Why do pigeons worship the big cities?

Just a walk around the city center to realize the number of pigeons that live there. Standing at windows, on the ground looking for food or hitting an unsuspecting pedestrian with a pasty projectile, the birds are already part of the urban landscape.

Many people are truly terrified of animals, which are sometimes called “winged rats”. What we do not realize are the reasons that led to their existence in densely populated places and our role in this story.

Today, it is estimated that 400 million pigeons live in large cities - and they certainly did not spontaneously emerge from the smoke of car exhaust. The birds we know come from the wild rock pigeons ( Columbia livia ), which used to live on cliffs with coastal coasts.

Avian History

The first records of pigeon-human interaction appeared 10, 000 years ago, when inhabitants of Mesopotamia and Egypt began feeding animals that lived in remote areas. The goal was to make them live closer to inhabited regions, serving as a good source of protein.

Over time, pigeons began to be bred in captivity and new species emerged, giving rise to the animals we know today. This more direct contact made the ability of this species to navigate, so much so that ancient records show the use of animals to guide disoriented ships to shore. Within cities they were used as messengers who reliably carried errands over long distances.

Over time, bird breeding began to become increasingly popular, and instead of being slaughtered, animals began to be collected as a hobby. In the 16th century, pigeons arrived in the US by ship, along with the settlers. The records are unclear, but experts believe most animals came as merchandise for amateur breeders, not as food.

Our fault

Not all birds from Europe were kept in cages; some fled or were deliberately released. This made them begin to reproduce and live in the big cities, where they found excellent conditions.

Elizabeth Carlen studies the evolution of urban pigeons at Fordham University in New York, and explained it a little better in a Live Science interview: "pigeons are naturally cliff dwellers, and tall buildings do a great job mimicking these natural formations. Especially the ornate trim, window sills and air-conditioning units, which offer fantastic animal perches. "

Another factor that made all the difference to the proliferation of pigeons in large cities is food. While ordinary birds need fruits, insects and seeds, they ingest all kinds of debris we throw in the trash. This, coupled with the fact that they produce the food of their young on a neck gland, makes the big cities a perfect habitat for the species.

The adaptations that have occurred over time since they began to approach urban strongholds have transformed the reality of pigeons. The problems with disease transmission do exist, but we have technology to keep a safe distance while these birds live in a controlled manner.

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