# friendly pigeons at the beach (newbie question)



## Gary777 (Aug 25, 2003)

I live near the beach and never really payed any attention to the pigeons down there. It was only until my wife and I started going down there with coffee and donuts along with my renewed interest in photography. We started feeding the pigeons and I would try to capture them in flight. (with my camera).

Then we noticed another lady feeding them, and the pigeons would actually go on her legs. Well that gave me ideas of course, and so next time we did the same thing, except I went a step further and put crumbs on my hands and arm, and to my surprise they would actually fly right onto my arm, and shoulders! I had the greatest time down there! Is this common among "wild" pigeons? 

Are they friendly? Brave? Or just plain hungry?

Gary


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## Whitefeather (Sep 2, 2002)

Hello Gary & Welcome to Pigeons.com
What a wonderful 'pigeon' experience.

Feral, or 'wild' pijjies that are fed in the same area by the same people can become quite comfortable. They feel very safe with their surroundings. 
I have about 40-50 'regulars' that enjoy our backyard. They eat, have a bath (we have 8 bird baths for them to enjoy), relax in the sun or just walk about the yard. They are such a pleasure.

Yes, pigeons are very friendly. They are also very cautious as well. 

When you have a few minutes, please browse through our site. We have some wonderful pigeon stories, information, pictures, advice, etc.

I am curious: Now that you have all the pijjies surrounding you, will your wife become the photographer? lol.

Thanks for sharing your story. We do love pictures, if you have any to post.

Please let us know how things are going with your new found friends.
Cindy

[This message has been edited by AZWhitefeather (edited August 25, 2003).]


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## bigbird (Aug 19, 2000)

Pigeons are one of man's oldest friends.


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## Gary777 (Aug 25, 2003)

What does it mean when they start their "cooing" noise? Happens when I feed them. I guess it means they're excited?

I also wonder how they injure themselves, there is one with a missing foot, can't help but wonder how that happened.


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## Whitefeather (Sep 2, 2002)

Hi Gary,
Good to hear from you again. How are all those pijjies doing?

I have found that the males do most of the cooing. If they dance back & forth, sometimes in circles, fan their tail, bob their head up & down, as they are cooing, they are generally attempting to 'court' a fine little female.
My 'stud muffin' Mikko coos constantly. Used to be he would coo in the mirror, now he has Pij'ette, my little china doll, living next door so he spends all his time trying to get her attention, which, by the way appears to be working. lol. 

A common injury which may cause a pij to loose his foot is becoming entangled in string. The string tightens around the foot, cutting off the blood supply. 
The one you noticed with the missing foot, how does he seem to be getting along?

Let us know how you & your feathered friends are doing.
Cindy

[This message has been edited by AZWhitefeather (edited August 29, 2003).]


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## Gary777 (Aug 25, 2003)

Cindy,
they seem to make the cooing sounds when I'm feeding them on my lap, must be excited or something.

The one with the missing foot is doing great, he/she is quite capable, and very brave, infact he will fight off the other pijjies from getting near me, ...greedy little things. 

I'm starting to recognize them, the one with the missing foot, and another one I like, has a little gash on his head, and he seems to be doing fine also. Very durable birds.
There is also a white one that I see from time to time, but that one is more skiddish it seems.

I can't get over how friendly/brave they are. I wonder why that is, must go back a long way in the evolutionary process? One of man's best friends?

I am going to attempt to post some pics, I hope it works.

if this works, the first pic should be of the one with the missing foot:




























ok, i couldn't get the pictures to work, so you can just click on my link below.

MorePicturesIfYou'reInterested 

[This message has been edited by Gary777 (edited August 30, 2003).]

[This message has been edited by Gary777 (edited August 30, 2003).]

[This message has been edited by Gary777 (edited August 30, 2003).]


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

The pictures are just wonderful. I can imagine all the cooing sounds and flapping of wings. Some of them resemble my birds, I see all kinds. Yes, these birds have been around since B.C. 

Thank you for sharing these pictures with us, and especially for taking an interest in these feral pigeons. They need more people to feed them, love them, and respect them.
Thanks again for your kindness!! Treesa


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Great pics, Gary! Thanks so much for sharing them with us!

Terry Whatley


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

P.S. The first picture in the second row is a young blue bar, born this year. He looks like a few of my babies.........Treesa


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## Gary777 (Aug 25, 2003)

thanks for looking at my pictures. I love taking them.

Those poor birds must be hungry, I always see them scouring the beach for food, pecking at the sand.

I do have a question. Will these birds eventually recognize me? That's something I've been wondering.


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## Rock Dove (Aug 4, 2003)

They'll probably recognize you after you feed them for a while. I have about 20 pigeons that frequent my yard very often. I gave some of them names like Rex, Rocky, Quail and Blue. They are very tame and fly to me when they're hungry. They also get used to the time of day when they are fed, for example. I feed my yard pigeons at around 5 or 6 pm so they wait for me, perched on my outdoor chairs and patio during that time.

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Little steps are often the hardest to take. We are too used to making leaps in the face of adversity, that a simple skip is so hard to do. We should all learn to walk soft, walk small, see the world around us rather than zoom by it.


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