200115. We. P. 1108P
PIGEONS AS PETS - Les Larson Chicken_art@yahoo.com
This site is meant to be a place to exchange information from the class, and through Comments by anyone who was in the class.
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PIGEON CLASS OUTLINE 1/18/20 - Handout
Sally Manzara Interpretive Nature Center: Lake Elmo
651-408-2838
More classes in 2020- Les Larson
Pigeon class Feb 27 Th 630-7:30 OD Discovery Center
The Art of Keeping Chickens class Apr 4 Sat 11:00 Lake Elmo
The Art of Keeping Chickens Class Apr 23 Th 6:30 OD Discovery Center
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Pigeon class outline
1) WHY HAVE A PIGEON or Dove?
1a) Companion like a cat or dog, lifespan same,
Dove vs Pigeons are similar as pets..
But Pigeons / Doves lifespan differ.
Deciding on a pet .. maintenance
1b) Pigeons can live with a cat or dog ??? Risk.
1c) Feral=Homeless, vs Domestic breeds
1d) Amt of love you give is the love you get.
Pics Lovey cuddly Pigeons/Doves, bonding 1 or 2 birds?
1e) STORIES ...
2) VARIETY of Pigeon breeds, (Ringneck Doves, Diamond, collared, Mourning)
Taxonomy ...Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order,
Family, Genus, Species breeds, sub,
42 genera and 310 species., 800 Breeds/sub-breeds
Dove vs Pigeon common name. Are different
Pics many. Feral/bar, Victoria crown,
List of breeds - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_pigeon_breeds
3) Inexpensive? (Vet ?)
3a) Pic x-ray $$$, holding sick Pigeon
3b) Where to get Pigeons/Doves.. rescue, shows, breeders.
3c) Buy a Pigeon, free to $300. ($5 to $30 common)
3d) SOLD MN Pigeon $50k, USA Pigeon $498k, World recently sold $1.4 million
4) WHAT TO EXPECT. . . .Pics
4a) Personalities are just like people, varied/breed.
Have one? or two?
4b) Clean compared to people, Smart, train, tricks.
Pics
4c) Kept Indoor or outdoor.
4d) Aviary or no cage (Must protect outdoors),
4e) Care (diapers, leash)
4f) Free flying outdoors or not, risk.
4g) Indoor dangers see list
4h) Maintenance, Facilities (keep Safe, predators)
Can be left alone days or more (Net Cams)
5) CHARACTERISTICS
5a) History of Pigeons, Bible, Pope, war
5b) Incl "Pigeon Facts" list, suck drink, heart rate,
Mate for life, home instinct, Temp Tolerance.
5c) Breeding ... M/F raise the young
Eggs laid 8 to 12 days after mating,
3 days in nest before laying two eggs one day apart, every 28-30 days.
17-19 days to hatch, Need Calcium supplement for bones and eggs.
About 4 weeks to fly, then fledge (leave nest).
6) Food, nutrition
7) Health, disease?
8) etc etc...
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Interesting And Amazing Facts About Pigeons
0. Bert Larson adds this fact. ---> Pigeons and Doves are the ONLY birds (and 1 other rare species) that drink water by sucking, all others use gravity.
1. Unless forcibly separated, Pigeons in a natural environment generally mate for life.
2. Male Pigeons have the rare ability to produce a kind of milk for the babies just like the females do, albeit this is not like dairy milk since it is produced from the crop.
3. Newborn Pigeons, weaned on the ‘Pigeon milk’ of both parents, double their weight in the first two days.
4. A grown Pigeon has nearly 10,000 feathers.
5. Pigeons have been known to live over 30 years.
6. In the 17th century, King George I of England decreed all Pigeon droppings to be property of the Crown, and the ‘lofts’ were policed to enforce the law. Pigeon manure was used in making gunpowder.
7. With the ability to beat its wings up to ten times per second, and maintain a heart rate of 600 beats per minute for up to 16-hours without rest, the racing Pigeon is the unequaled athlete of the air.
