Pigeons are gregarious, sweet, and loving creatures that are easy to tame, enjoy human company and do not bite. They are known for their beauty and attractiveness. Pigeons are found all over the planet except the Sahara Desert, Antarctica, and high arctic regions. New-born pigeons are known as doves, whereas big ones are called pigeons. They have short hairs on their bodies that help them control their body temperature. So let’s have a look at these 25 interesting facts about pigeons.
- Pigeons are monogamous birds and mate with the same partner throughout their lifetime.
- There are over 175 species of true pigeons recognized worldwide, which come under 30 genera.
- The lifespan of pigeons depends on many factors like human interference or natural predation. But usually, they can live up to 15 years.
- The species of rock pigeon is the oldest domesticated bird on the planet. Mesopotamian cuneiform and Egyptian hieroglyphics mention that the domestication of pigeons occurred about 5000 years ago. In contrast, the research suggests that the domestication of the birds occurred about 10,000 years ago.
- Pigeons fall in the category and family of Columbidae birds.
- The largest pigeons are of Victoria crowned species which is the size of a turkey and can weigh anywhere around 2-4 kg (4.4–8.8 lb).
- The Valencian figurita is the smallest species of pigeons which are developed over many years and with selective breeding. The species is originated from valencia, Spain. They weigh about 100-200 grams (4-6 ounces).
- The domestic pigeons reach the age of sexual maturity in about five to six months, depending on the food supply and local temperatures. They like to breed throughout the year, with peak breeding periods in spring and summers.
- After breeding, they lay eggs in about 8 to 12 days, and females lay 1 to 3 eggs(on average 2eggs). The eggs then hatch in about 18 days.
- The most common species of pigeons is the rock dove or rock pigeon.
- The rock pigeons are about 32-37 cm long and can have a wingspan of 64-72 cm.
- Group of pigeons is often called a band, dropping, flight, kit, loft, passel, plague, or a school. Whereas babies of pigeons are called ‘squabs.’
- Pigeons are able to fly pretty fast, with an average speed of up to 77.6 mph (125 kph). While the fastest flight of a pigeon ever been recorded was 92.5 mph (148 kph).
- Pigeons can fly between 600 to 700 miles(965 to 1126 km) in a single day.
- The longest flight has ever been recorded of a pigeon was back in the 19th century, in which the bird covered a distance of 7000 miles(11,265km) from Africa to England.
- They can fly pretty high, usually at the height of 6000 ft or even more.
- To navigate and find their way home, pigeons use the help of the earth’s magnetic field and use the sun to know the directions. They even take the help of low-frequency seismic waves.
- Pigeons can recognize their reflection in the mirror, which is also called the mirror test. They are one of the only six species to have passed this test.
- They are a highly intelligent species and can recognize all 26 letters of alphabets. They can even recognize and differentiate between two people in a photograph.
- Pigeons have a highly developed sense of seeing. They can easily differentiate between colors and can even see in the ultraviolet light spectrum.
- By the 19th century, pigeons were used by the military as a mode of communication. In fact, they were used for the last 3000 as the flying messenger.
- The first pigeon messaging service was established between Syria and Persia back in the 12th century AD.
- They are highly social animals and are often seen flying in groups of 20-30 birds.
- Pigeons can detect infrasonic sounds, which range at frequencies as low as 0.5 Hz.
- The total bone mass of the pigeons is lighter than its feathers.
