7 reasons to stop hating pigeons.

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[Nictuku]

1. Interesting!

I have to admit that I have a bias against them, and I will work on it.

I work in the city, and I see many many many of them, and I think of them as flying rats. They are unhealthy looking, and I feel like they have and spread disease.

Then, at my home, which is very rural and out in the country side, I have a bird feeder that I enjoy watching all the birds flock to my yard and sing and play and eat.

Then the pigeons come. But these are actually very beautiful birds, much larger and more colorful than the city pigeons. They don't look unhealthy at all, and at first I really admired them a lot. One timidly came to the feeder and I thought it was all good.

These are called Forest Pigeons, and I think they are somewhat rare. But they, too, bum me out. For different reasons. Now I chase them away. This is because there are usually around 12 of them, and they eat up everything within an hour, and they shit all over everything, and basically ruin it for all the other birds. So I don't want to encourage them.

[Mosby]

5. I have been feeding birds in my backyard for about 5 years.

I didn't like the pigeons at first but I figured out a compromise that works for all the birds. The original feeder I use the pigeons can perch on, so I got another that has very small ledges and hangs freely. The pigeons can't perch on that one so the food lasts for most of the day. The pigeons (and other larger birds) have their own feeder that's mounted to a tree, which gets emptied pretty quickly, I also ground feed them. I also maintain a bird bath, which the pigeons (and starlings) love, after they take a dip they lay out in the yard sunning themselves. They hang out in the yard on and off during the day, eating bugs and ants. Ants tend to be pretty bad in Phoenix lawns, but not my yard.

[50 Shades Of Blue]

2. They get a bad rap and not without reasons, but I've always liked pigeons.

[Skittles]

6. same

I think they are fun to watch

[emmaverybo]

3. They are very very aware and smart. Also caring with each other.

[Aristus]

4. "Weird Al" Yankovic's funny little doggerel verse on pigeons.

'Pigeons are most reprehensible things
Some people call them rodents with wings
And yet, they fulfill an invaluable need:
They give old men on park benches something to feed
In return for this service, all they ask is that you
Allow them to soil the occasional statue.'