Do Pigeons Mate For Life?

The hybrid ‘urban city’ pigeons developed by cross-breeding have shifted the world’s attention from minute yet significant details (such as do pigeons mate for life?) about pigeons.

For many years, pigeons have performed very useful and impactful functions for humans. Usually, the pigeons are selected for their forms and fanciful colors, while others are picked for the home instincts and endurance they possess. Notable facts about the bird are that they are easy to care for and possess diverse skills and beauty, not forgetting that the bird may be reared in environments with a high population.

Pigeons don’t smell, make very little noise, are not expensive, demand small space, and easy to control by humans. They have been adopted all over the world for different purposes, including:

Rescue work
Conveying messages
Racing
Meat production
Exhibition

Do Pigeons have only One Species?

In North America, there are four known species of pigeons. Rock pigeon (also called rock dove or Columba Livia) is the most common pigeon bird. The rock dove is the most domesticated bird in the world. Researchers suggest that the breeding of pigeons domestically has occurred for over 10,000 years all over the world.

Aside from domestic pigeons, there are the Feral pigeons. Feral pigeons are mostly breeds of domestic pigeons that have been released or escaped over the years to the wild.

The difference between the Feral pigeons and the rock doves is that the former bird has to forage for the food itself and make its nest in the wild. Pigeons exhibit diverse color variations like tan, black, white, or a blend of different colors.

Is it true Pigeons Mate for Life?

The primary point known about pigeons is that pairs of pigeons are monogamous, and they often keep breeding within consecutive seasons, as long as both birds are living.

Pigeons usually mate in pairs and stay together for life. They usually have the courting stage before they eventually mate. After a pair of pigeons mate for the first time, they are ready to build a family – build a nest and have squabs (young pigeon). This is the beginning of their journey to mate for life.

A pigeon pair will always remain faithful to each other, mate for life, and love each other as long as they are allowed to stay together. On the off chance that a mating pair is broken because of death or human activities, like separating the birds, the pigeon gets to mate with other single birds

They have a level of intelligence where they respect the relationship and build a beautiful family. As long as they are together, birds which have mated may be taken to very far distances and not break the bond; they’ll still recognize their mate or partner.

Where do Pigeons Live?

The majority of the pigeons seen in the United States cities are Feral rock doves. As much as these birds thrive in various habitats, they have chosen the human habitat as a comfortable home to make their nest.

Pigeons survive in urban and suburban cities created by humans with tall buildings and window ledges as simulations of the cliffs where wild pigeons live. Generally, with the right supply of nesting materials – hay, straw, and tobacco stems – pigeons are likely to live on a significantly high building or tree they can find.

FAQs

What are pigeon mating habits?

Pigeons have a peculiar mating habit. The male pigeon (cock) singles out his interest for a female pigeon, its potential mate, and then goes ahead to show off. It coos in certain ways that entice the female. The male shows off its manly features, it’s feathers, often in a bid to interest the female. It may be an expression of love interest.

If, by chance, the female is interested, it becomes friendly to the male, and that serves as an invitation to the male, the beginning of their love story to mate for life After mating, the male would go in search of a nesting site, selects one stick, and brings it to its partner. The female sits in the nest for two days before laying the first egg. Often, Pigeons lay two white eggs. Pigeons will continue to mate for life as long as they stay alive.

Do mate pigeons have feelings?

Male and female pigeons share mutual feelings. They often show faithfulness to a single mate and are monogamous as well. In cases where they are separated by distance, they still remain faithful to each other. When a mate is taken away or dies, pigeons may tend to become aggressive and violent, but they get to eventually move on when they are paired with another pigeon.

What if one pigeon dies?

As long as a pigeon pair remains alive and stay together, they mate for life. When a mate dies, the living one will spend some time on its own, usually for a couple of weeks, sometimes months, before it starts looking for another mate. It is observed that males easily attract another mate more quickly than females.

Conclusion

Pigeons are the most loveable and likable bird species you can find around the world. And they’ve served humans for a very long time. They are engineered as social animals and can quickly bond with humans. One important point is the fact that a Pigeon has high recognition skills and is monogamous, which allows it to mate for life with one pigeon. They can be trained and used for different purposes.

Although several people see Pigeons as a large population of pests that seem to run over the city, pooing all around, one thing notable is that pigeons remain an enjoyable company.

The unique qualities of the birds (pigeon) make them the best animals to keep as pets. They love the company, so they should not be kept away from their mates and love interest and should be given maximum attention by their human owners. A pigeon never forgets a kind gesture, and once it gets used to a human, it would be a friend for life.

Author Profile

Gabriel Tackett

Double major in Engineering and Geology at the University of Minnesota. Experienced shooter & hunter for over 15 years. Certified NRA officer for over 10 years working as a writer at Ballachy.com .