Did you know Pigeons had a part in many religions? Keep on reading to find out more!
Pigeons In Religions
Pigeons in Judaism and Christianity
The dove features strongly in both the Old Testament and the New Testament, and references to frequent sacrifices exist in both. There are a number of references to the sacrifice of doves in the Talmud, a series of Jewish texts compiled between AD 250-500. Although the texts were compiled in AD 250-500, they are thought to relate to much earlier periods. The texts not only describe the sacrifices but also how the sacrificial birds should be reared and the correct ways of killing them. The dove is better known for its part in the Old Testament story of the Great Flood, however, when one returned to Noah with an olive branch. As a result, the dove has always been linked with peace and good news and is still released at the start of the Olympic Games today for this reason.
Pigeons and the Romans
Roman Mosaic
3rd Century AD
Pigeons in religions. The Romans had a great affinity with the pigeon and although they sacrificed the dove to the goddess Venus, and therefore revered the bird, they also bred different varieties and used the pigeon widely as a messenger. Historian and philosopher Caius Pliny, writing in the 1st century AD, says: “Many people have quite a mania for pigeons, building turrets for them on house roofs and tracing the pedigrees of single birds…”. The pigeon is commonly depicted throughout the Roman period but never in more detail than the superb Dove Mosaic discovered during the 18th century at Emperor Hadrian’s Villa. Another detailed mosaic, dating from 200 BC, shows a priest beside a shrine with an adjoining dovecote. The dovecote is detailed with pigeons on the roof and flying above it. This mosaic further confirms the connection between worship and the breeding of pigeons.
Pigeons and Islam
Prophet Mohammed
Depicted with Dove
Islam has had strong associations with the pigeon throughout history and that association continues today with large flocks being found in the holy city of Mecca, where breeding sites are provided for the birds and where pilgrims to Mecca purchase grain to feed them.
Pigeons Waiting Outside
21st Century Mosque
to be Fed
At the shrine of Mohammed in Medina (western Saudi Arabia) the thousands of pigeons that gather there are commonly referred to as the ‘Prophet’s birds’.
Pigeon racing and fancying is still a popular sport in the Muslim world and the breed of pigeon known as the ‘Arabian Laughter’ is believed to have been introduced by Mohammed and is still bred today.
Pigeons and Hinduism
The Hindu religion has also revered the dove throughout history, with the bird being mentioned as far back as 1500-1200 BC in the Rig Veda, an ancient hymn dedicated to the Aryan Deities. There are countless illustrations of the pigeon throughout Hindu history, depicted with various deities. The pigeon is still revered today, with huge flocks of pigeons being fed on a daily basis in temples throughout India, in many towns and cities in the UK and many other European cities. Source
Pigeons and Sikhism
The Sikh religion, founded in the 16th century, considers the dove to be a symbol of peace, harmony and goodwill. Sikhs believe that God’s light is in all creatures including pigeons and other birds. As with the Hindu religion, Sikhs feed pigeons around temples in India and throughout the UK and many European cities today.
The feral pigeon that is directly descended from the domesticated rock dove is now perceived as being a pest and a nuisance in towns and cities throughout the world, and yet the bird is still revered in the 21st century. Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs continue to revere the pigeon and the huge flocks of pigeons that can be seen in and around temples and places of worship confirm this. In towns and cities throughout the UK the continued growth of multi-racial groups has ensured that the feral pigeon is, to some small degree, still a symbol of peace and harmony.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Contact us at 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD, (604) 585-9279 or visit our website at www.pigeonpatrol.ca
Pigeon / Pigeon Patrol / Pigeons Roosting / Vancouver Pigeon Patrol / Bird Control / Surrey Pigeon Control / Pest / Vancouver Pigeon Blog / Birds Inside Home / Pigeons in the cities / Ice Pigeons/ Pigeons In Religions
Ever wondered why pigeons fly in circles? Keep on reading to find out why!
Why Pigeons Fly In Circles
Pigeons fly in circles to better navigate. These birds have a great sense of smell which they use to navigate. They fly in circles to locate the smell that reminds them of home. They could also be flying in a thermal, these help them look for food and conserve energy when flying.
Pigeons can be weird sometimes. The fact that these birds live close to humans, gives us the privilege to study and learn about their many animal behaviours.
You may have seen a flock of pigeons fly in circles and wonder what’s going on. Well, you are not alone. A lot of humans with an interest in birds have also been baffled by this.
The good news is, thanks to countless scientific research and studies, the reason for this bird phenomenon has been cracked.
This article carefully explains why pigeons and a few other birds fly in circles. We hope it answers your questions.
Pigeons fly in circles to find their way around. These birds are gifted with a strong and acute sense of smell. We humans use our eyes to find our way home, pigeons use their sense of smell to locate their destination.
Flying in circles allows pigeons to sense the earth’s magnetic field and smell the many odours in the air. They do this until they find the smell native to their home.
