![]() ![]() The whistle is a signal that conveys valuable intel to other pigeons. This isn’t because its wings are sloppily constructed or because it’s panting heavily with the exertion. If you startle a pigeon, you’ll hear a wheezy whistle as it flaps away. Why it happens: This whistle may help warn other pigeons of approaching danger. What you’ll hear: a high-pitched whistling sound as a pigeon flies away. It’s almost as if they’re applauding their own performance. But there’s another big reason why pigeons make this sound: Males do it as part of a post-sex showoff display. Pigeons may clap when something startles them into flight, perhaps to warn other pigeons of danger or to scare an approaching predator. It’s sort of like holding your arms above your head and clapping with your palms turned away from each other. On the upswing of a flap, they slap the muscles and stiff feathers of their wingtips together. If you live in a city center, you’ve probably heard the clapping of startled pigeon wings echoing through the urban canyons. Why it happens: It’s either a way to say “I just had sex” or an expression of alarm. What you’ll hear: a loud slapping sound as a pigeon takes off. When it leaves the nest four to six weeks later, it’ll still whistle for a while to demand food or signal that it’s not a threat to nearby adults. Once you start noticing these calls, you’ll find that there are hidden pigeon nests everywhere.īy crying out, a baby pigeon is saying, “Hey! I’m a baby, and I’m hungry! Gimme that milk!” The chick will often pair its call with urgent wing flaps. Pigeon chicks can’t produce the deep-throated coos of adult birds until they’re seven to eight weeks old instead, they make whistling, wheezing, high-pitched peeps. Odds are, you’ve heard this call without realizing it. Why it happens: The chick is encouraging its parents to bring it some food. What you’ll hear: a baby pigeon making a wheezy whistle. The pair will complement the calls with a fetching display of head bobbing and delicate wing twitching. This may help reinforce their bond or encourage the male to go gather some twigs for the nest. Later, both males and females make this coo at the nesting spot. They hang out on a perch near a possible nest site and coo away until a female pigeon drops by to visit. Male pigeons make advertising coos when they’re ready to start a relationship. Lacking the gentle trill of the display coo, it sounds oddly human, like a deep-voiced person going “Woo! WOO!” If you’ve ever had pigeons nesting outside your apartment window, you know the advertising coo. Why it happens: You’ll hear this call when a pigeon is looking for love, or when a pair is strengthening their bond at their nesting site. What you’ll hear: a moaning ooh-ooh-ooh sound. He also wants to intimidate other males who might be hanging out nearby.Īdvertising coo Cover: Workman Publishing But he’s not just interested in wooing a female. While display cooing, the male bows and spreads his tail, strutting around his potential mate. Part of the song is a trill and part of it is more of an oo sound, though the particulars can vary. When a male is ready to mate, he makes this sound during the bow-coo display (see Singing and Dancing on page 162). The display coo is a male pigeon’s song, though you’ll sometimes hear it from female pigeons, too. When a dove or pigeon coos, air passes through the syrinx (a vocal organ at the base of the windpipe) and builds up in that poofy expanding crop. Whereas many songbirds open their beaks wide when they belt out a tune, a pigeon’s mouth stays shut the whole time. If you watch a pigeon coo, you’ll notice something weird. The orange dove, for example, sounds like a ticking metronome. Note that not all members of the pigeon family make this sound many do, but some produce weird quacks, chatters, and other noises. And it really does sound like coo-the word “coo” is onomatopoeic. Illustration: Rosemary MoscoĮven if you don’t know a ton about pigeons and doves, you probably know that they coo. Why it happens: The display coo is all about showing off. What you’ll hear: a deep, partly trilled cooing sound that rises and then falls. Pigeons are famous for their cooing, but why do they do it? And how else do they communicate with their pigeon pals? Read on to uncover their full repertoire, from coos and grunts to claps and whistles. Here are some of the behaviors you’ll see. A pigeon is living the complex, nuanced life of a modern-day dinosaur. It may dance, chase another bird, clap its wings, kiss its mate, take off almost vertically, or feed milk to its young. If you watch a pigeon throughout the day, you’ll see it do so much more than peck for food and crap on statues. Excerpted from A Pocket Guide to Pigeon Watching: Getting to Know the World’s Most Misunderstood Bird by Rosemary Mosco. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |