Peace, connection and tenacity
The wonder of the underdog
You might have guessed by now that I am a fan of the underdog. Creatures, plants, even underrepresented members of society stir something in me. Maybe it is about being misunderstood, or maybe it is about giving a fair shout to those who have been cursed by prejudice through no fault of their own. Whatever the reason, highlighting the virtues of and seeing the other side of something and then imparting that knowledge is a habit of mine, which I do not wish to change.
The Pigeon - Columbidae
There are several birds in this category, from the turtle dove, the collared dove, the homing pigeon and the (hunted to extinction since 1914) passenger pigeon. In the bird world, the pigeon is not very popular with some humans. In towns and cities they are known as feral pigeons (street pigeons), which on first hearing sounds quite derogatory. These are the result of escaped domestic pigeons and thrive from the crumbs left around. Important municipal buildings are often lined with spikes so landing on them becomes impossible. In some tourist spots feeding the pigeons is banned - you are no longer encouraged to feed them for tuppence a bag!
But these birds have provided a number of services to humans which seem to be forgotten. Homing pigeons carried messages as early as 1350 BC to inform of flooding and were also used during times of conflict, their homing instincts (magnetoreception skills) serving humans well as it was the quickest form of communication of the time.
Racing pigeons is a popular sport, and one where bird husbandry is something to be marveled at. The bird’s instinct to get home to its feeder is taken advantage of and timed for elite prizes. I’m not a fan of using animals for sport, but I can’t help thinking that the human and bird have a reciprocal arrangement which suits them both fine. If the pigeon wanted to, I’m sure he could liberate himself easily.
Spiritually, the pigeon/dove is known as a symbol of peace, love and compassion. You often see them in groups. They understand about connection, kindred spirits and safety in numbers. They stay close and grounded to the earth, to forage for what other birds may have left behind. And they are gentle creatures, whose coo is soothing and satisfying to my ears. Listening to their call brings me deep inner peace.
The Wood Pigeon - Columba Palumbus
The largest in this group is the wood pigeon, dwelling in parks, gardens and woodlands. They are very easy to spot, with their white collar and pink breast feathers. When in flight you notice a streak of light under their wings. We have several in our garden, and I find them fascinating. I have a special name for its call;
it goes..
“you drive me crazy, you drive me crazy, you drive me”
do dooo do dodo, do doo do dodo, do dooo do.
Two years ago, something extraordinary happened in my garden. A pair of wood pigeons decided to build a nest very close to our house in an acer tree near to where I do all my potting up. I noticed that every time I walked past, with a seedling or a cutting, a pigeon would fly up out of the acer tree with a clatter of flapping wings. At first I didn’t pay it much attention, but then I spotted that it did not go very far, resting on next door’s garage roof, and it was glaring at me. Our eyes met after a couple of these encounters and I knew, this bird wasn’t happy with me, it was fed up of getting disturbed every time I brushed past the tree. I suspected that there must be a nest, I had seen many a nesting wood pigeon in the conifers in the garden over the years but never so close. I was intrigued.
I crept up to the tree and gently put my head into the foliage as softly as I could. I gasped as there right in front of me was a pigeon sitting on a nest looking straight at me. I whispered, it’s ok, I’m not going to hurt you. I come in peace. The bird seemed resigned that its hiding place had been discovered and did not attempt to flee. I would like to think that it understood that I meant it no harm and that I was a good person to have around as I was the one with the juicy food delivered so generously on a daily basis. I let it be.
When I noticed some extra busy activity, I peered inside the tree again to be greeted by the most grotesque, huge chick I had ever seen. And then it struck me, I had never actually seen a baby pigeon before, and what a sight it was.
Huge eyes, a slightly curled beak, dirty grey looking fluffy feathers and a worried furrow, almost dodo-esque.
To say it was an ugly duckling would be an understatement! Unless you were its parent, it was difficult to see how it could melt your heart with its cuteness! But I have never been one that sees virtues at skin deep level, so I was instantly enthralled by this unusual specimen. My garden had been entrusted to take care of this precious being and I was happy to do everything I could to protect this unusual offspring.
Having taken these birds for granted for years, I decided to do some research into wood pigeons, to find out about their life cycle, breeding rituals and chick rearing habits. I first turned to my favourite websites, the Wildlife Trust and the RSPB. Here is what I discovered:
Wood pigeons:
usually bond for life
usually breed no further than ten miles from where they were reared
lay two eggs per brood
can live up to 16 years, though it is usually around 3 years
a baby is called a squab
it is fed on crop milk, delivered from a crop pouch in the parents digestive tract
it takes 17 days for an egg to hatch
it takes 34 days for a chick to fledge
its wing span is up to 80cm
So “my baby” was an only child. I never found evidence that there had been two. Over the coming days, I occasionally peered in when I noticed the adult off on its travels. We made eye contact often, but it didn’t seem phased by my appearance. It grew quickly, and it struck me that the reason I had never seen a baby pigeon before was because by the time it did leave the nest it was just as big as its parent and so very difficult to distinguish. BUT, the fledglings are missing something that the parents have. They do not have the white collar and so appear grey all over. The white collar appears sixteen weeks after hatching. So there is a short window of identification of a young wood pigeon before they all look the same.
When “my baby” finally fledged, he stayed on a fence very close to the tree he started his life from. (I say he for ease, I have no idea what gender he was). I noticed him in the garden a few times, then he disappeared. I’m hoping that he grew his feathers and went incognito.
It is sad to learn that the wood pigeon is classed as an agricultural pest reportedly causing 3 million pounds of crop damage per year, their success at survival is an inconvenience to humans. I hope they continue to thrive and not get hunted down like their cousin over a century ago. Even gardeners chase off these seed loving, bird food pinching hefty lumps. Put out bird food but curse those greedy pigeons that take all the food from the cute robin. All are most welcome in my garden.
This underdog deserves some well needed respect. It may not be the prettiest on the block, but its tenacity, and adaptability to fulfil that survival instinct is most impressive. I love them, they resonate with me. I think we have a lot in common. Ultimately I’m a home bird, and my garden (their home too) keeps calling me back.
I am curious
What is your favourite bird?
Which birds are you not so keen on?
Thought to ponder
How do you find your inner peace?
Love this story. We have wood pigeons in our garden all year round, at least two breeding pairs this year. We laugh because their nests are ludicrous, a couple of twigs and a tuft of grass. One pair has lost its eggs this year, we found them on the ground, one still intact with a dead chick. Another year we watched them rearing the chick, feeding it on top of our gazebo, right by a bedroom window. They drive our pug bananas! He’s made it his mission to scare them away but they just come straight back as soon as he’s gone inside. His ineffectual woofs don’t seem to phase them.
Inner peace? I think I'm still looking for it. As far as birds, your stories about the pigeons reminded me of when one flew into our living room through the open patio door. It was flapping all around the room, and finally settled near the fireplace. We managed to capture it there, but it did get some soot on its wings and with a bit more flapping, soon we had soot everywhere. Finally we got it through the open door and out into the open air. What a scary adventure for the bird, I would imagine.