Pigeons are one of the most famous bird species found almost anywhere in the world. Their habitat is very wide. Almost every person walking in a park or street has seen these beautiful birds. And few people think how many species of these birds exist in the world, but more than 300 are currently known.
Pigeon species
Among the whole variety of breeds of pigeons, they are divided into wild, decorative, postal and, oddly enough, meat. This family includes pigeons and doves, which are widespread both in Europe and overseas. The greatest diversity of pigeon species is observed in South, Southeast Asia and Australia.
Most of them live in wooded areas, often in tropical rainforests. Some species, such as the rock dove, have adapted very well to life in urban environments and live in almost all cities in the world.
Klintukh refers to wild pigeons. The plumage of this breed has a bluish color, a neck with a greenish tint, a red goiter, wings are a gray-blue color, and there are black stripes on the tail. The habitat of these pigeons is the north of Kazakhstan, the south of Siberia, Turkey, Africa and China. Birds can be migratory if they live in cold regions. In warm places they lead a sedentary lifestyle.
The crowned pigeon also belongs to wild pigeons; this species lives exclusively in hot countries, such as New Guinea. Its most typical habitats are moist forests, mango thickets and tropical jungles. This bird got its name because of the specific crest, which can rise and fall depending on the emotions and mood of this species of pigeons.
It is interesting! One of the largest representatives of the genus of pigeons is the dove. The tail is up to 15 centimeters long. The neck of the dove is with a bright greenish tint. The dove is widespread in Europe and Asia. Prefers to nest in forests or parks. Easily tolerates any climatic conditions.
Among the meat breeds of pigeons, which are specially bred for food purposes, it is worth noting breeds such as king and English modena. Such pigeons are bred on special farms.
There are also carrier and flying pigeons. But at present, their ability to return to their place of permanent residence is of no interest to anyone, beauty connoisseurs and lovers of the breed, because modern means of communication have long existed.
Appearance, description
The largest representative of the family should be considered a crowned pigeon from Papua New Guinea, its weight varies from 1.7 to 3 kg. The smallest pigeon is the diamond striped turtledove from Australia, its weight is only about 30 grams.
It is interesting! Pigeons are not very large birds. Their length, depending on the species, can vary from 15 to 75 cm, and weight from 30 g to 3 kg.
The physique of these birds is dense, with a short neck and a small head. The wings are wide, long, usually rounded at the ends, have 11 primary flight feathers and 10-15 secondary ones. The tail of pigeons is long, at the end it can be either pointed or wide, rounded; usually has 12-14 feathers up to 18 in crowned and pheasant pigeons.
The beak is usually short, rarely of medium length, straight, thin, often with a characteristic extension at the base. At the base of the beak there are areas of bare soft skin, which is called wax. In addition, there is bare skin around the eyes.
In most species, sexual dimorphism (a clear distinction between male and female) is not expressed in plumage, although males appear somewhat larger. The only exceptions are some tropical species, the males of which have more brightly colored feathers.
The plumage is dense, dense, often gray, brown or cream, although brighter colors are also found in the tropics, such as in pied pigeons. The legs are usually short: four-fingered three fingers in front and one behind, while well adapted for movement on the ground.
Although belonging to pigeons is quite easily determined by morphological characteristics, some birds have an outward resemblance to other families: pheasants, partridges, parrots or turkeys.
It is interesting! the pheasant pigeon looks like a pheasant and is not considered a pigeon by many people.
Like some other birds, pigeons lack a gallbladder. Some medieval naturalists erroneously concluded from this that pigeons do not have gall. This conclusion fit perfectly into the theory of 4 body fluids - the absence of "bitter" bile gave these birds some "divineness". In fact, pigeons still have bile, which is excreted directly into the digestive tract.
Range, habitats
Pigeons are widely represented on all continents except the South Pole. They live in a wide range of terrestrial biotopes from dense forests to deserts, are able to settle at an altitude of up to 5000 m above sea level, as well as in urbanized areas. The greatest diversity of species is represented in South America and Australia, where they live mainly in tropical rainforests. More than 60% of all species are exclusively insular, not found on the continents.
