# Is she cheating on her 'husband'?



## RueBehavior (May 21, 2015)

Hi there.

I saw my female pigeon neighbor preening the head of another male pigeon when she already has a boyfriend/husband who she has babies with. Is this considered cheating in the pigeon world?
The 'non boyfriend pigeon' came up to her and kind of crouched down in front of her, with his tail kind of shaking... like he was wanting acceptance from her. All she did was preen his head a little and then she ignored him after that as she kept looking up at her boyfriend who was on the window ledge above them talking pigeon-talk.

And then she went to give some love to her boyfriend, at least that is what it looked like. Lol.

But it was so cute when the non boyfriend pigeon was doing whatever it was he was doing. My heart went out to him because it just seemed sooooo sad to me when she was ignoring him because he wanted so badly for her to notice him. His behavior was so cute.


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## Bella_F (Nov 29, 2008)

I've seen some strange things too in my coup. Nest mates never switch. But the dominant males do mate with other unmated females sometimes, I think its mainly to give them a sense of belonging. They don't keep doing it.

I recently had to move my 30 birds to a new place and saw something wierder- the male who made the first nest, and already had a devoted mate, took two new nest mates, who had mates of their own. He has all three now, they all peck his head affectionately and lay eggs together. Its probably only because they needed to lay eggs and he got things sorted really well. He is a feral pigeon, a total champion when it comes to breeding and making nests.

I've never seen them switch mates though. They seem to be loyal for life, like they say.


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## beatlemike (Nov 28, 2009)

They don't call them wild pigeons for nothing! Pigeons most likely call her a PT and that doesn't stand for pigeon talk.


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

beatlemike said:


> They don't call them wild pigeons for nothing! Pigeons most likely call her a PT and that doesn't stand for pigeon talk.


Love it 

I've noticed that though the boys are not averse to taking opportunities, in our aviary it has usually been hens who have 'divorced' their mate, or seek a permanent threesome. Maybe they have an eye out for the male who's going to be the best egg protector?


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## Bella_F (Nov 29, 2008)

Hi John! Great to see you.

I haven't see a divorce happen yet, was there ever any problems leading up to it, like illness, poor nest location etc?


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

That actually did happen with one very recently, who wasn't really looking his usual self. But whether that's because he's been displaced, or was the cause of it I can't tell. He is recuperating and looking good inside now. They are pretty good at hiding illness or weakness from us. With others I couldn't even guess what was going on in those feathery heads. We had one who passed away from an inoperable tumour last year, after many years with us, but his mate stayed with him.


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## kiddy (Feb 5, 2015)

I don't know who has an eye out for whom and who try changing mates but I have seen my cock flirting my fledgling(tho I think it is a male) while my hen is so devoted she never sees anyone else and she was on her eggs then. Lol
I have read many stories here where cock mated with two other hens, while his first mate was in nest on their eggs. So anyone can cheat anyone, it varies pigeon to pigeon.  
By the way for the whole day you notice them Rue , give them some privacy. Lol


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## Bella_F (Nov 29, 2008)

John_D said:


> That actually did happen with one very recently, who wasn't really looking his usual self. But whether that's because he's been displaced, or was the cause of it I can't tell. He is recuperating and looking good inside now. They are pretty good at hiding illness or weakness from us. With others I couldn't even guess what was going on in those feathery heads. We had one who passed away from an inoperable tumour last year, after many years with us, but his mate stayed with him.


I'm very sorry for your loss. May i ask, what is the oldest age your pigeons have lived to so far? I'm not sure of the ages of all mine, my King Pigeon hen doesn't lay eggs so could be over 10 or more.


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Hiya. Our oldest pigeon is Hurdy, one of Cynthia's first PMV rescues back in 2000, so at least 15. Another is Speckles, the former mate of the bird who died from a tumour. Speckles is at least 14. We have some who are 13 this year.

Of course, we don't know how old they were when found, so we have to go from when they were rescued.


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## kiddy (Feb 5, 2015)

John_D said:


> That actually did happen with one very recently, who wasn't really looking his usual self. But whether that's because he's been displaced, or was the cause of it I can't tell. He is recuperating and looking good inside now. They are pretty good at hiding illness or weakness from us. With others I couldn't even guess what was going on in those feathery heads. We had one who passed away from an inoperable tumour last year, after many years with us, but his mate stayed with him.


Sorry I couldn't read the entire thread earlier when I posted. 
I am sorry for your loss John. I earlier read that pigeons average life is 10-15 years but through one poster came to know about a male of 17 years as I remember. 
Never knew about the divorce, new behavior of them I came to know. Thanks.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

They live to breed, and many of us change out the eggs for fake so they can't. Maybe they sometimes will change partners because of the failure of the fake eggs to hatch. Maybe they think they will have better luck with a new mate.


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## kiddy (Feb 5, 2015)

May be, seems a valid point. Still very difficult to know about pigeons emotions, as we can't understand their language if they want to say something


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## Elements (Apr 19, 2015)

I have a pair of ferals that have been roosting on my balcony since April. They are both charcoal, as were the two babies they had together. Basically, all four looked like the photo below. The second set of babies are almost two weeks old and their feathers are starting to come in... and there is a lot of white on them! The parents (Desmond and Molly) still seem to be very much a pair although there is another pigeon with colouring similar to the new babies in the area. Desmond and Molly usually chase him or her away. I don't know much about genetics, but if I didnt know any better I'd say Molly's been unfaithful.


