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
It
was the Sumerians in Mesopotamia that first started to breed white
doves from the wild pigeon that we see in our towns and cities today and
this undoubtedly accounts, certainly in part, for the amazing variety
of colours that are commonly found in the average flock of urban
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!
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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.
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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.
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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.
6. The religious significance of the pigeon
Guru Gobind Singh
Many religious groups, including Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs, feed pigeons
for religious reasons. Many older Sikhs feed pigeons ceremoniously to honour
the high priest and warrior Guru Gobind Singh who was a known friend of the
pigeon (or rock dove). Some
Sikhs feed pigeons because they believe that when they are reincarnated they
will never go hungry if they have fed pigeons in their previous life.
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:
7. Famous pigeons
Cher Ami -
World War I Hero
During the
First World War
a pigeon named Cher Ami (dear friend) saved the lives of many French
soldiers by carrying a message across enemy lines in the heat of
battle. Cher Ami was shot in the chest and the leg, losing most of the
leg to which the message was attached, but continued the 25-minute
flight avoiding shrapnel and poison gas to get the message home. Cher
Ami was awarded the French ‘Croix de Guerre’ medal for heroic service.
President Wilson -
World War I Hero
GI Joe -
World War II hero
Another heroic pigeon named G.I. Joe saved the lives of a thousand
soldiers in World War 2 after British troops had established a
position within an Italian town that was due to be bombed by allied
planes. Communication equipment was down and the only means of
stopping the raid was to attach a hastily written message to G.I. Joe
and send him to the allied HQ. G.I. Joe flew 20 miles in 20 minutes
arriving at the air base whilst the planes were taxiing on the runway.
Disaster was averted with 5 minutes to spare. G.I. Joe received the
‘Dickin’ medal for his bravery.
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’.
9. Why do pigeons bob their heads?
Pigeons feeding
The
pigeon has side-mounted eyes, unlike humans and owls which have
forward facing eyes. As pigeons have monocular vision rather than
binocular vision they bob their heads for depth of perception. The
pigeon’s eyes function much better with stationary images and
therefore as the pigeon takes a step forward the head is temporarily
left behind. The next step jerks the head forward again and so on.
This allows the bird to correctly orient itself.
10. Pigeon-gram Air Mail service
Illustration 1: Map of Pigeon Airmail Route
The
first organised pigeon airmail service was started in 1896 between
New Zealand and the Great Barrier Island. The sinking of the SS
Wairarapa off the Great Barrier Island, with the loss of 134 lives,
was a catalyst for the service. News of the disaster did not reach New
Zealand for 3-days and as a direct result a pigeon-gram service was set
up between the two islands.
Pigeon-Gram StampThe
first message was carried in January 1896 and took less than 1.75
hours to reach Auckland. Up to 5 messages were carried by each
pigeon with the record time for the journey being held by a pigeon
called ‘Velocity’ taking only 50 minutes and averaging 125 kmph (only
40% slower than a modern aircraft!).
Special pigeon-gram stamps were issued costing 2/- (10 pence)
each with the fee being paid in cash before the pigeon was released.
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.
12. Mating habits of the pigeon
Pigeon Squab and
Egg in Nest
The pigeon mates for
life and can breed up to 8 times a year in optimum conditions,
bringing two young into the world each time. The frequency of breeding
is dictated by the abundance of food. Pigeon eggs take 18/19 days to
hatch with both parents incubating the eggs. Young dependant pigeons
are commonly known as ‘squabs’.
Pigeon Nest
with 2 Eggs
Both parents feed the young with a special ‘pigeon milk’ that is
regurgitated and fed to the squabs. Each squab can double its birth
weight in one day but it takes 3 days before the heart starts beating
and 4 days for the eyes to open.
Pigeon Squab -
3 Days Old
When squabs are hungry they ‘squeak’ whilst flapping their wings and
as a result they are also commonly known as ‘squeakers’.
Pigeon Squabs -
10 Days Old
At approximately 2 months of age the young are ready to fledge and
leave the nest. This longer-than-average time spent in the nest
ensures that the life expectancy of a juvenile pigeon is far greater
than that of other fledglings.
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13. Pigeons are big business
Champion Racing
Pigeon
We normally think of the pigeon as being an unwelcome guest in our
towns and cities, but most of us are unaware that racing pigeons can be
worth huge sums of money. One racing pigeon recently sold for a
staggering $132,517.00! The 3-year old bird was a champion racer,
beating 21,000 other pigeons in one long distance race. For this reason
he was bought by a British company that breeds racing pigeons for
‘stud’. One very happy pigeon! The previous record price for a racing
pigeon was $73, 800.00.
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.
15. Famous people and pigeons
Noah with the
Dove of Peace
The humble pigeon has attracted some very famous fans over the last
few thousand years ranging from royalty to rock and roll singers and
actors through to fashion designers. One of the most famous royals is
Queen Elizabeth of England who has lofts and pigeon keepers at her
estate in Sandringham, Norfolk.
Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley had a soft spot for pigeons and Mike Tyson is also an enthusiastic pigeon keeper.
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!
16. Pigeon disasters
Passenger Pigeon
Probably
the greatest disaster to befall the species was the extermination of
the passenger pigeon in North America in the early part of the 20th
century. It is estimated that there were 3-5 billion passenger pigeons
in North America at the time. Flocks of 100,000s of the birds would
blacken the skies as they flew over, but early settlers managed to
wipe out every last bird by 1914 through over-hunting.
Passenger Pigeon
Great Pigeon Race 1997A
more recent and quite bizarre disaster befell tens of thousands of
racing pigeons released from Nantes in France as part of a race held
to celebrate the centenary of the Royal Pigeon Racing Association in
England. 60,000 pigeons were released but only a few birds ever
arrived back at their lofts throughout southern England.
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.
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.
18. Pigeons in the news
Reuters, News Agency
One of the world’s most famous news agencies, Reuters, started its
European business by using trained homing pigeons. The service was
started in 1850 with 45 pigeons carrying the latest news and stock
prices from Aachen in Germany to Brussels in Belgium. Although a
telegraph service between the two countries existed, numerous gaps in
the transmission lines made communication difficult and slow. The
birds travelled the 76 miles in a record-breaking two hours, beating
the railway by four hours.
19. Why do you never see a baby pigeon?
Juvenile Pigeons
Most
small birds rear and fledge their young in 2/3 weeks with young birds
sometimes leaving the nest after only 10 days of life, but pigeons
are different; their young remain in the nest for up to 2 months
before fledging.
Juvenile Pigeon
& Mother
This gives the young pigeon a distinct advantage over many other
species of bird due to the fact that it leaves the nest as a
relatively mature juvenile, allowing the bird to cope better in the
first few days of its life, a dangerous time for all youngsters.
Juvenile Pigeons
in Nest
Juveniles can be told apart from adults but it takes an experienced
eye. A juvenile’s beak often appears to be far too long for the size
of its body and the cere (the fleshy area at the top of the beak) is
white in adults and greyish pink in juveniles.
20. What is the natural predator of the pigeon?
Peregrine Falcon
Although the natural enemy of the feral pigeon is now man, with
millions of pigeons being killed in control operations the world over,
it is the peregrine falcon that is the pigeons’ real natural predator.
Although a shy and retiring bird that has its natural habitat along
rocky coastlines, the peregrine is now being introduced into towns and
cities as a ‘natural’ pigeon control. The peregrine is the fastest bird
on the planet when in a dive and can achieve speeds in excess of 200
mph, over 130 mph faster than a pigeon.
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.