Some species, such as the rock dove, have become widespread in many regions of the world and are a familiar city bird. On the territory of Russia, 9 species of pigeons live in the wild, including the blue-gray, rocky, stock dove, wood pigeon, Japanese green dove, common turtledove, large turtledove, ringed and small turtledove, as well as two migratory species: short-tailed turtledove and brown pigeon.
Pigeon lifestyle
Wild species of pigeons successfully live on the banks of rivers, in coastal rocks, and gorges. The presence of agricultural land or human habitation has always attracted birds as food bases, so relationships with humans have been formed over many millennia.
Birds were easily domesticated and, having noticed their abilities, a person was able to tame them and use them for their own purposes. Postal and flying species of pigeons live next to a person, in places specially created for this. Currently, a huge number of decorative pigeons are bred by lovers and connoisseurs of these beautiful birds, there are many clubs and associations around the world.
Diet, pigeon nutrition
It is interesting! The main diet of pigeons is plant food: leaves, seeds and fruits of various plants. The fruits are most often swallowed whole, after which the bone is burped out. Seeds are usually collected from the surface of the earth or directly hatched from plants.
An unusual behavior is observed in the Galapagos turtledove - in search of seeds, she picks the ground with her beak. In addition to plant foods, pigeons also eat small invertebrates, but usually their percentage in the total diet is extremely small. Birds drink water by sucking it inside - a method uncharacteristic for other birds, and in search of water, these birds often travel considerable distances.
reproduction, longevity
Reproduction of pigeons depends on laying eggs. An experienced pigeon breeder is able to predict the laying in advance, since at this time the female becomes less active, moves little and spends most of the time in the nest. This behavior of a dove is typical when it is going to lay a clutch in 2-3 days. Usually, pigeons lay eggs on the twelfth to fifteenth day after mating.
Both parents take part in the construction of the nest for offspring. The male brings building material for the nest, and the female equips it. The average lifespan of pigeons in the wild is about 5 years. At home, where there are fewer natural enemies and there is proper care, it lasts up to 12-15 years, there are unique cases when domestic pigeons lived up to 30 years.
In other parts of the world where pigeons are common, almost all predators pose a danger to this species of birds. If you keep these birds in a dovecote, then you must take all measures so that a predator cannot climb into it. The greatest danger, especially for small chicks, is the ferret and the common gray rat itself.
A huge number of different folk signs about natural phenomena are known, and signs about representatives of the animal world occupy a separate niche. In this list, far from the last role is occupied by pigeons - the birds of the world, which many undeservedly dislike because they often damage cars and buildings with their droppings. In reality, pigeons never do anything bad to anyone, they predict happy, successful events in life, improved financial well-being. The topic of this article is superstition and signs about pigeons.
What do doves tell you
Probably, many will be surprised when they find out how many signs there really are about these birds. All of them are very different from each other and can sometimes have conflicting meanings. Next, we will bring you up to date and consider examples of the most popular folk beliefs about pigeons.
Our ancestors were sure that pigeons play the role of messengers from heaven, and not just ordinary birds. Therefore, it is not surprising that all the signs and beliefs about pigeons will indicate the beginning of serious life changes.
The story from the Bible immediately comes to mind, when a dove brought good news to people during the Flood. Since then, the situation has not changed much, pigeons still bring important messages that are important to understand and decipher correctly.
- A dove flies through the window and hits the glass. This is not a very good sign. Especially if after that the bird falls dead to the ground - in this case, it will indicate various misfortunes and troubles, or may indicate the beginning of a dysfunctional period in life. But if he rises after a blow and continues his flight, you will be able to successfully cope with difficulties, they will pass very quickly.
In most cases, beliefs about pigeons are valid when the bird flies into the dwelling. A meeting on the street is not taken into account. A dead dove somewhere outside your home does not predict anything bad for you.
- The bird flies into the kitchen- a sign will indicate a happy family life, an easy life and well-being.
- When a dove settles on the balcony of your home and builds a nest there– this is a very good sign! And if the bird also hatched eggs, very soon you will receive significant financial profit, as well as experience many joyful moments in life.
But you can not touch these eggs or interfere with the bird - just watch the gradual emergence of the chick from the egg. Be sure that the sign promises you great happiness.
A negative sign is when the dove did not hatch the eggs, but suddenly left your home. This indicates difficulties and disappointments, the collapse of your hopes.
This is not the whole list of doves.
