# Wild pigeons that disappear for long periods, and then return



## Maria C (Jun 9, 2013)

As far as I know, pigeons don't migrate, but I'm wondering if there are exceptions. How else can I explain the disappearance, and reappearance many months later, of a few of the wild ones I feed from my window? I see almost all of them every day, but it seems that about 3 of them only come when the weather is warm and there's no wind. Might they just live further away than the others? Do wild pigeons increase their territory in warmer weather? Thanks for any information!


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

pigeons fly far distances to find food and sometimes it is seasonal and they also can have a nest someplace and feed elsewhere.


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## Larry_Cologne (Jul 6, 2004)

Some may be sitting on nests. Generally speaking, the males sit on nests during "working hours" (LOL) so females can look for food. After the babies have hatched and grown, the parents stay away from the nest more, so as to not attract predators, and also to make the squeakers more alert to their environment and eventually independent. (You know how teenagers say they are S-O B-O-R-E-D. Eventually they leave home).

But, you said "for months at a time." So, I don't know an explanation for that.

Maybe someone else has a better buffet than yours (for those months)? Maybe their regular human feeders are sunning themselves and don't feed the birds then.

I guess if we turn the question around, and ask why the owners of a neighborhood restaurant would see a decrease or an increase in the numbers of *human* customers under different circumstances. A nearby restaurant might have shut down, or owners gone on vacation. There might be a temporary influx of customers wanting to eat (such as during sports events or conventions). 

For the pigeons, there might be more predators around, and they have to be more careful and not venture out as much. Falcons my soar higher on hot air in warmer weather, and dive faster in the less dense warm air. Falcons can see farther in clear weather than in cloudy weather. I'm not a falcon or hawk expert, so I may be missing something. Anyway, when there are more human cops around, the pickpockets and thieves try to be ore unobtrusive. They come out and do their business when the threat is gone.

I guess the only way to know for sure is to learn "pigeon talk" and ask the pigeons themselves, LOL.

I've often wondered the same thing about some pigeons I saw periodically or sporadically.


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## Maria C (Jun 9, 2013)

Larry_Cologne said:


> Some may be sitting on nests. Generally speaking, the males sit on nests during "working hours" (LOL) so females can look for food. After the babies have hatched and grown, the parents stay away from the nest more, so as to not attract predators, and also to make the squeakers more alert to their environment and eventually independent.
> 
> But, you said "for months at a time." So, I don't know an explanation for that.
> 
> Maybe someone else has a better buffet than yours (for those months)? Maybe their regular human feeders are sunning themselves and don't feed the birds then.


I may have to spruce up my menu! Maybe some appetizers, and a selection of beverages!

I suppose they could have been trapped somewhere, like inside the train station, or something. I've seen pigeons there before. 

It's nice of the males to let the females go around during the day to look for food. That explains why they push their way to the front when they arrive together!


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