There’s more to pigeons than you might think
I have always felt ambivalence towards pigeons. Pigeons are everywhere in London, where I live, which faded them into the background for me. I didn’t hate them, but I didn’t take a particular interest in them either.
Then a chance encounter made me wonder if I would ever learn to love the humble pig, This is a question that I have spent part of this year delving into. When I started researching, I came across data on pigeons that really surprised me. Here are some of those facts: they might just change the way you think about these pesky city birds.
1. Pigeons produce “milk”.
It is strange to think that pigeons produce milk, but it is true. It does not come from a mammary gland, but from a special area of cells in the lower esophagus called a culture, and mature pigeons regenerate their young within the first 10 days after hatching. Although it is yellower and more solid than what we might think of as milk, it has a similar mix of nutrients and immune-boosting properties. Other bird species produce this “crop milk” including penguins and flamingos.
2. They make ridiculously bad nests
Perhaps what I love most about pigeons is that they build enormous nests: think of a few sticks placed around an egg. There is also an account on X that documents it Bad Pigeon’s Nest. Outside of cities, pigeons would naturally nest among rocks, so they wouldn’t…
