By Carol Tannenhauser
The question often arises: Why don’t we ever see baby pigeons walking around the city with the millions of pigeon adults?
It could be because pigeon parents are unusually protective. After hatching, pigeons spend their entire youth — just over a month — in the nest, “being cared for 24/7 by attentive parents … [growing] strong enough to take flight,” according to the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. “When they are finally ready to take the plunge out of the nest, they have already developed into full-sized pigeons.”
Some of us are — and actually consider ourselves — lucky enough to have a pigeon nest in our view.
I have one on a small terrace off my living room, where the two “squabs” (as baby pigeons are called) pictured above were laid, hatched, and are currently still being incubated and fed by both parents. I’ve watched them changing shifts. Pigeons mate for life, or until one partner dies. The life span of a wild pigeon averages two to five years, according to the Parks department.
Upper West Siders David and Heather Stone also had a bird’s eye view of the pigeon reproductive process.
“I had never seen the inside of a pigeon’s nest until a few weeks ago when one was built right outside my window,” David Stone wrote to the Rag. “The mother deposited two eggs, and she and the father took turns roosting over the next three weeks. A few days ago, one of the eggs hatched …. We’re open to suggestions for baby names.”
As am I, having hastily named my pigeon couple Pat and Pete — and, by the way, let me offer a special shout-out to them. Steadfast and selfless, they took turns sitting on their eggs through all kinds of conditions, including the three-day, three-night, rain-and-wind storm we had at the start of April, rivaling my personal role model, Horton the Elephant, for faithfulness, 100%!
Here’s a video of the baby pigeons on my terrace, exposed for a few minutes periodically, while their mother or father stretches their legs and gathers food for them. Anyone know what the young ones are doing in the video while their parents are away?
One final note: Before the babies were born, the terrace was a mess, covered with pigeon poop. Since their birth a week ago, it has been immaculate.
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We had the same thing happen a few years ago. It was amazing to watch, but by the time they left our terrace was covered in pigeon poop and it was a mess
Sweet. they are so fuzzy!
Fascinating, but kind of horrifying-looking!
Thanks for this glimpse into pigeon parenthood! Loved learning that pigeons are devoted parents and loyal mates.
No wonder the parents keep them out of sight until they are presentable!
On the video, what’s that little rising-in-tandem move the baby pigeons perform?
I raised a baby pidgeon until
Our manager said we couldn’t keep him.
He was a great friendly
Pet.
Had a nest that produced two chicks in my window box a long time ago (before window boxes had to be removed) and I was over the moon to see the hatchlings. I’d always wondered why I’d never seen a baby pigeon before and was thrilled. Still am.
Ed Jong’s wonderful book “An Immense World,” I learned that there are two kinds of bird babies: those that remain in the nest and depend entirely on their parents (altricial) or those that leave the nest within 1-2 days after hatching (precocial). Somehow, this never occurred to me before, despite seeing baby chicks up and on their own days after hatching.
I’m reading this book right now! It’s great; leaves you dazzled with the infinite ingenuity of nature.
Simon & FUNK. Who cleaned up the terrace? And more interestingly, babies/ squabs..do not yet have white at the top of their bills. Does anyone want to take a guess to why? I have a theory. (I rescued a baby who can’t fly almost 4 yrs. ago. I’ve been fascinated ever since).
Check out Andrew Garn’s photo book: The NewYork Pigeon….Behind The Feathers
The rain cleaned it; the pigeons kept it that way — and still are!
Are the babies trying to stand up?
Good guess!
Words of Warning: The whole lifecycle of this is beautiful and amazing to watch unfold — BUT — I had a family of pigeons make their nest on top of my air conditioner a few years ago and my little heart could not imagine moving them, so I allowed them to stay and watch the process. Lovely, amazing, the miracle of birth and life! UNTIL the birds got bird mites that somehow migrated into my office through the air conditioner vents to the point that I had to call an extermination company to fumigate the entire room and I was forced to expel the nest and pigeons from my air conditioner. Everything is cute and lovely until you remember these are wild creatures and bring disease….birds are DIRTY…ever seen a chicken coup? As much as it might pain your heart, for the health and safety of your home and family, do not let outdoor wildlife take up residence in your home, on your terrace, on your A/C etc.
Amen. It’s fine to watch pigeons in the park. It’s another matter to allow them to nest on your terrace and make it inhabitable. This was my experience last summer when two eggs were laid in my planter. Never again!!