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Testing pigeon memory in a change detection task

by Pigeon Patrol | Jul 19, 2021 | Pigeon Predators, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons, Pigeons in the News, Raccoons

Six pigeons were trained in a change detection task with four colors. They were shown two colored circles on a sample array, followed by a test array with the color of one circle changed. The pigeons learned to choose the changed color and transferred their performance to four unfamiliar colors, suggesting that they had learned a generalized concept of color change. They also transferred performance to test delays several times their 50-msec training delay without prior delay training. The accurate delay performance of several seconds suggests that their change detection was memory based, as opposed to a perceptual attentional capture process. These experiments are the first to show that an animal species (pigeons, in this case) can learn a change detection task identical to ones used to test human memory, thereby providing the possibility of directly comparing short-term memory processing across species.

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Wartime hero pigeon Paddy honoured with fly-past

by Pigeon Patrol | Jul 19, 2021 | Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Predators, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons, Pigeons in the News

One of Northern Ireland’s smallest World War II heroes has been honoured.

Paddy, a messenger pigeon who served with the RAF during the Normandy operations in June 1944, was remembered in his home town of Larne on Friday.

PDSA, Britain’s biggest veterinary charity, awarded Paddy the Dickin Medal, dubbed the animals’ “Victoria Cross”, 65 years ago this month.

He received it for being the fastest pigeon to reach England with a coded message from the battle-front beaches of Normandy.

The brave bird brought back vital information about the Allies’ progress, flying 230 miles in four hours 50 minutes – the fastest time of any of the messenger pigeons involved in the mission with an average speed of 56mph.

PDSA spokesman James Puxty said: “Paddy’s contribution to the D-Day operations was a credit to the thousands of messenger pigeons donated by the racing pigeon fraternity for service during World War II.

“He was one of 32 brave, feathered heroes that received the PDSA Dickin Medal for their life-saving flights during the war, and the only recipient from Northern Ireland.”

Local hero

Paddy was born and raised in Carnlough and joined thousands of other racing birds who were trained and drafted to RAF Hurn in Hampshire for military service.

Impressing military brass with his flying in the Air-Sea rescue units he was seconded to the United States First Army for undercover missions during the Normandy Landings.

In the face of poor weather conditions and the threat of German falcons, deployed to intercept Paddy and his comrades, he delivered his message to his home loft at RAF Hurn.

After the war Paddy returned to Carnlough and lived out his days with his owner Captain Andrew Hughes, until his death in 1954.

A memorial to the winged hero was erected in Carnlough harbour.

A feathered fly-past of pigeons formed part of the Paddy Memorial Day event held at Larne Museum and Arts Centre.

Larne Borough Council and the town’s historical society were joined by guests from PDSA and the owner of Paddy’s PDSA Dickin Medal, former Irish Army officer Kevin Spring.

Younger guests were entertained by Gail Seekamp, the children’s author, who read from her book “Paddy the Pigeon”.

The Dickin Medal was introduced in 1943 by Maria Dickin, PDSA’s founder. She wanted to recognise the gallantry and devotion to duty of animals serving with the Armed Forces and Civil Defence units during WWII.

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Where do pigeons go to die? All you need to know

by Pigeon Patrol | Jul 12, 2021 | Pigeon Predators, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons, Pigeons in the News, Raccoons, Sparrows

All animals go through the circle of life, they are born (or hatched in the case of pigeons) live and die. But where do pigeons go to die? This article goes into it.

Pigeons look for dark secluded spaces to die. This includes holes, crevices, ventilation shafts and various building openings to spend their last moments. They do this to have peace away from predators in their last moments and they do this to not become a hindrance to the flock. They then die in peace in these spaces

At some point, everything comes to an end. It’s an inescapable fact of life. As humans, we have our final resting places, but what about birds? Considering how many pigeons are in existence one would assume that we would see more dead pigeons lying around, but we don’t. So, where do pigeons go to die?

Pigeons are one of the oldest domesticated and versatile birds of all times. They have been kept as pets, used as food, guides and otherwise. They are intelligent, they can recognize colours, measurements and have homing capabilities.

These animals are loyal, reliable and travel really fast, no wonder they’ve been messenger birds and travel guides. These birds are herbivores eating grains, vegetables, and fruits. They exist all around the world in large numbers and yet not many people have ever seen a dead pigeon.

Where do pigeons go to die?

These animals have a relatively short life span. They are also a tasty meal for any cats in the neighbourhood as well as predatory hawks. With so many pigeons dying often, how is that we never see dead pigeons everywhere? Do their feathered friends bury them or do they have someplace that they go before they reach bird haven?

Feral pigeons that live in cities look for dark covered spaces when they feel ill or are wounded. They’ve been this way for 1000s of years. They do this as a last-ditch attempt to recover in a safe space away from predators and not wanting to endanger the flock.