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## kiddy (Feb 5, 2015)

Tho I am very new to this behaviour of pigeon divorcing, still it doesn't seem that Molly hasn't been faithful. They don't have humans cunning brain deceiving partners, pigeon's show what they have. It seems next to impossible that Molly still being with Desmond and doing something illegal at his back. The partners make nest together and hen lays there in, it is less likely that she will make nest with someone and mate with someone else. Just seems like a human behavior 
Rather hen will divorce and change partner and will start over with a new mate, this feels like what pigeons can do.


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## Bella_F (Nov 29, 2008)

Elements said:


> I have a pair of ferals that have been roosting on my balcony since April. They are both charcoal, as were the two babies they had together. Basically, all four looked like the photo below. The second set of babies are almost two weeks old and their feathers are starting to come in... and there is a lot of white on them! The parents (Desmond and Molly) still seem to be very much a pair although there is another pigeon with colouring similar to the new babies in the area. Desmond and Molly usually chase him or her away. I don't know much about genetics, but if I didnt know any better I'd say Molly's been unfaithful.
> 
> View attachment 32293


Beautiful picture, I love the charcoal ones. There are two in my wild flock as well, and they became mates. They are a very handsome pair!

I have seen the male mate with one of my white hens before, when she was still single. I wonder if there is some genetic attraction between the black and white birds? I'll never know, but love wondering.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Elements said:


> I have a pair of ferals that have been roosting on my balcony since April. They are both charcoal, as were the two babies they had together. Basically, all four looked like the photo below. The second set of babies are almost two weeks old and their feathers are starting to come in... and there is a lot of white on them! The parents (Desmond and Molly) still seem to be very much a pair although there is another pigeon with colouring similar to the new babies in the area. Desmond and Molly usually chase him or her away. I don't know much about genetics, but if I didnt know any better I'd say Molly's been unfaithful.
> 
> View attachment 32293


The white in the babies could have come from something in one of the parents backgrounds. That happens.


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## kiddy (Feb 5, 2015)

Yes exactly, that is a proven part of genetics. If you read Gregor John Mendel's laws of heredity, you will come to know how recessive traits appears after generations while the dominant ones in very next offsprings so the colour may be in recessive genes any of parents carrying from their fathers/forefathers 
Still I am not sure this is the only reason but seems next to impossible that Molly hasn't been faithful coz this doesn't seem to be a quality of pigeons doing evils behind back of partners...


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Normally it is the males who will mate with others if given the chance. Usually the unmated females. Usually the females don't.


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## Elements (Apr 19, 2015)

Sounds like I have a soap opera on my balcony. I suppose it could simply be recessive genes showing up a generation later. The white markings are mostly on the tail and both babies (Porter and Stout) have similar markings (grizzled maybe??). There is a pigeon that would come by very persistently with the same markings on his or her tail but Desmond and Molly always shooed them away. If not the father... a sibling or grandparent perhaps?


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## kiddy (Feb 5, 2015)

Elements said:


> Sounds like I have a soap opera on my balcony. I suppose it could simply be recessive genes showing up a generation later. The white markings are mostly on the tail and both babies (Porter and Stout) have similar markings (grizzled maybe??). There is a pigeon that would come by very persistently with the same markings on his or her tail but Desmond and Molly always shooed them away. If not the father... a sibling or grandparent perhaps?


Yes may be. And pigeons protect their territory from anyone and a pair always protect the nest. My 3 months old fledgling doesn't let me enter my hand in his cage even if I have feed or water. It is being hard for me to feed him with this behavior. He pushes my hand to the cage door pulling off my skin. Showing me that nobody is allowed there in his territory while I am only who gave him his territory. Lol. So this is the normal habit they will shoo any other creature away from their nest. My tamed cock pecks me and wing slap when in nest with babies or eggs. He forgets he loves me out of nest. Lol


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## RueBehavior (May 21, 2015)

Sooo either the female left him or he left her...

I saw the male sitting on the nest today, just hanging out... not sitting on any eggs. He was hanging out with a female. Though, it doesn't look like this female is the original 'girlfriend/wife'... at least I remember her having more purple and being a bit darker...... so I think this is a new female. I could be wrong but I remember the original gf looking different. Made me sad thinking him and his first gf separated.... sigh.... 

If she left him, then I feel bad for him. Or visa versa. I can just imagine him feeling sad about it.... but not sure how pigeons work emotionally compared to humans. 

I am worried she left him because I think they had eggs in the nest several weeks ago that I believe broke, and I worry she blames him, though it wasn't his fault of course. A crow came by.... 

Anyway, oh pigeon divorce. :'(


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## kiddy (Feb 5, 2015)

Lol. You never know what they go through. She might die too, they usually don't get separated like this. I have seen many pairs living for years with same mates. But yes few are the chances as people said here earlier. But this is their life and they have to decide whom they have to live with so don't get worried. If they left each other with their choice they must be happy as you are already seeing male with another female. You can't be sure about any thing neither divorce, nor death. Whatever happened they will learn to live and they must have learned by now as it is their choice . So don't worry.


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## RueBehavior (May 21, 2015)

I know, I know. Thank you.  

Hopefully she didn't pass away though, I haven't seen her in a while.


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## kiddy (Feb 5, 2015)

May be anything..


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