How Do Pigeons Communicate? 7 Facts You Should Know!

Saif Ali

How Do Pigeons Communicate? 7 Facts You Should Know!

Pigeons convey information and share thoughts via communication, which is essential for life. So, how do they communicate. Let us investigate in brief.

Pigeons make different sounds like cooing, grunting, squeak and whistle to convey their messages with each other. A brief grunting sound is produced when they are frightened. Pigeons frequently make a sharp slapping sound as they take off by beating the tips of their wings together on upstrokes.

This article will contribute to resolving the query related to pigeon’s communication. This post is for you if you are a pigeon enthusiast, pigeon lover, or are just curious.

How do pigeons communicate with each other?

Pigeons do not make singing sound like other birds do. Let us find out how they communicate with each other.

Pigeons communicate with each other by producing various types of sounds. Pigeons try to lure a partner by making a continuous cooing sound at the nest. They also communicate to each other by preening, and billing to show affection. They also use their wings to make whistling noises to alert other pigeons to danger.

These birds have the ability to coo, alerting nearby pigeons and other birds to the presence of a predator and advising them to fly away. Additionally, a male pigeon will coo throughout the courting stage to lure the mate he prefers.

How do pigeons communicate with humans?

Well, humans can communicate with pigeons by making sounds but do pigeons reply them back? Let us investigate.

A pigeon may silently look at you and pay attention, but they won’t communicate or respond to our conversation like they usually do with other pigeons. Moreover, Pigeons can respond by giving you a head tilt, flying over you, cooing at you, or letting you hug him.

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Humans can call the pigeons by making sounds using hands. These sound are typically made to attract the pigeon flock so that people can feed or trap them.

How to make a pigeon call ?

There is an ancient technique by which one uses his/her hands to communicate or call the pigeons.

The steps to make a pigeon call are given below:

  • Take your hand fingers tightly together and make a letter C.
  • Tuck one hand within the other, palms facing inward, this will going to create letter O.
  • Its really important to make a tight seal between both hands, but at the same time, you have to make a space between both hands.
  • By holding them, thumbs should be aligned on the front, a small hole or space is formed between the thumbs.
  • Now, its time to position the lips, your top lip should be on top of your knuckle and your bottom lip is right below the knuckle.
  • Blow the air downwards to call the pigeons.
  • This is one of the ancient and well executed technique to call pigeons or doves.

Why do pigeons nod at each other?

Nodding has been noticed in numerous species of pigeons which seems to be a universal behaviour.

Pigeons nod at each other for various reasons. Let us find out some reasons below:

  • Nodding is observed in Columba livia. They produces a downward stroke of the head with the bill angled at an angle of roughly 85 degrees to the horizontal at its lowest point.
  • Pigeons nod at the nest site or when reuniting after a brief separation by both members of a pair.
  • Female pigeon nods in response to aggressive, assertive, or sensual behaviour from a male she wants to pair up with.
  • Pigeons usually nod at the nesting site often with its partner nearby
  • Pigeons also nod when both birds are threatening each other.
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How do wood pigeons communicate?

Do wood pigeons interact with one another differently or do they share the same communication skills like normal pigeons. Let us analyze it.

Image Credits : Adult Common Wood Pigeon by Tony Hisgett is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Wood pigeons communicate with each other by making a coo sound. They continuously coo at the nest site to entice a mate like other pigeons. Additionally, they produce grunting sound to alarm other pigeons. When pigeons hurriedly flee from a predator, they coo and produce whistling noises by fluttering their wings.

Wood pigeons calls or communicate with each other exactly like other pigeons do. The only thing makes them different from other pigeons is their body size. They are one of the large species of all doves and pigeon family Columbidae.

Can doves and pigeons communicate ?

As both of them belongs to the same family. Let us find out doves and pigeon can communicate.

Doves and pigeons can communicate easily as they both make lot of sounds similar to each other. Both doves and pigeons produces coo sound, but dove makes coo sound more melodious. Mourning Doves and Rock Pigeon makes whistling sound during takeoff and landing may assist frighten predators or alert flock mates.

Can pigeons communicate with other birds ?

All birds, which are members of the Aves class, should share a sound with other species to enable communication. Let us find out.

Pigeon and other birds can communicate by avian alarm call, which can be easily grasp by any bird. Robert D. Magrath has focused a lot of his research on avian alarm cries. When a predator is seen, birds will make these warning sounds. It is typical for birds to recognize the sounds of other bird species.

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When birds spot a predator, they make alarm calls. In many cases, these calls are particularly targeted to particular avian predators like hawks and owls.

Conclusion

In conclusion, pigeons communicate in a variety of ways, including cooing, making whistling noises with their wings, fluffing up their feathers, and moving in particular ways. Despite the fact that they are not songbirds, they can still communicate. Even though you might not be able to speak to them, you can still call and let them know you want them around.

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