The birds most people ignore on their daily commute are actually among the top ten most intelligent beings on Earth.
These incredible feathered souls are not only devoted partners — they are highly intelligent and complex beings who possess abilities most humans don't even know exist.
Many people don't know that pigeons have tiny magnetic crystals in their beaks that act like biological compasses. This allows them to sense Earth's magnetic field and navigate thousands of miles with pinpoint accuracy.
They can also detect sounds too low for humans to hear and read polarized light patterns in the sky that remain completely invisible to our limited perception.
Scientists have found that pigeons can count, recognize themselves in mirrors, learn abstract concepts, and even understand probability. In fact, they rank among the top ten most intelligent beings on the planet — and some studies show they outperform young children on certain cognitive tests. The bird you shooed away from your sandwich yesterday might be smarter than a five-year-old human.
While humans see only three primary colors, pigeons see four, including ultraviolet light. This means they're living in a world of colour we can't even imagine. This allows them to see patterns on each other's feathers that are completely invisible to us.
They produce a protein-rich "crop milk" in their throats to feed their babies — just like doves, flamingos, and emperor penguins, and reveal a deeply nurturing nature.
These amazing birds can fly almost 97km/hr in sustained flight, covering distances that would exhaust most creatures.
They form lifelong partnerships, although their "divorce rate" increases under environmental stress — indicating that they experience relationship challenges similar to our own.
Their communication abilities are what truly set them apart. Pigeons use different types of calls for specific purposes, and they can recognize individual voices over long distances. They even have specific "words" for danger, territory, and courtship, operating with a sophisticated language system.
Pigeons have helped humans in times of war, serving as heroes when technology failed us. One famous bird, Cher Ami, lost one of her legs while delivering a message tied to her remaining leg — saving 194 soldiers in the process. This single act of courage earned her a place in history that most humans will never achieve.
Pigeons need our help now more than ever. Once domesticated, they were abandoned and left to survive in the wild without the skills their ancestors possessed. They've stayed close to humans because they are familiar with us, because we created their dependence and then walked away. We owe them better.
Please feed them oats or bird seed, and leave water out for them, especially during hot summer months when hydration becomes critical.
- By Forestry (Edited)
