Volume 45, Number 2, December 1998:
Feral Pigeons

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ABOUT THIS ISSUE
- about KSN
- about the author

IN THIS ISSUE
- introduction
- origin of feral pigeons
- basic plumages
- mate choice and plumages
- advantages of different plumages
- advantages of choosing different mates
- breeding seasons
- reproducative data
- brood reduction
- living in colonies
- commuter pigeons
- relationships with people
- reference

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Updated: March 9, 2005
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Feral Pigeons
by Richard F. Johnston

LIVING IN COLONIES

Pigeons are considered to be highly social creatures that live in colonies. However this is not wholly accurate because many pigeons live in partial isolation from others. In a Kansas town that has feral pigeons, you almost always will be able to find birds nesting in a colony, that is, their nests will be built close to one another. At the same time, many pairs will nest away from the colony and apart from other individuals nesting alone.

Pigeons therefore are not required by their nature to nest in colonies or for that matter to nest singly. Pairs of pigeons readily adjust to the social variables of colonial life or to living alone, which means that they are reasonably complex birds in their social behavior. When pigeons nest colonially inside city limits, they do so because humans have provided a suitable environment. The most important element is safe nesting sites. If such sites are distributed singly and unpredictably around town, the birds find and use them. But aggregations of sites that are secure from predators such as house cats or crows, and that can be defended against intruder pigeons, are usually more desirable to the birds.