Pigeons will look for holes, crevices, ventilation shafts and various building openings to spend their last moments. Their small bodies decay very quickly after death. This explains why we don’t often see them dead and lying all over the place

Another reason why dead pigeon seems to disappear is to keep their dead bodies away from predators. These predators include cats, hawks, foxes, raccoons, and other opportunistic predators that will prey on weak and or dead and dying creatures. These predators are quick to attack so chances are before the sick pigeon can hit the ground they’ve been swooped up and snatched off as a meal.

How long do pigeons live?

How long pigeons live for is dependent on a couple of factors. While it is very unlikely for them to survive until old age in the wild, they may not do much better in captivity either. A pigeon in the wild can live up to 10 years.

The average number of years pigeons in cities live up to is 3 to 6 years. This is because they are easy prey, they get hit by passing cars, or fly into windows and mesh nettings around buildings which can be fatal for them.

Pet pigeons, on the other hand, can live between 9 to 15 years. This is if the pigeon is not being raised for food, they live this long if they are treated extremely well. Treating a pigeon well can be a job on its own, they need space, lots of open-air for flight, variety in their diet and can become sick if isolated from a flock.

What causes pigeons to die suddenly

Pigeons are susceptible to a wide range of diseases. Pigeons are zoonotic creatures, they can act as disease carriers. Often pigeons die because of these diseases. As pigeon age, their immune strength, agility, sensory and digestive systems decline, this causes them to die suddenly.

How do you know if pigeons are dying?

Sick or dying pigeons often isolate themselves, they remove themselves from the pack and go to dark shaded spaces. Their activity levels drop, and you hear them cooing less and less. In addition, their eating habits change for the worst and they don’t interact with the flock. Remember to be careful around these birds as they can carry and transmit a variety of diseases.

Do birds bury their dead

No, birds do not mourn or bury their dead flock members. You may have noticed birds “mourning” a dead member of their flock. The sounds that a dove or pigeon make can sound like mourning over their friend as they gather around it but this does not mean they are in mourning. Rather it means that they are trying to get some sort of response from the fallen bird to find out what happened and where the death-causing threat came from.

What if a pigeon dies in your house?

If a pet pigeon dies in your house, especially from old age or from an unknown cause, its best to hire professionals to get rid of the bird. If you decide to bury the bird make sure that you use disposable gloves for handling and seal bags for the disposing also burry the bird very deep in the ground.

Conclusion

Pigeons naturally look for dark crevices when they are sick and dying, this is so that they are out of sight when they die. These animals have a low life expectancy rates both in the wild and in cites if they aren’t taken care of. If a pigeon dies on your property it would be best to contact pest controls services to remove them

If you’re interested in pigeons you may also be interested in these articles: What do pigeons eat in the wild? When do pigeons leave the nest? What do pigeons like to eat? Where do pigeons go in the winter? Click the links to read more

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How long do city pigeons live?

by Pigeon Patrol | Jul 12, 2021 | Bird Spike, history of pigeons, MBCA, pet bird, Pigeons, Pigeons in the News

Keeping this in view, how do pigeons survive in the city?

Pigeons (Rock Doves) adapt well to cities because they find there habitat similar to the cliffs where they live in the wild. If we were prepared to capture and eat them (not recommended today for health reasons) their populations would be much smaller of course.

Subsequently, question is, where do pigeons die? This background means that, when sick or injured, pigeons instinctively retreat to dark, remote places – ventilation systems, attics, building ledges – hoping to remain out of reach and unnoticed by predators. The predators don’t see them, but neither do we: often when pigeons expire, they are in hiding.

Keeping this in consideration, how long can a pigeon live?

Life Expectancy: Varies greatly from 3-5 years through to 15 years dependent on many factors, including natural predation and human interference. Predation: The wild pigeon is predated upon, almost exclusively, by the peregrine falcon, a bird that is also found living and breeding in coastal regions.

Do pigeons fight to the death?

As The Tom says, pigeons will defend their nest to the death under these circumstances. In a confined space this can quickly lead to the eggs becoming broken, or even the squabs being trampled to death in the ensuing skirmish.

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Pigeon thought to have crossed Pacific from Oregon escapes death in Australia

by Pigeon Patrol | Jul 12, 2021 | Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons, Pigeons in the News, Raccoons, Sparrows, UltraSonic Bird Control

Canberra, Australia — A pigeon that Australia declared a biosecurity risk has received a reprieve after a U.S. bird organization declared its identifying leg band was fake.

The band suggested the bird found in a Melbourne backyard on Dec. 26 was a racing pigeon that had left Oregon, 8,000 miles away, two months earlier.

On that basis, Australian authorities on Thursday said they considered the bird a disease risk and planned to kill it.

But Deone Roberts, sport development manager for the Oklahoma-based American Racing Pigeon Union, said on Friday the band was fake.

The band number belongs to a blue bar pigeon in the United States and that is not the bird pictured in Australia, she said.

“The bird band in Australia is counterfeit and not traceable,” Roberts said. “It definitely has a home in Australia and not the U.S.”

“Somebody needs to look at that band and then understand that the bird is not from the U.S. They do not need to kill him,” she added.

Australia’s Agriculture Department, which is responsible for biosecurity, agreed that the pigeon dubbed Joe, after U.S. President-elect Joe Biden, was wearing a “fraudulent copy” leg band.

