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.

I love this thread. Well, the pigeon loving posts anyway!

Last year we had a pair of almost fledged babies in a nest in the hedge that divides our garden with next door. Think of hedge above the dividing wall that’s attached to a garage. Sorry, need a diagram. NDN moved his ladders very loudly and abruptly one day - stored on top of the garage - he had no idea the nest was there, couldn’t see it from his side.

Parents just disappeared! Throughout the entire day they didn’t come back. The babies just sat there with that clueless look on their faces. We got in touch with the Wildlife Hospital that is very close to us, they advised if the parents don’t return by 9pm to bring the babies inside and take them to the Hospital the next morning.

So, one nest in a box in the utility with 2 clueless confused juvenile pigeons. Nest intact. Dropped them off at the Hospital first thing….still no sign of any parent until the next morning, cue one pigeon flying in looking like “I’m sure I left a nest here”. We felt so bad for the parent but the babies thrived and fledged!

PS nest was 2m from our lounge window so we could see really well.

I meant no sign of a parent until 24 hours after they went to the Hospital.

Also: after hearing Greg James Radio 1 on what people think pigeons are actually saying when they do their familiar repetitive coo:

“You can’t fly, Judy”

I can’t unhear it now!

I agree OP, although seagulls are the devil's creation - wretched skyrats

You see I love seagulls as well, they're so feisty! I'd quite like one to sit on my hand like a bird of prey or Hedwig, but I'm assured by falconers that they won't do it.

And when people call them scavengers, I'm sorry, but that seagull just wanted that sandwich/ice cream/cone of chips more and is quicker and cleverer than you are.

I don't know why people are so offended by wildlife doing what wildlife does, it's not for us to amend the behaviour of all other species to best suit us. Vermin indeed, imagine what they'd think of you!

We have several wood pigeons I. The gardens around us. I like them with their chubby waddles across the lawn. And their chickeny pecks at the grass seed I’ve just put down. And I like how they don’t really care that I’m sat out there with my cup of tea saying “shoo”.

pigeon fan here too, we have several who visit our new bird table along with sea gulls [near the sea] and other birds. Just love to see them.

We have a local memorial to a pigeon that won an award for war service, carrying vital messages across the sea despite being shot at and suffering horrendous injuries. It makes me cry a bit. They are amazing!

I rescued a city pigeon from the floods in 2007. It was just sat outside a shop looking miserable, I went towards it and it didn’t budge, I think it was waterlogged. I thought some horrible little shite will come along and kick that to death. So I got a cardboard box from the shop and scooped it up. Wading across a car park already flooded with a foot of water, carrying a card board box and all my work stuff was not my most glamorous hour. Got it home, sat it in front of the radiator and it was fine by morning.

@mollypuss1 > Today I've seen an advert (can't remember what for) that features Charles and Eddie's 'Would I Lie to You?'. Hope your pigeons get royalties

I can hear a wood pigeon hoo-hooing down the chimney as I write this. I’m rather fond of them, they’re quite entertaining and attractive creatures. We have collared doves here too, more svelte than the plump waddling wood pigeons.

I love pigeons too. (We have lots of pigeon fanciers in the family as well.)

One thing that I have always found fascinating about them is that they can use their beak like a straw and effectively "suck" water in without having to lift their head from the water source whilst they drink. This is different to most other birds, which have to lift their head to "throw" the water back into their throat. Clever things!

Pigeons are considered by many to be 'aggressive'. But the article I read which made me come to respect them said they 'clatter' their wings at the bird invading their territory. They're not aggressive - they just stick their wing out and flap you with it, in the hope that will work. Also, the idea that they steal other smaller birds' food from bird feeders: They can't do that because of their beaks - they prat around underneath the birdfeeder in the hope of picking up what other birds have dropped.

I love them! We call them all variants of Fat Tony ... I forget why but there's OGFT (the original) Mrs FT, Sister FT, Father FT etc etc.

I love all birds though, even Starlings and they're bullying little shits when it comes to feeding them.

@Snooks1971

Also: after hearing Greg James Radio 1 on what people think pigeons are actually saying when they do their familiar repetitive coo:

“You can’t fly, Judy”

I can’t unhear it now!

That's much better than the annoying phrase I alluded to upthread.

starlings are on the red list so you have to give them a free pass

We have a little darling wood pigeon in our garden at the moment. White head and light grey brown body.

She's obviously nest building and spends her time picking up tiny twig after tiny twig. She turns them in her beak and shakes them then drops them if she's unhappy and starts over. When she finds the perfect stick she'll fly off for a bit before reappearing.

She's quite young and very beautiful. I'm just praying our cats don't get her as she's very tame.

@ZingDramaQueenOfSheeba

I hate those disgusting sky rats

Me too, they're vermin whether in town or country. We also seem to have had a huge number of rooks this years, the dawn chorus, delicate twittering follwed an hour later by things that sound like the Battle of Britain in my garden Think I'll invest in an air-rifle.

Human beings branding other species as 'disease carriers' really are the pot calling the kettle black...

Rats of the sky.,,.

Saying that, I'm quite indifferent to them.

Yep, also love ❤️ them

Every time I see one on the platform I give them a bit of my biscotti

My favourite one has a deformed leg - basically it has no foot

I also love it when they get on the tube and go to the next stop

@LaurieFairyCake they do do that!! I was at High Street Kensington once in an absolutely torrential downpour. I kid you not three pigeons casually got on, and then just strutted along the carriage, having a peck at any rubbish, then alighted when we stopped at Earls Court!

Clearly it was not a day for flying

@Snooks1971

Also: after hearing Greg James Radio 1 on what people think pigeons are actually saying when they do their familiar repetitive coo:

“You can’t fly, Judy”

I can’t unhear it now!

According to Radcliffe and maconie on 6 music, woodpigeons are saying "my toe hurts, Betty"

Lot of time for rooks. They persuaded the magpies that built a nest in next door's monkey puzzle to move on.

All you pigeon fanciers need to read the book Homing: On Pigeon's, Dwellings, and Why We Return (by Jon Day).
We had a lost racing pigeon land outside our house and entertain us last year. He was very friendly. He was collected by his owner when we reported his ring number. He gave him a other chance to race a week or so later. But he ended up back in our garden again... he recognised us, walked in the open front door. We encouraged him back outside. He went to the back of the house and stared at us through the kitchen window. He tried to land on my lap, but our dogs were not welcoming... in the end, after hanging around for hours, he flew off and his owner let us know that he had returned days later. Only for the dogs we'd have been tempted to encourage him to stay...