These Facts About Pigeons Will Brighten Your Day

Posted by Reilly on March 14, 2023

Look up in the sky—there’s a pigeon! Chances are you’ve seen these brave and curious birds lots of times before. They may be common, but many people don’t realize how fascinating and complex pigeons are.

Pigeons’ personalities are pleasant and interesting, and their feathers are super cool. Spotting one while we’re outside on a walk or out getting coffee is certain to make us stop and smile, and we think these facts about them will brighten your day, too.

Pigeons mate for life. Because they hang out in flocks, you may not have noticed that they couple up. They stay in flocks to protect themselves from predators, but pigeon parents raise their babies (aka “squeakers” 🥹) together. How sweet is that? It’s important to keep your distance when observing birds, as this allows them to feel safe and stick together.

They control their own population. The number of pigeons in an area will naturally stabilize depending on food supply and other factors, so there’s no need for humans to feed them. You can keep your vegan pizza crust all to yourself. 😋

Pigeons are smart and speedy. If you were to show a pigeon several hundred photos, they’d be able to remember them. As highly visual animals, they have excellent memories. They can also fly as fast as 50 mph and travel up to 500 miles in one day. 

Pigeons have taste. With 37 taste buds, it’s no wonder they’re always on the prowl for a tasty snack. They have this in common with a lot of us! 😆

Pigeons are super talented. These familiar friends have great eyesight and hearing. A study found that they also understand human transport routes and often rely on that knowledge for navigation more than their own internal magnetic compass. (Oh, and they also have an internal magnetic compass! 😉) 

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Now that you know how extraordinary pigeons are, you’ll likely have a new appreciation for them. All animals have unique and complex personalities, and they all deserve compassion. ❤️

 Learn more about how to live in harmony with wildlife.