By Carol Tannenhauser
Needless to say, I have grown attached to the pigeons who have taken up residence on my tiny terrace. I know that because I was disappointed that the pair was not there on Sunday night when I returned from a weekend away. The narrow space between the large urn that sits on a small table and the building’s tan bricks was empty. My heart sank, but I felt confident they would return — and they did on this bright Monday morning.
There are two of them, a female and male (I’ve decided), and an occasional visitor, an errant son or brother-in-law, perhaps.
I had to overcome my aversion to them at first, the fear that they had germs and would cause disease. I think it was a learned response, taught by my grandmother who came by it honestly since she lived through the so-called “1918 Spanish Flu” in Brooklyn. Whenever we came to the city she would say, “Don’t touch anything.”
And it’s true, my pigeons poop and lose feathers and it can be a mess, but I’ve learned that a good rainstorm — and we’ve had enough of them — cleans things up significantly.
So, I’ve taken to just observing them. Here’s what’s going on.
The female is trying to get pregnant. I say that because there’s no nest in sight. Just a lot of snuggling and cooing behind the urn.
This morning was tumultuous! Another mother came and tried to take over the space. The son or brother-in-law was there, and there was a fight. The females were under the table — the male flew to the tabletop to give them room, or get out of the line of fire — and the females went at it. I thought — hoped — at first that they were fooling around or grooming each other, but feathers were flying! Original Mother (OM) won decisively, then chased the intruder all the way down the terrace ledge and out of sight.
Through it all, the male was absent, as he often is. The female spends a lot time waiting on the ledge for him, looking out over Central Park, pacing and cooing plaintively.
I’m considering putting out a pan of water.
Subscribe to WSR’s free email newsletter here.
“the male was absent, as he often is.” Deadbeat pigeon
Male pigeons aren’t ever “deadbeats” unless they’re dead. Pigeons mate for life & fully share the duties of child rearing, when there eggs to incubate & and babies to raise, which in this case there aren’t, as yet. But, when there are, pigeon parents will take turns sitting on the eggs & flying off to feed, & when the eggs hatch, feeding the fledgings.
I love this story! So much better than war and homelessness for a change.
I love it too! 🕊❤
Sweet. Yes, leave a pan of water.
We had two pigeons on our terrace who made a nest and had babies. My kids thought this was fantastic, and named them. While they were nesting, they were excellent visitors, and we watched the babies get fed, learn to fly, etc.. Then one day, they flew off for good. They must have notified the entire pigeon population on the UWS that this was a good terrace, because we suddenly had an onslaught of a huge flock of pigeons, who didn’t come to nest but to use our place as their droppings ground. Eventually, we got one of those plastic owls, whom we named Fang, and he scared them all away.
A word of warning to the author: NYC pigeons are decidedly NYers, when it comes to housing. When they find comfortable living quarters, they won’t leave unless compelled to. Usually, female pigeons lay eggs in successive clutches (2-3, at least) during mating season, & the milder the winters, the longer the season. & once their babies have learned the ropes of standing, walking, hopping, perching, flying short distances & long (all overseen, alternatively, by each parent), she’ll waste little time laying a new clutch (& after that process completes, yet another). In addition, in addition, being creatures of habit, either the same parents, or their grown offspring are likely to return to your terrace for next season’s go-round. I’ve had pigeons nest on my terrace three years in succession, which deprived me of its use (since they don’t take kindly to intrusions), & caused me, finally, to cruelly destroy their nest & first clutch of eggs, upon discovery, in the third season & remove any furniture or other items that would allow them to rebuild it, protectively. Although it was a very interesting experience to watch the diligent reproductive process of our winged co-habitants of NYC, enough, at last, became enough.
Had a similar experience. Found two eggs in my planter one day and spent the next 8 weeks or so dealing with mom and her chicks. It was initially interesting but they trashed my plants, patio furniture and balcony and definitely wore out their welcome. And of course, they kept coming back because that’s what pigeons do. For the winter, I removed the planter/nest and covered my furniture . I’ve been out of town for a few weeks and pray they haven’t been camping out there. If I’d known the result, I would’ve never encouraged this interaction.