“Following an investigation, the department has concluded that Joe the Pigeon is highly likely to be Australian and does not present a biosecurity risk,” it said in a statement.

The department said it will take no further action.

Acting Australian Prime Minister Michael McCormack had earlier said there would be no mercy if the pigeon was from the United States.

“If Joe has come in a way that has not met our strict biosecurity measures, then bad luck Joe, either fly home or face the consequences,” McCormack said.

Martin Foley, health minister for Victoria state, where Joe is living, had called for the federal government to spare the bird even if it posed a disease risk.

“I would urge the Commonwealth’s quarantine officials to show a little bit of compassion,” Foley said.

Andy Meddick, a Victorian lawmaker for the minor Animal Justice Party, called for a “pigeon pardon for Joe.”

“Should the federal government allow Joe to live, I am happy to seek assurances that he is not a flight risk,” Meddick said.

Melbourne resident Kevin Celli-Bird, who found the emaciated bird in his backyard, was surprised by the change of nationality but pleased that the bird he named Joe would not be destroyed.

“I thought this is just a feel-good story and now you guys want to put this pigeon away and I thought it’s not on, you know, you can’t do that, there has got to be other options,” Celli-Bird said of the threat to euthanize.

Celli-Bird had contacted the American Racing Pigeon Union to find the bird’s owner based on the number on the leg band. The bands have both a number and a symbol, but Celli-Bird didn’t remember the symbol and said he can no longer catch the bird since it has recovered from its initial weakness.

The bird with the genuine leg band had disappeared from a 350-mile race in Oregon on Oct. 29, Crooked River Challenge owner Lucas Cramer said.

That bird did not have a racing record that would make it valuable enough to steal its identity, he said.

“That bird didn’t finish the race series, it didn’t make any money and so its worthless, really,” Cramer said.

Counterfeiting bird bands is “happening more and more,” Roberts said. “People coming into the hobby unknowingly buy that.”

Pigeon racing has seen a resurgence in popularity, and some birds have become quite valuable. A Chinese pigeon racing fan put down a record price of $1.9 million in November for a Belgian-bred pigeon.

Cramer said it was possible a pigeon could cross the Pacific on a ship from Oregon to Australia.

“In reality, it could potentially happen, but this isn’t the same pigeon. It’s not even a racing pigeon,” Cramer said.

The bird spends every day in the backyard, sometimes with a native dove on a pergola.

“I might have to change him to Aussie Joe, but he’s just the same pigeon,” Celli-Bird said.

Lars Scott, a carer at Pigeon Rescue Melbourne, a bird welfare group, said pigeons with American leg bans were not uncommon around the city. A number of Melbourne breeders bought them online and used them for their own record keeping, Scott said.

Australian quarantine authorities are notoriously strict. In 2015, the government threatened to euthanize two Yorkshire terriers, Pistol and Boo, after they were smuggled into the country by Hollywood star Johnny Depp and his now-ex-wife Amber Heard.

Faced with a 50-hour deadline to leave Australia, the dogs made it out in a chartered jet.

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Pigeon problem, duck dilemma

by Pigeon Patrol | Jul 5, 2021 | Pigeon Predators, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons, Pigeons in the News, Raccoons, Sparrows, UltraSonic Bird Control

If you saw Mary Poppins as a child and remember hearing ‘Feed the birds, tuppins a bag’ you probably thought that feeding the pigeons was a rather altruistic activity. Think again. ‘Pigeons are degrading the city,’ says Florence’s Environmental Assessor, Claudio Del Lungo, who recently passed an ordinance prohibiting the feeding of street birds. Fines are 50 Euro for anyone who feeds pigeons in the plaza or ducks along the Arno. The ordinance was issued in response to complaints from citizens about the worsening pigeon problem. According to Del Lungo, they attract rodents and insects, deteriorate hygiene conditions and damage buildings and monuments.

As for the ducks, Del Lungo worries about their diet. He argues that people tend to overfeed ducks, perhaps killing them as a result. As is true for pigeons, food thrown into the Arno also attracts animals that will only cause the river to become dirty and pest-ridden.

This ordinance will be adopted by other cities in Italy as well. The objective is to cut costs related to sterilization, which is often ineffective. There are, however, four exceptions to the newly passed ordinance. They are: feeding grain to wild birds in agricultural areas; in private areas using bird feeders; under community administration; or while the birds are being monitored with ASL staff or other sanitary personnel—but never, ever in the piazza.

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Next Entries »

Testing pigeon memory in a change detection task

Wartime hero pigeon Paddy honoured with fly-past

Local hero

Where do pigeons go to die? All you need to know

Where do pigeons go to die?

How long do pigeons live?

What causes pigeons to die suddenly

How do you know if pigeons are dying?

Do birds bury their dead

What if a pigeon dies in your house?

Conclusion

How long do city pigeons live?

Pigeon thought to have crossed Pacific from Oregon escapes death in Australia

Pigeon problem, duck dilemma

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