8. A famous WWI homing Pigeon named “Cher Ami” finished his distinguished career by delivering a vital message: The location of the famous ‘Lost Battalion’. That mission alone is credited with saving nearly 200 human lives. “Cher Ami” was awarded the French Croix de Guerre with Palm for his heroic service. He died of his extensive battle wounds.
9. One WW II homing Pigeon named “GI Joe” saved over 1000 allied soldiers’ lives in a single mission. He was awarded the Dickin Medal, the animal equivalent of the Victoria Cross. His average speed on that flight was 60 mph.
10. Despite enemy fire, Pigeons achieved a 98% success rate in missions flown in WW II, often with mortal injuries to themselves.
11. The French, Swiss, Israeli, Iraqi and Chinese armies still use homing Pigeons today. Pigeons proved valuable in the Gulf War, as their messaging was not affected by electronic jamming.
12. The Pigeon has the rare ability for a large bird to be able to fly nearly straight up.
13. Pigeons have been taught to use ‘tools’ and were found to retain that knowledge.
14. Studies conducted by B.F. Skinner at Harvard showed that Pigeons have a visual memory that can store at least 300 objects or images indefinitely.
15. The pharmaceutical industry in Australia ’employed’ Pigeons trained to identify anomalies in pills and capsules on a moving conveyor, and remove them from production. The birds did outstanding work but authorities quickly put an end to the practice.
16. Racing Pigeons routinely maintain flight speeds of 50 to 60 mph.
17. Some Pigeons reverse-commute, feeding on grain in the country, while living in the city.
18. Advanced studies at the University of Montana conclude: “Pound for pound, Columba livia (the Pigeon) is one of the smartest, most physically adept creatures in the animal kingdom.” . . And if you like pigeons, you can join the ranks of personalities Mike Tyson, Queen Elizabeth 11, Nikola Tesla, Pablo Picasso, and celebrities Elvis Presley, Britney Spears, Clint Eastwood, Elizabeth Taylor and many more
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INDOOR DANGERS TO BIRDS (and other pets)
> To prevent indoor dangers and Pigeon tragedies, here are some things to be aware of in the home or aviary to reduce the risks. (None of mine ~:<)
1. Someone sat in their chair just as the bird landed there, Crushed
2. Closing a door quickly to prevent escape, squish bird instead.
3. Drowning in toilet while attempting to drink water.
4. Suffocate between file cabinet and wall.or any two surfaces.
5. Finding and eating food toxic to birds (Like Avocado)
5a. Candle fumes or any kind of sprays,
6. Objects falling (one killed by vacuum tipping over on it)
7. Stepping on, ... in dim light or dark.
8. Strings like Venetian blind strings tangling on feet/wings/neck etc
9. Getting head stuck in bars or wire reaching for food.
10, Ceiling fans
11.Uncovered Hot electric stove element, or hot lightbulb.
12.Opening a door with bird on other side on floor, crush it's feet.
13 Closing a door when bird is sitting on top, crush it's feet.
14. Fireplace or hot woodstove.
15. Fly paper (yes it's happened).
16. Bird eating a dropped pill on floor
17 Fail to secure door separating bird and untrustworthy pets.
18.Escaping to outside where they've never been before.. Unless experienced at being outside, they can get Lost.
19 Soft sided strollers, cages, carriers .. Bird can get crushed if something falls on it, AND loose dogs or other predators can easily snatch the bird thru the net, bird cannot escape like a uncaged free flying bird could.. Safer to use hard wire cages when you take the birds outside (unless you are carrying the soft cage). There are many examples where human babies in strollers have been attacked by loose dogs (I have links if you want)... I watched a loose dog kill a rabbit in a soft cage. ... use caution.
20.Maggie Benedette added - Mouse glue traps, mouse traps, mouse poison.
21 Vicki Lesch added - Going under the couch and getting stuck. Going under the recliner and getting crushed. There are so many places these little guys can go that is a horror story waiting to happen
22 . . . . . . . Anyone know or others to add to list ??.
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