis on nest and egg characteristics, incubation and nestling period, in natural Cerrado formations and disturbed areas in the Distrito Federal, central Brazil. During the reproductive seasons of 2002 through 2009 we monitored 99 columbid nests, including Ruddy Ground-dove (Columbina talpacoti), Scaled Dove (C. squammata), Picazuro Pigeon (Patagioaenas picazuro), and Pale-vented Pigeon (P. cayennensis). Nests of Picazuro Pigeons (n = 60) were mostly within a reserve, at heights from 0.9 to 6.5 m and clutch size was usually one. On average, incubation period lasted 14 days and nestling period lasted 19.2 ± 7.4 days. Nests of Ruddy Ground-doves (n = 34) were mainly in the disturbed area at heights from 0.4 to 7.0 m and clutch size was one or two. Incubation period lasted 14 days and nestling period lasted 12.9 ± 2.4 days (mini- mum 10 and maximum 18 days). Nests of Scaled Doves (n = 3) were in the disturbed area, placed from 1.1 to 3.0 m and had two eggs or nestlings. Nests of Pale-vented Pigeons (n = 2) were at heights of 1.7 and 2.3 m in a palm swamp in the reserve interior and clutch size was one. The breeding patterns (e.g. nesting habitats, nest height, clutch size, incubation and nestling periods, egg color and measurements) found in this study are in accordance with those of columbids in general and other studies done with spe- cies from Central and South America.