I Love Pigeons

[itsnotmeitsu]

I think pigeons have a really bad press. Also, for me, any bird deserves to be preserved [not in a food-type way of course :-(] Several years ago I read a newspaper article whilst on holiday in The Canaries about why pigeons are judged unfairly. Since then I've championed them. I love to hear my native pigeon families cooing from my trees. I have my returning families, alongside the Blackbirds, the Sparrows and the Robins (oh, and the foxes and squirrels).

Today I looked out of my bathroom window and saw a Magpie on the patio chair. Not a fan of Magpies at all (murderers) but was thinking, 'Oh, you're not just black and white; you've also got lovely green/blue plumage'. Then noticed another Magpie by the gate next to the chair. The Magpie on the garden chair hopped onto the chair arm and I exclaimed, 'Oh you sod, you're trying to eat the bees!' The bees were feasting inside the Foxgloves on the patio. I dashed outside to frighten the birds off.

Now I realise I'm quite mad to be talking to birds from inside my house, but I wish pigeons weren't judged as thugs of the bird world as they're pretty useless as survivers compared to other birds.

Pigeons in the countryside can have the time of their life.
Pigeons in town are vermin and need to go. I hate pigeons.

I live in a city. I hate to see parents encouraging their children to ill-treat pigeons.

Totally agree. I have two ‘pet’ pigeons called Charles and Eddie that live in the tree in my front garden.

Pigeons are really quite clever birds, I kept a few and they had proper personalities. There were also pigeon war heroes, they have been used to recognise people lost at sea.
Many of the much maligned pigeons are those lost from racing that have been released and are just searching for food.
The queen, Elvis and gucci are/were pigeon fanciers.

There's a brilliant Pigeon Rescue charity (in London) who come out 24 hours a day to rescue pigeons who've been injured or have got stuck somewhere, including on train tracks. They're part of the London Wildlife Protection Network. I think people think no one really cares about the pigeons in the city but they do. They're on Facebook www.facebook.com/PigeonRescueTeam

Mil is currently looking after a baby pigeon which fell into her garden from a very very high nest with no way to get it back in. She's not a fan of pigeons but couldn't let it die, been with her for a week!

@mollyplus1 > Am I remembering this wrong, or did Charles and Eddie sing 'Did I Lie to You'?

Not your pigeons of course :-)

@lloe7

Mil is currently looking after a baby pigeon which fell into her garden from a very very high nest with no way to get it back in. She's not a fan of pigeons but couldn't let it die, been with her for a week!

😍😍😍😍 adorable!!

[quote itsnotmeitsu]@mollyplus1 > Am I remembering this wrong, or did Charles and Eddie sing 'Did I Lie to You'?[/quote]
Haha that's what instantly came to my one too

I bought a bird feeder last year to encourage lots of birds to the garden and I've pretty much only had wood pigeons so you'd love it here. I was a bit disappointed to be honest, I was hoping for blue tits and the like but I've learnt to love them. They're so gormless and funny. When they turn up and the feeder is empty they look sort of offended. We refer to them each as BFP or Big Fat Pigeon. They don't half eat a lot, though.

[quote itsnotmeitsu]@mollyplus1 > Am I remembering this wrong, or did Charles and Eddie sing 'Did I Lie to You'?[/quote]
They did except it was called ‘would I lie to you?’

I’m not lying to you though

@lloe7 > Good for your mum. I wish people would find out more about creatures, rather than just judging them.

Loving responses on here :) I really needed some goodwill and I've got it. The pigeon response from most makes me feel good - thanks :-)

I’ve found my people! I love pigeons and every time I’ve said that in real life friends and family have reacted like I’m mad for some reason.
They get such a bad press when they’re such funny little things really. They’re so inoffensive imo and I don’t quite get the bad rap they get.

I used to rescue pigeons regularly on my way home from school as a child. I couldn't pass by if they had an injured wing or something. My local vets got quite used to me stopping in with a pigeon every few months.

Pigeons are the best, so daft and comical. I moved recently, but the house I just left had great pigeons who loved the bird bath, and there was one who properly used it as a bath - it would get in, and just sit there, not splashing around like normal birds, but just have a nice soak.

I also like the way they fly, with their big, swooping dives. And their funny head tilts.

There's no such bird as a pigeon. There's over 340 different species in the pigeon/dove family. In the uk the regularly occurring species are (feral) rock dove, wood pigeon,collared dove, stock dove and turtle dove.

Yanbu, I love pigeons. City seagulls on the other hand are vicious, feathery gits.

There’s a fat pigeon that sits on my fence most days, I have named him Fat Pigeon affectionately and am happy to see him.

@SionnachRua

Yanbu, I love pigeons. City seagulls on the other hand are vicious, feathery gits.

Agreed, apart from that one seagull who stole a bag of crisps from Greggs, he’s a legend.

I hate those disgusting sky rats

We've got loads of pigeons nesting in our trees - I love watching them!

We feed them when we feed the ducks too - my 3 year old gets very excited when they eat from her hand

I love them too! We give them names and enjoy watching them. One is incredibly tame - he’s been coming for ages. He sits and looks in the window waiting for his dinner. There’s a lot of ignorance about them sadly. In the First World War they were invaluable for delivering messages and flew through gunfire and over trenches.

I like pigeons. They’re not aggressive like seagulls. I could do without them having their little meetings in the middle of the road every single morning when I’m trying to drive though.