21 amazing facts about pigeons
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Table of Contents
- 1. How old are pigeons?
- 2. Biblical reference
- 3. Pigeon guano – foul or fantastic?
- 4. The pigeon as a war hero
- 5. The pigeon as a messenger
- 6. The religious significance of the pigeon
- 7. Famous pigeons
- 8. ‘Rock dove’ or ‘pigeon’?
- 9. Why do pigeons bob their heads?
- 10. Pigeon-gram Air Mail service
- 11. Pigeons in Wall Street
- 12. Mating habits of the pigeon
- 13. Pigeons are big business
- 14. How do pigeons navigate?
- 15. Famous people and pigeons
- 16. Pigeon disasters
- 17. Pigeons as lifesavers
- 18. Pigeons in the news
- 19. Why do you never see a baby pigeon?
- 20. What is the natural predator of the pigeon?
- 21. Are pigeons intelligent?
1. How old are pigeons?
Pigeons have lived alongside man for thousands of years with the first images of pigeons being found by archaeologists in Mesopotamia (modern Iraq) and dating back to 3000BC.

Urban flock of pigeons
To ancient peoples a white pigeon would have seemed miraculous and this explains why the bird was widely worshipped and considered to be sacred. Throughout human history the pigeon has adopted many roles ranging from symbols of gods and goddesses through to sacrificial victims, messengers, pets, food and even war heroes!
2. Biblical reference
The first biblical reference to the pigeon (or dove) was in the Old Testament of the Bible in the first millennium AC and was the story of Noah and the dove of peace. Later, in the New Testament, the pigeon was first mentioned during the baptism of Christ where the dove descended as the Holy Spirit, an image now used extensively in Christian art. These early biblical references have paved the way for the many different ways that the urban pigeon is viewed in modern societies worldwide. Perception of the pigeon through the centuries has changed from God to devil and from hero to zero!
3. Pigeon guano – foul or fantastic?
Although pigeon guano is seen as a major problem for property owners in the 21st century, it was considered to be an invaluable resource in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries in Europe. Pigeon guano was a highly prized fertiliser and considered to be far more potent than farmyard manure. So prized, in fact, that armed guards were stationed at the entrances to dovecotes (pigeon houses) to stop thieves stealing it! Not only this, but in England in the 16th century pigeon guano was the only known source of saltpetre, an essential ingredient of gunpowder and considered to be a highly valued commodity as a result. In Iran, where eating pigeon flesh was forbidden, dovecotes were set up and used simply as a source of fertilizer for melon crops. In France and Italy it was used to fertilize vineyards and hemp crops.
4. The pigeon as a war hero
In modern times the pigeon has been used to great effect during wartime. In both the First and Second World Wars the pigeon saved hundreds of thousands of human lives by carrying messages across enemy lines. Pigeons were carried on ships in convoys and in the event of a U-boat attack a messenger pigeon was released with details of the location of the sinking ship. In many cases this led to survivors being rescued and lives saved. In the First World War mobile pigeon lofts were set up behind the trenches from which pigeons often had to fly through enemy fire and poison gas to get their messages home. The birds also played a vital role in intelligence gathering and were used extensively behind enemy lines where the survival rate was only 10%. In the Second World War pigeons were used less due to advances in telecommunications, but the birds still relayed invaluable information back to the allies about the German V1 and V2 Rocket sites on the other side of the English Channel.
5. The pigeon as a messenger
The earliest large-scale communication network using pigeons as messengers was established in Syria and Persia around the 5th century BC. Much later, in the 12th century AD, the city of Baghdad and all the main towns and cities in Syria and Egypt were linked by messages carried by pigeons. This was the sole source of communication. In Roman times the pigeon was used to carry results of sporting events, such as the Olympic Games, and this is why white doves are released at the start of the Olympic Games today. In England, prior to the days of telegraphs, pigeons were often taken to football matches and released to carry home the result of the game. Their use as a messenger in wartime resulted in many pigeons being awarded honours by both the British and French Governments. Incredibly, the last ‘pigeon post’ service was abandoned in India in 2004 with the birds being retired to live out the rest of their days in peace.
http://www.indiaprofile.com/religion-culture/gujarat-culture.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_Pigeon
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homing_pigeon
6. The religious significance of the pigeon

Guru Gobind Singh
Other religious groups in India believe that when a person dies his or her soul assumes the form of a bird (normally a pigeon) and therefore by feeding pigeons and other birds they are caring for the souls of their departed ancestors.

Monk Feeding Pigeons
The pigeon is revered in India with huge flocks numbering many thousands of birds being fed daily at Hindu temples in town and city centres throughout the country.
In both eastern and western societies many of the most entrenched pigeon-related problems in urban areas are considered to be caused, certainly in part, by religious feeding of pigeons.
In the Christian religion the pigeon is both a symbol of peace and of the Holy Spirit.
Sources:
http://www.indiaprofile.com/religion-culture/gujarat-culture.htm
www.tailsofbirding.blogspot.com/2007_02_01_archive.html
7. Famous pigeons

Cher Ami -
World War I Hero

President Wilson -
World War I Hero

GI Joe -
World War II hero
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_Pigeon#Feral_pigeons_in_cities
http://pigeonexpresso.com/famous-pigeons.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dickin_Medal
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Croix_de_guerre
8. ‘Rock dove’ or ‘pigeon’?
The feral pigeon that we see in our towns and cities today is descended from the rock dove (Columba livia), a cliff-dwelling bird historically found in coastal regions. The word ‘pigeon’ is actually derived from the Latin word ‘pipio’, which means ‘young bird’. The word then passed into Old French as ‘pijon’ and thus the English name ‘pigeon’ was derived, which is now used the world over as a common name for the rock dove. Other common names include ‘domestic pigeon’ and the ‘feral pigeon’.
In 2004 British and American ornithologists officially re-named the bird the ‘rock pigeon’.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_Pigeon
9. Why do pigeons bob their heads?

