Pigeon

Those pigeon in the pictures were once staying behind my house. They built nest at the pillar just below the roof of one of the houses behind mine.

I used to peep at them through my son's window. They croo, they strut, they were actually very cute. They live peacefully with one another in community. The other sound used by the male to defence their territory and to attract mates is : coo roo-c'too-oo. I am not actually bird watching, but just that whenever I was cleaning my son's window, I cannot missed looking out at them.

.

They were many times, a pigeon couple trying to built a nest at my house, but I have to chase them away, because they are a bit noisy and they would mess up the place with their droppings, which is also poisonous.

.
Some people keep pigeon as pet and make little house called 'coops' for their pet pigeon. They allowed their pet pigeon to go free, because unlike other birds, pigeon will come back home. But not many people will do that, including me. Luckily I dumped the idea of building the coops for them, otherwise now I would have plenty of problem cleaning up their dropping and also complain from the neighbour.

.

Now that they are being chased out of my neighbour's house, they have found another alternative place to built their nest.

.

Just like before, everyday morning without fail, they are at the garden near my house waiting for food. They are there about 7 am to 9.30 am for breakfast and from 4 pm to about 7 pm for dinner..

.
I notice most of the time there were people feeding them. For me I usually bring left over rice or bread for them. Some people would buy a loaf of bread to feed them ......
.
Dont you think they look more like a bunch of jobless pigeon, because nowaday nobody still use pigeon as messenger, their service is no longer needed.

.
.

.

.

.

Here are some Nifty Bird and Science Words :
.

Rock Dove:the common name for the original pigeon

.

Columba livia: the scientific name for pigeon
.

ornithology: the study of birds

.

iridescence: the rainbow-like shine found on the neck feathers of some pigeons
.

hackle: the neck feathers of a bird

.

hen: an adult female pigeon
.

cock: an adult male pigeon
.

hatchling: a pigeon that has just come out of its egg (hatched)

.

squab: a young pigeon from 1 to 30 days old

.

peeper or squeaker: a young bird that is learning to eat

.

fledgling: a bird that is learning to fly or has just taken a first flight

.

juvenile: a bird out of the nest and flying but less than eight months old

.

morph: a physical feature that is inherited
.

assortative mating:when males and females pair up based on their color.