# Pigeon vs Peregrine Falcon!! smarter vs faster



## Heedictator (May 19, 2011)

We train our pigeons to home and to race~ but can we train our pigeons to combat with falcons or hawks?? i wish ^^haha though there are no birds of prey around our place~~ but you have to watch this video~ http://youtu.be/aiOHAaGNXkM


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

where is your place?, I might want to move there..


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## Heedictator (May 19, 2011)

i keep on replaying this video~ these pigeons might have a smart line and would be good for a racer cross^^ it says both birds have the same speed on level flights and the advantage shifts towards the pigeon~


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

That's always a comforting thought....and one can argue that if hawks had an advantage, there'd be no Pigeons or Doves.

But folks should never get lulled....if they notice a predator hanging out in the vicinity....take some steps.


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## aslan1 (Jul 22, 2010)

Heedictator said:


> We train our pigeons to home and to race~ but can we train our pigeons to combat with falcons or hawks?? i wish ^^haha though there are no birds of prey around our place~~ but you have to watch this video~ http://youtu.be/aiOHAaGNXkM


This bird was just lucky.


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## RodSD (Oct 24, 2008)

Birds that became hawk/falcon smart learned the hard way or their parents learned it the hard way and passed the gene. Basically if they survived couple of attacks, they will learn certain maneuvers and techniques to be less predator food. Some of my birds, for example, fly higher than a falcon so that the falcon can't set up a dive. With respect to hawk, birds that try to outmaneuver it will most likely not make, but by flying horizontally and speeding up, they may make it. Outmaneuvering falcon seems to be the method that my birds use as well. My birds also set up a fast dive straight to the landing board. Some of them go straight to the entrance hole and crash land inside.


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## Heedictator (May 19, 2011)

RodSD said:


> Birds that became hawk/falcon smart learned the hard way or their parents learned it the hard way and passed the gene. Basically if they survived couple of attacks, they will learn certain maneuvers and techniques to be less predator food. Some of my birds, for example, fly higher than a falcon so that the falcon can't set up a dive. With respect to hawk, birds that try to outmaneuver it will most likely not make, but by flying horizontally and speeding up, they may make it. Outmaneuvering falcon seems to be the method that my birds use as well. My birds also set up a fast dive straight to the landing board. Some of them go straight to the entrance hole and crash land inside.


it was said that common pigeons and peregrine falcons flies at the same speed on level flights but it's the advantage of pergrine falcons on higher flights where it can dive down very fast and grab the prey~ and pigeons would be smarter than the peregrine falcon unfortunately some that panic and are nervous couldn't do it and end up as food for falcons and hawks


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

Yes, pigeons can outfly hawks and falcons in level flight. I've seen my own out run them many times. It's when they are caught off guard that the pigeons can't get away in time. Peregrines also have the advantage of diving at 200 mph. So as long as the pigeons get up higher than the BOP, then they are usually good to go. That's what mine do when they get spooked - they fly WAY up high.
The more experience the birds have, the more tricks they may pick up. A lot of pigeons will drop like rocks when they are fixing to be hit by a predator (like you saw in the video). They'll twist and flip and do whatever it takes to avoid getting latched on to. Unfortunately for the predators, pigeons can fly for a long time without tiring, and those falcons need to eat something, so they give up and find something easier to catch. 
I've watched my birds make close to 360's to leave hawks in the dust. THAT was awesome. But I could only expect awesome things from a bird that I named after the great GI Joe


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## RodSD (Oct 24, 2008)

One time I had an encounter with a falcon and cooper hawk at the same time. When my birds fell from way up high against falcon, the cooper hawk picks them up from below. Surprisingly they all live that day except one that didn't return--my feral looking bird!


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## Heedictator (May 19, 2011)

RodSD said:


> One time I had an encounter with a falcon and cooper hawk at the same time. When my birds fell from way up high against falcon, the cooper hawk picks them up from below. Surprisingly they all live that day except one that didn't return--my feral looking bird!


yes~ pigeons can go up high where peregrine falcons cannot speed up there to catch a pigeon


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## RodSD (Oct 24, 2008)

Although this is not peregrine it shows that a pigeon may be able to outrun a falcon horizontally:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nK1oQ_NzV4&feature=related


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## Heedictator (May 19, 2011)

RodSD said:


> Although this is not peregrine it shows that a pigeon may be able to outrun a falcon horizontally:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nK1oQ_NzV4&feature=related


this is another one nice scene!! thanks^^


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## aslan1 (Jul 22, 2010)

The hawks in russia are so different. Here hawks are so lazy they give up so easy. there they would chase your pigeons untill they fall down to ground or its dead. And hawks are not as bold as they are here because we could shoot them there and its not illegall. During winter if you let your pigeons out there it's 100% dead doesnt matter if its racing homer or oriental roller or any other breed of pigeon and they are even more bold than they are here during winter. winter in russia sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Heedictator (May 19, 2011)

here in Philippines hawks aren't a very big problem for pigeons though i don't know to some other areas~ i once saw a japanese sparrow hawk (or maybe it was a buzzard) that rushed and chased after small passerine birds including sparrows in our tree and never mind of our pigeons that are only roosting in our roof near the tree~ the sparrow hawk was slightly bigger than pigeons


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