Facts About Pigeons

Domestic and city pigeons descend from the wild rock dove and were among the first birds domesticated, thousands of years ago.

Homing pigeons can find their way home over hundreds of miles, using cues that include the sun, Earth's magnetic field, landmarks, and possibly smell.

Pigeons carried messages in both World Wars; one, Cher Ami, saved a trapped U.S. battalion and received France's Croix de Guerre.

Pigeons can recognize themselves in mirrors and distinguish between paintings by Monet and Picasso in lab studies.

Both pigeon parents produce 'crop milk,' a nutritious secretion, to feed their chicks — a trait shared with few birds.

Pigeons can fly at speeds of 50-60 mph and faster with a tailwind.

Pigeons mate for life and both parents share incubation and chick-rearing duties.

A baby pigeon is called a squab, and they're rarely seen because they stay in the nest until nearly adult-sized.

Pigeons have been shown to learn to read a handful of words and to sort images into categories.

Charles Darwin kept and bred pigeons, and their variety helped shape his thinking on selection.

Pigeons can see ultraviolet light and have nearly 340-degree vision.

A pigeon's iridescent neck feathers shift color depending on the angle of light.

Feral pigeons thrive in cities worldwide because ledges and buildings mimic their ancestral cliff habitats.

Pigeon racing remains a competitive sport, with prized birds selling for very high sums.

Pigeons can drink by sucking water up continuously, unlike most birds that scoop and tip their heads back.