I have collected quite a few shots of pigeons around town in recent months.
Everyone knows of this bird as apparently they are found all over the world except in the Sahara Desert and Antarctica.
But did you know this about them? …
> Pigeons have lived alongside humans for thousands of years, with images of them being found by archeologists in Iraq dating back to 3000 BC (although the place was called Mesopotamia back then.)
> They saved hundreds of thousands of human lives during the first and second world wars by carrying messages across enemy lines. One of them was even given a medal for its courageous work delivering a message even after being shot twice.
> Nowadays their poop is seen as a nuisance but in years gone by (16 – 18th century) it was very highly valued as the best fertilizer and armed guards had to protect their houses (called Dovecotes) from being robbed.
> One of the richest families ever, The Rothschilds, became so wealthy partially due to pigeons. They used to use them to carry messages between it’s financial houses before the invention of telephones, ensuring they had the most up to date business information.
> They mate for life and unlike any other birds their babies stay in the nest for a full two months. They’re practically full grown when they emerge, which is why you never see any baby pigeons. (I got some good shots of baby robins last spring though, seen here.)
> Pigeons are one of the most intelligent birds alive, being able to recognize themselves in a mirror, one of the six species who are able to do so, and the only one that isn’t a mammal. They are also able to learn to identify all 26 letters in the English language.
And did you even want to know all that stuff about pigeons? lol
This fountain of pigeon knowledge came from this webpage called ’21 Amazing Facts You Didn’t Know About Pigeons’. Who knew?
In closing, if you’re so inclined to have a pigeon related laugh, here’s a video of the Muppet Bert, doing the pigeon dance. This was always a favourite when I was a kid, and this dance was done plenty around our home.
Thank you for taking a look.