Other signs
If a bird sits on your head or body (which happens very rarely), you will soon get rich and get pleasant surprises from fate. It is no coincidence that you became the chosen one of this bird - this is a sign from above that the Higher powers are pleased with your behavior and wish to reward you for it.
No wonder the people never killed pigeons and did not cause them any harm. These are light birds that delight us with their behavior, and even if they show importunity, you need to show tolerance for them. Feed the birds with the crumbs left on the table, do not drive them off the balcony and do not offend them. You can be sure that fate will not remain in your debt and will very soon reward you a hundredfold for this.
If you believe in signs and constantly pay attention to everything that happens in your life, you will be able to discover a lot of new and interesting things, you will find out what certain events in life portend for you. You will be morally prepared in advance for troubles, which, unfortunately, are inevitable. At the same time, only you decide what you believe in and what not and how to apply the knowledge gained in practice.
We also suggest that you watch a short video, which provides other examples of signs about pigeons.
Fortune telling today with the help of the Tarot "Card of the Day" layout!For correct divination: focus on the subconscious and do not think about anything for at least 1-2 minutes.
When you're ready, draw a card:
Pigeons have a bad reputation today. Many perceive them as stupid birds that shit on the streets and spread diseases. Some call them "winged rats". Although there is no reason for such an attitude, especially since pigeons are incredibly smart creatures.
Ordinary city pigeons are well oriented in space and will always find their way home. Firstly, pigeons remember the features of the landscape on their way; secondly, they remember smells; thirdly, they have a "built-in compass" with which they navigate by the sun. If one of these features fails, the bird cannot find its way home. Banal artificial street lighting can prevent the pigeon from returning home.
Researchers at the University of Oxford equipped birds with a GPS navigation system to track their route as they fly. During their journey, the two pigeons had the choice of returning home individually or as a pair. The birds found a compromise and chose something in between - they went along a common route that was close to their separate routes leading home. The fact is that pigeons are able to obey the leader and follow him, but if the routes of the pigeons are completely different or directed in different directions, then a compromise is not possible. It should be noted that pigeons in a flock overcome the route much more efficiently than alone.
Another interesting fact was faced by researchers a few years ago when they realized that pigeons can distinguish people's faces. During the experiment, two researchers, approximately the same in size and type, treated the pigeons differently: one was kind, and the other chased them around the cage while feeding. After a certain time, the researchers stopped appearing in front of the pigeons, but when they appeared again, the birds recognized them and began to shun the one who had behaved aggressively in the past, despite the fact that he stood still.
Among the little-known facts about pigeons, the ability of birds to remember certain information for a long time should be highlighted. Another experiment, conducted at the Mediterranean Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, aimed to measure the memory properties of pigeons compared to baboons. Pigeons and baboons were often shown a picture and color, and the animals had to remember the associations. Pigeons managed to remember from 800 to 1200 associations. Although they lost in the competition to baboons, this is a good result.
Recently, research has shown that pigeons know abstract mathematics. They tend to calculate their behavior, which was previously considered the prerogative of only primates. During the experiment, three sets of items were shown to three pigeons on a screen. One set had one item, the second had two, and the third had three. All objects differed in color, shape and size. Pigeons were taught to peck on the screen, first a set with one object, then with two, and later with three. When they did exactly what they were asked to do, the pigeons were shown sets containing one to nine items, respectively. As a result, the pigeons were able to distinguish sets with one, two, and three objects, although they were not taught that there could be more than three objects. This experiment showed that pigeons are able to understand the nature of numbers and that they are not alien to cause and effect relationships.
Many facts about the role of pigeons in human history are missing from textbooks. But everyone is well aware that people have been using pigeon mail since time immemorial. Therefore, during the siege of Paris during the Franco-Prussian War, the defenders of the city used this talent of pigeons to transmit messages, which was faster than the telegraph. For obvious reasons, less than 10% of birds survived the hostilities of the First World War. Many of the survivors were awarded Maria Deakin medals for their invaluable services.
4. Pigeons have superstitious behavior
In 1947, Skinner published the results of an experiment in which pigeons with a small weight were placed in a cage. They were fed regularly at regular intervals. Over time, 6 out of 8 pigeons showed interesting behavior. One of the birds regularly repeated the same movement - stuck its head into the corner of the cage, the other continuously moved around the cage in a circle. The fact is that the birds decided that they were fed only because of their strange behavior.