Another possible reason why pigeons fly in circles is to discourage raptors from preying on them. Pigeons live in the same environment as crows and peregrine hawks, and they sometimes fall prey to these birds.
When a flock of pigeon senses danger from one of these birds, they are likely to leave their area of rest and fly in circles till the threat passes.
Without their sense of smell, these birds would literally be lost. But pigeons aren’t the only birds that fly in circles, many birds fly in circles for various reasons.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Contact us at 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD, (604) 585-9279 or visit our website at www.pigeonpatrol.ca
Pigeon / Pigeon Patrol / Pigeons Roosting / Vancouver Pigeon Patrol / Bird Control / Surrey Pigeon Control / Pest / Vancouver Pigeon Blog / Birds Inside Home / Pigeons in the cities / Ice Pigeons
Are you ready to see our top 5 picks for the coolest looking pigeons? Keep on scrolling! Last blog we talked about the Ice Pigeon, if you thought that looked cool, wait until you see what coming up on this blog!
For centuries, pigeon fanciers have used careful selection to create some of the most jaw-dropping pigeon breeds you’ll ever see. They look like they came straight out of the imaginations of artists, yet here they are, in all their unusually feathered glory.
Coolest Looking Pigeons
1. Frillback Pigeon
This breed is descended from rock pigeons, and through selective breeding has come to sport curls on the wing shield feathers, giving it an extra fancy appearance. While the frills look fun, judging these birds in competition is serious business, with points awarded based on color, the shape of its head, the shape of its body, the curl of its feathers and other criteria.
2. Barb Pigeon
The barb pigeon has been around for a while, dating as far back as the 1600s in England. Most notable about this pigeon is the wattling around the eyes and beak, which can take up to two years to fully develop into the fleshy flower-like ring around the eye.
3. English Trumpeter Pigeon
This is one of the most popular breeds in the United States among pigeon fanciers, and is considered one of the most ornamental. That’s reasonable, considering its coloring, its fancy feathers around its head, and of course the multiple layers of very long feathers on its feet.
4. Brunner Pouter Pigeon
Pouter pigeons look much as if they walk with their chests held high … very, very high. This is actually the “globe,” or the inflated crop, and according to fanciers, “should be round on the Brunner giving nearly the appearance of a ball on a stick.” In case you weren’t sure about the shape, “The globe must, I repeat must be ROUND AS A BALL. Not pear shaped, not oblong but ROUND AS A BALL.” So, round as a ball. On a stick.
5. English Pouter Pigeon
The English pouter is a big larger than the Brunner, standing around 16 inches tall to the Brunner’s 13 inches. There’s an emphasis on the length of the bird, with nice long legs and a long slender body desired by breeders. What is interesting about the English pouter as well as other pouter breeds is their personalities — they are noted for being very friendly. Source
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Contact us at 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD, (604) 585-9279 or visit our website at www.pigeonpatrol.ca
Pigeon / Pigeon Patrol / Pigeons Roosting / Vancouver Pigeon Patrol / Bird Control / Surrey Pigeon Control / Pest / Vancouver Pigeon Blog / Birds Inside Home / Pigeons in the cities / Ice Pigeons
Ever heard of ice pigeons? No? keep on reading to find out what they are!
Ice Pigeons
The Ice pigeon is a breed of fancy pigeon developed over many years of selective breeding. Ice pigeons, along with other varieties of domesticated pigeons, are all descendants from the rock pigeon. In 1846, Charles Darwin is known to have crossbred the Ice pigeon in order to ascertain colour patterns.
it is one of the oldest of the German color pigeon breeds and was developed over many years of selective breeding.The breed is actually from the South Germany. And it was first developed in the region from eastern Germany to western Poland, with most early breeding in Saxony and Silesia.
Where Do They Live?
And it was first developed in the region from eastern Germany to western Poland, with most early breeding in Saxony and Silesia. The Ice pigeon and other varieties of domesticated pigeons, all are descendants from the wild or feral rock pigeon.
Appearance
This pigeon is an average sized bird which is named and known for it’s ‘ice-blue’ coloration. It’s head is slightly oblong, and have smooth head.
It has several varieties, which are differing in the type and color of their wing pattern. But the basic color of these birds is a pale grey.
Eyes of these birds are of different color depending on the variety. The black barred and checked version has orange to yellow orange colored eyes. And all other varieties have black eyes.
Ice Pigeon | Breed Profile
Breed Name
Ice
Other Name
Polish: Lazurek; German: Eistaube
Breed Purpose
Exhibition, ornamental, pets
Special Notes
Beautiful, calm and gentle in nature, good for ornamental purpose, good for exhibition, good for raising as pets
Breed Class
Small to medium
Climate Tolerance
All climates
Flying Ability
Average
As Pets
Good
Color
Many
Rarity
Common
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Contact us at 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD, (604) 585-9279 or visit our website at www.pigeonpatrol.ca
Pigeon / Pigeon Patrol / Pigeons Roosting / Vancouver Pigeon Patrol / Bird Control / Surrey Pigeon Control / Pest / Vancouver Pigeon Blog / Birds Inside Home / Pigeons in the cities / Ice Pigeons
Ever thought about why there are so many pigeons in your city? I have, I always notice a flock of pigeons hanging out on posts and rooftops and individually roaming the streets. But why are there so many? Keep on reading to find out! It may surprise you.
