Pair of pigeons befriend family during lockdown

[FfFfFfFF 58,138]

Ollie and his partner, Dollie, have been visiting our house for several weeks now and have become a welcome distraction from the daily news.

When our isolation began, I decided to keep a visual diary to document the odd reality of this time. Soon, however, our pigeon visitors came to be my primary subject, with their freedom to expand their territory juxtaposing our limitations.

It was during this daily ritual in early April that I first took notice of the bird sitting on the railing, its iridescent purple and green neck feathers shining in the earlylight of day. The pair of pigeons that nested on our balcony last year had returned—as pigeons usually do—to claim their spot, right underneath my chair.

My wife was not too happy at first. Last year was quite a smelly affair. Rock pigeons are often despised for their droppings and are often believed to spread diseases.

Not only do pigeons face predators, food shortages, and competition for nesting sites, but they’re also subject to the whims of human society. Weaker pigeons still manage to stretch their fate by begging for crumbs in the streets and it’s these bottom-rung pigeons that shape the species’ overall reputation.

But we’ve got to know them as intelligent birds and loving parents. They mate for life, and they’re one of a small number of non-mammals that can learn to pass the mirror test, commonly used to measure self-awareness.

Every time I’m cleaning their waste off our balcony, I do understand how people see pigeons as a nuisance. But my impulse to malign them evaporated last year when Ollie and Dollie raised their chicks underneath our chair.

I’ll never forget Merel’s excitement when the first egg hatched and revealed this alien-looking, yellow squab.

 

Source: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/2020/05/pigeons-find-home-in-photographer-s-apartment-during-pandemic/

[youandi 2,110]

This is wholesome 

[Flippy 14,319]

This makes my heart so happy! That’s adorable!

[U-GO-BOY 1,610]

When I was little a pigeon flew through our balcony and landed on the carpet in the living room. My mum panicked and shooed it away and said that pigeons are the rats of the sky.

[Addison Rae 18,096]

so we just gonna pretend that they aren’t rats with wings and these people are lowkey crazy for inviting wild birds into their home 

its kinda cute though 

[Schwerk 7,453]

I wouldn't be so thrilled. They sound quite ignorant to be honest.

Rock pigeons are often despised for their droppings and are often believed to spread diseases.

They DO spread disease. Their poo contains fungus that can cause severe lung issues.

By the look of their home and the names this sounds like a Dutch family. Here in Amsterdam you're advised to make sure pigeons never settle on your balcony because as soon as they build a nest you're not allowed to remove it anymore. And once they have a nest you'll often be stuck with rotting and stinking leftovers and them returning over and over.

I love nature but this is not safe and kids can learn about nature in other ways. Not all pigeons have to survive the city, it's ok for them to be food for bigger birds, that's nature. It's not like there's a shortage of pigeons.