3. Relatives of the Dodo bird
DNA analysis of pigeons showed similarities with the extinct dodo bird. A relative of the modern pigeon is the multi-colored Nicobar pigeon, which lives in southeast Asia and the Nicobar Islands. Prior to this scientific discovery, it was difficult to determine which family the extinct dodo bird belonged to, as it was characterized by unique external physical features.
2. Pigeons can be of different colors
It seems to many that pigeons are mostly medium-sized, dark gray in color and live on the streets of the city. Most of them, yes, but this is only one of the species. Pigeons live all over the world and many of them look very beautiful. For example, there are fruit doves that surprise with their bright green, red and yellow hues.
1. Pigeons are several thousand years old
Pigeons can be called human companions. The first documentary mention of them appeared more than 5000 years ago in Mesopotamia. In Egypt, the remains of pigeons were found in ancient human burials. There have been cases in history when people treated pigeons as sacred birds. They were worshiped, they were exalted. Despite the fact that some species of pigeons have disappeared and become rare, they have coexisted with people for thousands of years.
DOVE, dove, pl. pigeons, pigeons, husband. 1. The bird is semi-domestic and wild. "A dove and a sparrow are worldly backbones." (last) Carrier pigeon. Chasing pigeons. 2. Affectionate treatment (simple). Oh, you pigeons! you wear! the driver shouted at the horses. ... ... Explanatory Dictionary of Ushakov
Thurman, darling, gull, dove, consent, klintukh, gray-winged, winged postman, dove, dove, ghoul, bird of the world, sizar Dictionary of Russian synonyms. dove n. Gulya Dictionary of Russian synonyms. Context 5.0 Informatics. 2012 ... Synonym dictionary
pigeon- DOVE, I, m. (or gray dove, gray-winged dove). Iron. joke. appeal... Dictionary of Russian Argo
pigeon- DOVE, gray-winged, colloquial. reduced bun, open reduced Ghoul DOVE, obsolete. turtledove ... Dictionary-thesaurus of synonyms of Russian speech
- (Columba), an indistinct constellation in the southern part of the sky, adjacent to the constellations Canis Minor and Carina. The brightest star in it is Alpha, magnitude 2.6 ... Scientific and technical encyclopedic dictionary
Dove, (Gorlitsa) 1) in ancient times in Palestine, one of the largest. distribution birds were G. both wild and domestic. The Bible repeatedly mentions the turtle dove, (Streptopelia turtur) (Songs 2:12; Jer 8:7), which was found in several varieties. ... ... Brockhaus Bible Encyclopedia
DOVE, I, pl. and, uh, husband. Wild and domesticated bird, preim. with greyish blue or white plumage and large goiter. Carrier pigeons (a breed of pigeons trained to fly with a letter). Decorative doves. Drive pigeons (force them ... ... Explanatory dictionary of Ozhegov
pigeon- goiter (Turgenev); meek (Karenin); gentle (Balmont); gray-winged (May, Zhukovsky); pure (Meln. Pechersky) Epithets of literary Russian speech. M: The supplier of the court of His Majesty, the partnership of the printing press A. A. Levenson. A. L. Zelenetsky.… … Dictionary of epithets
PIGEON- a symbol of spiritual purity. In Christianity, it acted as an emblem of the Holy Spirit. The pagans have the sign of Joni. It was a sacred bird in the cults of Astarte, Cybele, Isis, Venus, Juno, Aphrodite. Because of devotion to offspring, he symbolized maternal ... ... Symbols, signs, emblems. Encyclopedia
M., Ukrainian dove, st. glory. pigeon περιστερά (Supr.), Bolg. golb, golb, Serbohorv. golȗb, Slovenian. golȏb, Czech, Slav. holub, Polish. goɫąb, c. puddles hoɫub, hoɫb, n. puddles goɫub, goɫb. Originally derived from the name of the color, but blue ... ... Etymological Dictionary of the Russian Language by Max Fasmer
Books
- Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog by Willems Mo. The dove, drawn and imagined by Mo Willems, has become one of the most unusual characters in modern children's literature. In this story, Dove dreams of eating a hot dog - and with no one ...