Pigeons In The City
Some people feed pigeons bread crumbs or keep them as pets in rooftop coops. Others see the animals as pests, carriers of disease or simply “rats with wings.” But whatever you think about these birds, there’s one fact no one will argue: Pigeons are everywhere.
Have you ever wondered how one kind of bird managed to take over urban areas as far apart as Washington; London, England; Mumbai, India; and Melbourne, Australia? Or why it is that pigeons are so plentiful in cities and not eagles, turkeys, hummingbirds or vultures?
Well, the first thing you need to know about pigeons is that they’re actually doves. Or doves are actually pigeons. Scientifically, there’s no difference between the two.
“In some languages, there isn’t even a separate word for ‘pigeon,’ ” said Colin Jerolmack, a scientist at New York University who studies human societies.
There are still pigeons living in the wild today. They evolved on the shores of North Africa and the Mediterranean Sea, where they make their homes on rocky ledges and cliffs. And it was this natural love for hard surfaces that made them a perfect fit in urban areas.
“They actually really like concrete, marble and stone, so they prefer to live and build nests not in the trees and shrubs and grass, but alongside buildings,” said Jerolmack, who wrote a book called “The Global Pigeon.”
But perhaps the biggest reason you’ll find pigeons in cities around the world is because humans brought them there.
At least as long as 5,000 years ago, the people of an ancient Middle Eastern civilization known as Mesopotamia started putting out houses for these birds. As the birds became more tame, people began breeding them for food in areas where other wild animals had become scarce.
Later, people learned that they could also use pigeons to carry written messages over long distances, thanks to the birds’ homing instinct.
“You can take a street pigeon in D.C. and drive it down to North Carolina and release it, and, more often than not, it’ll find its way home,” Jerolmack said.
As you can see, pigeons can be quite useful. It’s been only in the past 80 to 100 years that people started disliking the birds, Jerolmack said. And much of the dislike comes from misunderstanding.
For example, there’s really no solid evidence that pigeons pass diseases on to people. And once you get to know them, you might change the way you think.
Did you know that pigeons mate for life, for instance? Or that once their chicks hatch, both parents take turns feeding their young a liquid produced in their digestive tract called “crop milk?”
Anyway, humans have only themselves to blame for the pigeons cooing on every corner.
“We bred them and domesticated them, and kept them in cities as we developed cities,” Jerolmack said. “So they’ve always been here, from the beginning.”
There are still pigeons living in the wild today. They evolved on the shores of North Africa and the Mediterranean Sea, where they make their homes on rocky ledges and cliffs. And it was this natural love for hard surfaces that made them a perfect fit in urban areas.
“They actually really like concrete, marble and stone, so they prefer to live and build nests not in the trees and shrubs and grass, but alongside buildings,” said Jerolmack, who wrote a book called “The Global Pigeon.”
But perhaps the biggest reason you’ll find pigeons in cities around the world is because humans brought them there.
At least as long as 5,000 years ago, the people of an ancient Middle Eastern civilization known as Mesopotamia started putting out houses for these birds. As the birds became more tame, people began breeding them for food in areas where other wild animals had become scarce.
Later, people learned that they could also use pigeons to carry written messages over long distances, thanks to the birds’ homing instinct.
“You can take a street pigeon in D.C. and drive it down to North Carolina and release it, and, more often than not, it’ll find its way home,” Jerolmack said.
As you can see, pigeons can be quite useful. It’s been only in the past 80 to 100 years that people started disliking the birds, Jerolmack said. And much of the dislike comes from misunderstanding.
For example, there’s really no solid evidence that pigeons pass diseases on to people. And once you get to know them, you might change the way you think.
Did you know that pigeons mate for life, for instance? Or that once their chicks hatch, both parents take turns feeding their young a liquid produced in their digestive tract called “crop milk?”
Anyway, humans have only themselves to blame for the pigeons cooing on every corner.
“We bred them and domesticated them, and kept them in cities as we developed cities,” Jerolmack said. “So they’ve always been here, from the beginning.” Source
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Contact us at 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD, (604) 585-9279 or visit our website at www.pigeonpatrol.ca
Pigeon / Pigeon Patrol / Pigeons Roosting / Vancouver Pigeon Patrol / Bird Control / Surrey Pigeon Control / Pest / Vancouver Pigeon Blog / Birds Inside Home / Pigeons in the cities
Roman Mosaic
Prophet Mohammed
Pigeons Waiting Outside
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