"Life of a Pigeon"

Usually pigeon mate themselves. Pigeons are monogamous and often mated in consecutive seasons as both birds of pairs are healthy. The breeding seasons of the pigeons are based on climate condition. They seem to be slowing during winter months. Female pigeons reach to its sexual maturity at early 7 months of age. First, the male pigeon chose a site in view of the female and select one stick and bring it back and lay eggs in front of his mate. The female pigeons stay at the nesting site and accept the sticks.

They build their nest with straw, sticks, put on ledge, undercover, and often located on the window ledges of the building. Female lays eggs after 8-12 days of mating. The females stay on the nest a day or two days before the first egg is laid. Usually, 2 eggs are laid. Both the male and female incubate the eggs and female incubate during the night. Incubation lasts for 18 days and the young bird will leave the nest in 25 to 29 days after hatching. The young birds are fed with regurgitated thick liquid food from parent’s crops called milk. After ten days young bird is fed with solid food such as caterpillars.

Baby pigeons look strange creatures during first few days. Keep the baby pigeon in a ventilated box with several layers of newspaper and place it in warmth. The temperature of the box should be about 90 degrees Fahrenheit until the pigeons are 2 weeks. Place the red watt bulb or hot water bottle under the layer of newspaper and refill led in every 2 hours. Check the temperature with the help of thermometer to avoid overheating. For nutritional food newborn pigeons, canary bird formula is required. Mix the powder formula with sterile bottle water and feed the baby pigeon. Open the pigeon mouth gently and feed him slowly. After 21 days of the birth put the flat dishes of grains and seeds on the floor of the cage. After three weeks move the baby to large cage or outdoor aviary. They will learn to fly.

Wild pigeons live for 5-6 years on average but it is difficult to live in wild for them because they are targeted by many predators. The average lifespan of the pet pigeons is between 9 to 15 years if the owner takes good care of pigeons. Clean and proper food and water should be provided to them.

Pigeon place their beak at the ground to eat food and place their bill on water using it like straw to drink water. For threatening the competitor pigeon bow and coo, inflating their throat and walk in a circle. By bowing, cooing, inflating his throat and strutting in a circle around the female pigeon, male pigeon courts his mate. The male guard and take care of the baby pigeons all day and the female take care overnight to mid-morning. Both parents brood the young pigeons feed them crop milk.

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