- Pigeon. Mathematical dictations. 4th grade. A practical guide for elementary school. GEF, Dove, Valentina Timofeevna. This manual, corresponding to the Federal State Educational Standard, presents material for mathematical dictations for students of the 4th grade, aimed at the formation of mathematical knowledge, skills.…
The dove is a symbol of love and peace. The dove is probably the most recognizable and most resilient bird on Earth that has survived to this day.
For the first time, pigeons were mentioned more than 5,000 years ago, but scientists suggest that this bird already inhabited our planet 10,000 years ago.
In the Egyptian pyramids, an image of a dove was found next to the image of a man. Ancient people managed to tame and breed these unpretentious and useful birds. Breeding work is still going on today.
All modern species of pigeons are descended from the wild rock dove. Currently, several species of wild pigeons can be found in our country. This:
- vakhir (vityuten). A large and beautiful bird that has chosen the coniferous and deciduous forests of Eurasia. The color of the feather is bluish, turning into a green spectrum on the chest; gray dove. The most common type of wild pigeons. Settles in the rocks. But his most favorite place is the "stone jungle" of cities. There is probably no person on Earth who has not met in his life these cute and sometimes very impudent birds, tearing a piece of bread right out of their hands when trying to feed them;
- rock dove. It is not so common, mainly in Tibet and in the Altai Territory. It got its name because it is used to nesting in the rocks. Turtle dove. Perhaps the most beautiful of the wild pigeons. The color is monophonic, from light gray to light brown, only a black stripe is visible on the back of the neck. Lives on almost all continents;
- klintukh. This representative of the breed prefers the forests of Siberia. Also known in China, Kazakhstan, Turkey. Plumage with a bluish tint and black feathers in the tail.
Appearance
All feathered families of pigeons have a strong physique with a small head ending in a medium-sized beak. The wingspan reaches 70 cm. The tail varies in length and roundness depending on the breed. The color of feathers has a wide range, especially in urban birds.
rock pigeon
A gray tint prevails, with a transition to green, yellow, reddish color on the chest and neck. The paws are light red or gray in color, have four toes - three front and one opposing back. Thanks to this, the bird not only confidently moves along the earth's surface, but also sits firmly on the branches of trees.
The eyes are round, orange or golden in color, have a leathery edging without plumage. Male and female are almost indistinguishable from each other. Unless the male is a little larger, and in tropical ones the plumage is brighter.
Pigeon species
Birds of the pigeon family are usually divided into wild and domesticated. Ornithologists counted about 270 species of wild pigeons that lived at different times. But only a few species have survived to this day. We met with bright representatives of wild pigeons above.
klintukh photo
As for the species tamed or artificially bred, they are all conventionally divided into 4 groups:
- sports (postal);
- racing (combat);
- meat;
- decorative.
There are many sporting types of pigeons. They do not differ in color, the article is ordinary gray doves. And the superiority lies in the fact that they have a "feeling of home", the ability to fly at a speed of 100 kilometers per hour. Nowadays, the need for carrier pigeons has disappeared.
Breeding is carried out by amateurs, out of sporting interest. Tipplers are the hardiest of carrier pigeons. Fighting pigeons get their name from the specific sound they make during flight. These birds differ from their counterparts in their unusual flight: instead of quiet gliding, fighting birds prefer somersaults in the air followed by climbing.
dove photo
Due to the interaction of wings and air, characteristic clicks are obtained, which are clearly distinguishable at a great distance. Cross monks in flight The original flight, unique variations of somersaults in the air, the beautiful shape of the wings, unpretentiousness in food and maintenance made the rutting ones one of the most popular birds among fans of the pigeon family.
Meat breeds of pigeons have been bred for a long time. Previously, feathered meat was considered a delicacy and was supplied exclusively to the royal table. Nowadays, breeders of America, France, England and other countries are engaged in breeding this breed. They eat the carcasses of monthly birds - they have not yet flown, the muscles have not strengthened. The average weight of a slaughter bird is slightly more than 700 grams.
King - a representative of meat breeds of pigeons Decorative pigeons have many species, each of which is beautiful and unique in its own way. They are bred solely for beauty.
