Random Facts about Pigeons and other Birds

You might think that you know everything about pigeons simply because you see them every day as you drive through the city streets in your way to your office. But there are so many other things which you might not know about these birds. Read through this article to see which facts are new to you.

- Pigeons used to be very significant in the 17th century that a decree declared the birds as the property of the monarch of England.

- Before pigeon droppings became known as carriers of harmful bacteria and viruses, these excretions were used as the main ingredient in making gun powder.

- Pigeons have been living alongside human civilizations for more than 5000 years already. Archaeologists were able to find pigeon paintings that date back to 3000 BC.

- Unlike other birds, pigeons can see in full color. They also have very excellent vision and they can see ultraviolet light which the human eye can no longer see. This exceptional vision capability is the reason why pigeons are used in many search and rescue operations.

- Just like doves, pigeons have been mentioned in the Bible as part of the customary offerings.

- Male pigeons are a little larger than their female counterparts. This characteristic is true to most animals.

- Until now, some armies are still using pigeons for communication purposes. Nonetheless, pigeons are indeed used to deliver letters and other important parcels in the past. The founder of the Reuters even used pigeons for the same purposes.

- The most commonly found pigeon in the world is now extinct. They are the passenger pigeons whose population reached to about 5 billion in North America alone in the 1800s.

- Pigeon produce a kind of secretion that is very nutritious. Because pigeons use this to feed their young, it became known as pigeon milk. And, would you be surprised to know that both male and female pigeons can produce pigeon milk?

- It only takes 18 to 19 days for a pigeon egg to hatch.

- The rock pigeon specie became widely domesticated not as pets but as a meat source.

- England's Queen Elizabeth is so fond of pigeons that she ordered that pigeon lofts are installed in her estate in Norfolk.

- Sikhism considers pigeons as sacred birds and feeding on their meat is assumed to bring forth benefits to the person eating it.

- Many people use the terms pigeons and doves interchangeable although these two actually refers to two different types of birds. The two may have a lot of similarities but they also have very distinct characteristics. In general, pigeons are a bit larger than the doves. Both birds belong to Columbidae which is a very large bird family.

- The famous wealthy family in Europe, the Rothschild, increased their wealth by using pigeons to communicate for their business. They have used the birds in the 1800s and from then on, the family is able to expand their networks throughout Europe and the later on, to the rest of the world.

- The most common pigeon predators found in the cities are the cats. In rural areas, the predators include the eagles, owls and raccoons.

- After hatching, a baby pigeon will only need six months to reach puberty. At this stage, the birds are already capable of reproduction. Pigeons can live for up to 15 years and continue to reproduce during their entire lifetime.

Other Bird Facts

You might be interested to learn some random facts about other birds too. Read through the following:

- Green Herons have developed human-like behaviour in fishing. They use baits to lure fished close to them before they dive in to make the catch.

- Measuring 47 centimetres, the Australian Pelicans are considered as the birds with the longest beaks.

- There is a kind of bird that can poison anyone who tries to eat their flesh. These birds are known as the Hooded Pitohui.

- The only bird that can fly backwards is the hummingbird.

- The Dodo bird which is related to the overpopulated pigeon species in the cities is now extinct. As of now, only photos of the Dodo remain for the human civilization to see.

- The heaviest bird that can fly in the world is the Great Bustard. If we include those that can't, of course the Ostrich would get the honour.

- If we account for all the parrots in the world, we will reach a count of 350 different species.

- As a form of courtship, the Male Frigate birds use their inflatable throats to attract their female counterparts. The throats are red and are very bright.

- You will know what a specific bird species eats in the wild by simply examining its beak.

- According to records, about 1 billion birds die every year.

- Some parrot species do not mind flying over a distance of 500 miles each day just to look for food.

- While you might assume that for an animal to be classified as a bird, it has to have wings. This is not the case with the Kiwi found in New Zealand. It is considered as a bird because of its other features although it does not have wings.

- The longest hatching egg in the bird kingdom is that laid by the Royal Albatross. It takes about 79 days because it hatches.

- The world's smallest owl weighs 1.5 ounce only.

- The bird that lived the longest life in captivity is named Charlie. It is a Macaw with blue and gold colors and was originally owned by Winston Churchill. His children inherited the bird that celebrated its 104th birthday last 2004. No news about Charlie has been reported but if it is still alive, it should be around 110 years old.

If you are interested to learn more facts about pigeons, read through the articles I have posted in this blog. You can find these articles in the archive section below.