Pigeons
Meet McLovin & Pablo!
Common Name: Pigeon
Scientific Name: Columba livia domestica
A group of them is called: A flight, flock, or kit.
We just call them: "McLovin" and "Pablo"
Size: 32 – 37 cm (length)
Weight: 350 – 700 g
Lifespan: 3-5 years (wild), ~15 years (captivity)
Diet: Omnivore
MCLOVIN'S STORY
McLovin was misidentified as a baby; a student thought he was a baby bird of prey, and brought him to our shelter. He now lives here with Pablo and Alan the groundhog!
PABLO'S STORY
Pablo has made his way all the way up from Mexico! He's got a special band on his leg, and we looked it up and have tried to reach the people a number of times, but have never heard anything back in response, so he has a happy home here with McLovin' and our groundhog Alan!
Did You Know?
- Pigeons are really smart! They are one of very few species that recognize their own reflection in a mirror, plus they can learn to differentiate the letters of the alphabet, tell the difference between two pictures, and differentiate between humans in a photo!
- Pigeons mate for life and care for their young together, taking turns with everything from incubation to feeding them 'pigeon milk' - a special secretion from the lining of the crop (a sac at the end of their esophagus) which both male and female pigeons produce!
- Pigeons have excellent navigational skills, able to use the sun as a guide or their internal compass, and have even been observed to follow man-made roadways and use landmarks to navigate.
- They are extremely social, often gathering in flocks of 20-30 birds.
- Mature pigeons have RED eyes! Juvenile pigeons have brownish-coloured eyes until they mature.
- Instead of a loud squawk or chirp, pigeons make soft "cooing" sounds.
