Pigeons actually make good very good pets, provided that you choose the domesticated kind. Always choose healthy birds and responsible breeders.
Pigeon Care
When purchasing birds always inspect the housing conditions to ensure it is clean and birds look healthy. Avoid birds with dull or damaged plumage, eye or nose discharge, and any signs of injury or lethargy. Commercial pigeon feed can be purchased, and vitamins can be added to the water source to provide any extra nutritional needs.
Behavior of the Pigeon
Because these birds are relatively helpless, and quite susceptible to predation, they remain in flocks very frequently. In large groups a single bird is much less likely to be targeted, and the movement of many animals can confuse predators. Some of the birds in a flock are producers, and locate the food sources. The others are scroungers, and join in on the feeding after the producers have located food.
Reproduction of the Pigeon
Reproduction can happen at any time of year, especially in areas where food is plentiful. It is, however, much more common in spring and summertime. Their nests are built in cliff faces as well as ledges and roofs of buildings.
The female lays two eggs, and both parents incubate those eggs for 17 – 19 days. Baby pigeons are called “squabs,” and are fed crop milk that is produced by the parents. After approximately 30 days the squabs will learn to fly and become self sustaining.
Beliefs, Superstitions, and Phobias About the Pigeon
These birds are present in both Egyptian Hieroglyphics and Mesopotamian cuneiform tablets. In fact, these historical references are how we know that pigeons were domesticated at least 5,000 years ago! Humans have such a large impact on this species that it is nearly impossible to know what their true original range was and if they were introduced into their “native” areas by human means.
