I wonder where the pigeons hatch the chicks?Many of us probably reflected on this, looking at the feathered birds about the squares and boulevards carelessly. But it's true, without pigeons it's hard to imagine an urban landscape, but we see, as a rule, developed strong birds. And where is their offspring then? Or do pigeons immediately become adults? Let's try to find a pigeon's nest!
So, where do pigeons hide their chicks in the city? But first let's find out what kind of bird is this pigeon, who looks at you curiously with one or the other eye, while you crumble his bread.
The blue dove (Columba livia) has long since beentamed by man, adapted to life next to him and abundantly populated the habitats of people. In the wild, this bird lives no more than 5 years, and with breeding and proper care can live up to 30 years of age.
As you can see, pigeons can appreciate the advantageslife next to people. But people have different attitudes to these birds - from admiration for their beauty and behavior, to a fastidious comparison with urban rats, they say, they also carry the infection (which is only partly true) and are also unclean (and here a lot depends on people ).
One of the most amazing qualities of these birds is doves - odnolyuby. They choose themselves a couple for life and honestly share with the chosen one the difficulty of building a nest, and then raising children.
Their family relationships can be envied:choosing a site for the nesting grounds, the pigeon waits when the dove evaluates it. That, if it suits her, slowly settles on a still bare place and tries for a while. The pigeon patiently waits patiently for the sign and, having received approval, accepts to wear the building material, while the dove collects a nest from it (just by laying twigs and blades under it).
The female lays one or two eggs, and incubatestheir both parents alternately. True, the dove-father, sitting on the eggs, always eagerly awaits the departed to feed and rest the dove and at the same time cooing, beckoning it (well, it's not a man's business!).
After 20 days, and sometimes a little earlier, from eggsthere are tiny 10-gram lumps, blind and covered with a thin fluff, - chicks of a dove. Within a month, this kryotule will be transformed into a presentable strong bird. Help him in this, of course, caring parents. So all the same, where do pigeons hide their children?
In the Mediterranean, where these birds come from, theybuild nests in coastal rocks, so in urban conditions, their descendants spread all over the world try to find secluded places reminiscent of their once native landscapes: ventilation shafts, emptiness in buildings, abandoned lofts, hollows in tall trees or pillars under bridges. In short, all the places where you can find a closed space, are suitable for a pigeon family.
As you probably already saw, birds thatis a story, not very neat. And regardless of where the pigeons hide the chicks, their nests look quite unpresentable - an unformed bunch of small twigs and grasses with a small indentation in the middle. Sometimes, if the pigeon's place to the family seems particularly successful, it returns to the same nest every year, only slightly restoring it with a pair of twigs or straws.
Unlike their rock relatives, it's easyadapted to living with people city pigeons learned to sit even on thin branches and wires. But they, as well as their ancestors, having found a suitable place for the nesting place, magically take care of their chosen one, fluffing their tails and performing a marriage dance with bows and pirouettes before the pigeon staring at them with fascinated eyes. And just as selflessly continue to feed their chicks, remaining in the nest until the moment of their transformation into adult individuals, capable of independent life.
Therefore, in huge flocks of pigeons, and not seen chicks or teenage birds - they are all just under the mother and father's wing in a safe hiding place.
Where the pigeons hatch the chicks, the last is sure to live perfectly. There are practically no enemies in these birds, and enough food around. So the baby does not hurry to stand on the wing.
In addition, the family of pigeons has oneunique feature - it feeds its offspring with so-called "bird's milk", that only flamingos and some species of penguins are able to do among the birds.
Bird's milk is a special whiteporridge-like secret, rich in fats, proteins and trace elements, which from the goiter are allocated both male and female, feeding offspring. The chicks get it for 18 days, and then go on to solid food. This process is rather smooth. At first, the crumb gets only easily digestible "milk", but after 3-4 days, supplements of softened grains and grains of sand appear in a secret, and gradually, to the three-week-old age of the cubs, it turns into solid food and water that parents bring to their insatiable child.
If you accidentally find a place where pigeonshide their chicks, you may be surprised that in one nest the chicks vary greatly in size. But it turns out that in some pairs the pigeon can again start developing eggs after 2 weeks after the birth of the offspring. At the same time, fathers are already born babies.
By the way, in the case of the death of a dove, the male is capable ofone to feed the young, but in the female in the same situation, the young often die. And pigeons are usually abandoned by pigeons, thus preserving the health of their population.
Trying to find out where the pigeons hide theirchicks, do not forget that it is impossible to approach the places of laying of these birds, and even more to take small chicks in their hands. This can scare the pigeons off and make them leave the nest, despite the fact that they are very calm about people at other times.
But, when everything is already behind, and young pigeonsthey can come to an independent life, they are adjacent to the pack, which lives not far from the place where the pigeons hatch the chicks. By the way, they are very attached to their place of residence and always try to return there.
The gregarious life of these birds is based on those benefits,which it can bring to find food, water or protection from enemies. In the pack, pairs are always visible - they keep close to each other, do not snatch food from each other and constantly show their affection. Between other people's pigeons this does not happen - they try to stay at a distance that will not allow you to get a kick with your beak.
If you look at the pack, it's attentivethe observer will still be able to detect the young in a more dim plumage, the absence of iridescent feathers on the neck, and also the restless behavior.
Just left the nest pigeons, aged28-34 days, although they look like adults, continue to follow their parents and beg for food. Those who have already turned 34 days, confidently fly with their parents in search of food and watering. Young birds often gather in flocks and begin to lead an adult way of life.
We hope, now, having learned, where pigeons hide theirchildren, and also exactly how they feed their offspring, you will treat them with great warmth to these glorious birds, filling our cities with special comfort and kindness.