Pigeons feeding
http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_016.html
10. Pigeon-gram Air Mail service

Illustration 1: Map of Pigeon Airmail Route

Pigeon-Gram Stamp
Special pigeon-gram stamps were issued costing 2/- (10 pence) each with the fee being paid in cash before the pigeon was released.
www.tepapa.govt.nz/wings/pigeons3.htm
www.homepages.paradise.net.nz/wclark/page1.htm
11. Pigeons in Wall Street

Medals Commemorating the Arrival of the Pigeon Post in Paris 1870
One of the richest and most famous families in the world amassed its wealth, certainly in part, as a result of exploiting the pigeon. In the early 1800s the Rothschild family set up a network of pigeon lofts throughout Europe and used homing pigeons to carry information between its financial houses. This method proved to be quicker and more efficient than any other means of communication available at the time. The speed of the service and the ability to send and receive information ahead of the competition helped the Rothschild family amass a fortune, which still exists today.
http://pigeonexpresso.com/famous-pigeons.html
12. Mating habits of the pigeon

Pigeon Squab and
Egg in Nest

Pigeon Nest
with 2 Eggs

Pigeon Squab -
3 Days Old

Pigeon Squabs -
10 Days Old
13. Pigeons are big business

Champion Racing
Pigeon
http://www.pigeonclubsusa.com/faircount_facts_info_pigeonfacts.htm
14. How do pigeons navigate?
There are many theories about how pigeons manage to return ‘home’ when released 100s of miles from their loft. A champion racing pigeon can be released 400-600 miles away from its home and still return within the day. This amazing feat does not just apply to ‘racing’ or ‘homing’ pigeons; all pigeons have the ability to return to their roost. A 10-year study carried out by Oxford University concluded that pigeons use roads and motorways to navigate, in some cases even changing direction at motorway junctions. Other theories include navigation by use of the earth’s magnetic field, visual clues such as landmarks, the sun and even infrasounds (low frequency seismic waves). Whatever the truth, this unique ability makes the pigeon a very special bird.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/3460977.stm
http://solar-center.stanford.edu/solar-weather/pigeons.html
http://www.txtwriter.com/onscience/Articles/pigeons.html
15. Famous people and pigeons

Noah with the
Dove of Peace

Elvis Presley

Mike Tyson
Even Maurizzo Gucci, the internationally renowned fashion designer, is a keen pigeon fancier spending a reputed $10,000 on one American pigeon. One famous couple, Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward, are reputedly both keen pigeon fanciers, but after being swamped by autograph hunters at a pigeon show they are apparently less comfortable to show their affection for the birds publicly. Last but not least, and probably the most famous of all ... Noah!
http://pigeonracing.homestead.com/FAMOUS_Pigeon_Keepers.html
16. Pigeon disasters

Passenger Pigeon

Passenger Pigeon

Great Pigeon Race 1997
One theory suggests that the sonic boom created by Concorde as it flew over the English Channel, at the precise time the pigeons would have been at the same point, completely disorientated the birds, throwing out their inbuilt navigation system.
http://www.txtwriter.com/onscience/Articles/pigeons.html
http://pigeonexpresso.com/famous-pigeons.html
17. Pigeons as lifesavers
Although the pigeon is one of the most intelligent of all the bird species, man has found limited uses for the birds other than for the purposes of sport, food and as a message carrier. A team of navy researchers, however, has found that pigeons can be trained to save human lives at sea with high success rates. Project Sea Hunt has trained a number of pigeons to identify red or yellow life jackets when floating in the water.

Lifesaving Crew
The pigeons were not only found to be more reliable than humans, but they were also many times quicker when it came to spotting survivors from a capsized or sinking boat. The pigeon can see colour in the same way that humans do but they can also see ultra-violet, a part of the spectrum that humans cannot see, and this is one of the reasons they are so well adapted to lifesaving.
http://www.pigeonclubsusa.com/faircount_facts_info_pigeonfacts.htm
Project PigeonWatch from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology
18. Pigeons in the news

Reuters, News Agency
http://pigeonexpresso.com/famous-pigeons.html
19. Why do you never see a baby pigeon?

Juvenile Pigeons

Juvenile Pigeon
& Mother

Juvenile Pigeons
in Nest
Project PigeonWatch from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology
20. What is the natural predator of the pigeon?

Peregrine Falcon
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peregrine_Falcon
21. Are pigeons intelligent?
Pigeons are considered to be one of the most intelligent birds on the planet and able to undertake tasks previously thought to be the sole preserve of humans and primates. The pigeon has also been found to pass the ‘mirror test’ (being able to recognise its reflection in a mirror) and is one of only 6 species, and the only non-mammal, that has this ability. The pigeon can also recognise all 26 letters of the English language as well as being able to conceptualise. In scientific tests pigeons have been found to be able to differentiate between photographs and even differentiate between two different human beings in a photograph when rewarded with food for doing so.
http://www.urbanwildlifesociety.org/UWS/GeeWhizQuizAnswers.htm