The white peacock dove is very beautiful. Such pigeons differ in color, shape of feathers, beak, paws. They have a different become, posture, height. There are breeds that do not differ from other birds in their coloring of feathers and shape. They are called so: swallows, bullfinches, larks.
pigeon classification
The classification of pigeons is a complex and time-consuming task. New breeds are constantly being developed, each of which has its own, unique, signs. Coloring of pigeons The color of feathers in pigeons is striking in the richness of the color palette. Each type has its own color.
dove in flight photo
The basis for numerous colors are three pigments: black, pale red, black. These pigments are derivatives of melanin found in feathers. As a result of crossing breeds, melanin is distributed over the feather in a random order. This is where the variety of bird colors comes from.
Where do doves live?
Birds of the pigeon family are widely distributed throughout the globe, with the exception of Antarctica. Birds inhabit forests, plains, fields, tropical forests. More than half of the species of the pigeon family live on the islands. Human housing attracted birds as a food base. Having got used and accustomed, pigeons still live next to a person. The city blue dove on the streets of the city is a common occurrence.
What do doves eat?
The main diet of the pigeon is cereals, berries, fruits, plant seeds. City birds feed on food waste. In food, they are unpretentious, they can eat insects. Unlike other birds, pigeons drink water by drawing it into themselves. While other birds grab a few drops with their beaks and, raising their heads, swallow them.
pigeon breeding
The dove is a monogamous bird. Once created, a marriage union lasts a lifetime. The male begins courting the female with a mating game: he inflates his goiter, dances around the dove, spreads his tail. If two males are circling around the female, this will inevitably end in a fight.
dove photo
As soon as the couple is reunited, nest building begins: the male brings the material. The female builds a nest, lining it with soft material (fluff, pieces of cotton wool, moss). The eggs are incubated by the male and the female in turn. After the chicks appear, both parents feed the cubs until they get stronger. Young pigeons begin their first flights at the age of one month.
Interesting about pigeons. The dove is the bird of the world
- Rock pigeons have fantastic eyesight, they not only distinguish all rainbow colors, but are able to see ultraviolet rays.
- One of the oldest reports of pigeon mail can be found in the Old Testament. Noah releases a dove from the ark and awaits its return. And the dove does return with an olive branch in its beak, a sign that the earth has become habitable again.
- In 1949, the famous artist Picasso introduced the world community to his new painting, where a dove holds an olive branch in its beak. Since then, the image of the bird of the world has finally entrenched in the dove.
- Kissing doves have become a symbol of all lovers. Peacock dove, as the most beautiful of the pigeon breed, is often used in theatrical performances, filming, wedding ceremonies. Its distinguishing feature is a wide tail with chic feathers.
Dodo
The dove of the Dodo family, or simply the Dodo, lived in ancient times on three islands south of Madagascar. There were no predators, the food was right under your feet. As a result of evolution, the tail and wings atrophied in the bird. The dodo did not even run, but walked on the ground, waddling heavily.
The size of the feathered one was impressive: imagine a goose, doubled, its height was about a meter. Danger came along with the first sailors. Hungry sailors quickly realized that the Dodo was the perfect food. The ship's crew could be fed with three bird carcasses. The number of birds was quickly exterminated. Defenseless dodos could not even run away from a person.
dodo photo
By the end of the 18th century, the relic bird was completely exterminated. Attempts by ornithologists to take out at least one representative of a dying species from the island ended in failure: almost all Dodos, once in captivity, refused to eat, drink and died. In the records of one traveler, a fact is recorded: when a couple of birds were taken away from the island, tears ran from the eyes of both. It was as if they knew they would never see their homeland again.
Until now, no scientist has been able to find a complete skeleton of the Dodo. The only copy is in the Russian Darwin Museum. The relic bird was destroyed by people irretrievably. An attempt to restore the extinct species of pigeon with the help of genetic engineering is currently being discussed.
Lifespan
In the wild, pigeons live 3 to 5 years.
conclusions
We are so used to pigeons on the streets that we hardly notice their presence. Pigeons have entered our daily lives. However, everyone has a different attitude towards them. Some believe that birds are carriers of infection. Others stand up for the birds, perceiving them as a symbol of world peace. No action is currently being taken against pigeons. And people still watch with delight the flight of these beautiful birds over the earth.
- Class - Birds
- Squad - Pigeons
- Family - Pigeons
- Genus - Pigeons
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