# calling a pigeon by the name



## Rock Dove (Aug 4, 2003)

Here's something I'm just curious about. 

Does anyone know if a pigeon can learn to respond when its name is called? 

I'm pretty sure pigeons are clever animals. I know sometimes pigeons can learn to come to its owner from a whistle. I've also found from experience that pigeons can recognize people that feed them.

I wonder if it would work if an individual pigeon could be taught to "know" its name?

It would be pretty cool if I could say.....

"Rex, come here boy!" and see the bird flutter towards me.



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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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## Jerry (Nov 21, 2003)

I don't know if they really respond to a name or not. However, I was recently visiting a friends loft who raises high fliers. He would open the loft and tap the ones he wanted with a bamboo rod and say "Out" and only that bird would leave and wait on the ground until all were there. He would continue until he had his flight together. Don't know if it was the tap or the verbal command or a combination of both, but it was an amazing thing to watch. All other birds in the loft didn't even hint that they wanted to leave the loft, even though the doors were left wide open all the while the birds were doing their flying/diving thing. They definately do respond to commands...I guess you'll just have to keep working on the name thing.


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## turkey (May 19, 2002)

I'm quite sure they will respond to their name. They will also respond to voice tone. 

I call my Dovey and she picks up her head and watches me. I have not taught her to come to me when I call her name. If I worked on that, it would be possible. To have a good relationship with your bird is the key.

Julie


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## maryco (Apr 1, 2002)

Hello,

Very good question!
Pigeons are very smart, they know when it's feed time depending on what the person does or calls them with, With my ferals I used to say " Here is the food" and they knew it right away, also just sliding the window open would make them think it's food time,they can see and hear this from across the street and will fly over right away.

As for pigeons knowing their own names, I have been working on that for quite awhile, Dotty my indoor pet pigeon knows his name, When I say Dotty or Dotts he will start cooing and turning in circles.. The really interesting part about this is that he knows when I call his wife Pearl, If I say "Pearl" or "Pearl is cute" he will fly down and try to keep me away from her, he knows that is what I say when I'm playing and talking/holding her.. 
I knew this when one day it was dark and I got into bed, Dotty was up on the perch and Pearl was on the desk in her nest on eggs, Dotty was almost asleep and after 10 minutes I broke the silence by saying "Pearl" and right away he woke up and flew down in the dark onto the desk near Pearl.. That was amazing!









Mary


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## maryco (Apr 1, 2002)

Forgot to mention that part about Pearl, she is a very silent female and can only do one type of coo unlike her husband Dotty who moans, grunts, coos and goes on forever..

Anyway Pearl will copy me when I do her coo, I say "Pearl, Ppppcoo to coo coo"
and she will do the Pppcoo to coo coo and turn around once or twice ..

Maybe she thinks that is her name?!! LOL


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## Birdmom4ever (Jan 14, 2003)

Some of mine, the really tame ones, seem to know their names. It's quite fun to go out in the loft and say, "Come, Missy!" and have her fly to me. Several of them are like that, and if I call a different bird they pay attention (because they know I have treats) but don't come and land on me until they hear their names. 

Some don't like to be handled and will actually fly away when I say their names, because they think it means I'm about to catch them.

They sure know us, too. They are very wary when I bring a stranger in the loft.


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## dovemom (Aug 27, 2003)

My pij thinks his name is "Come on Pij". He comes to it evertime!


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## Simon (Feb 9, 2003)

Pigeons can definately respond to names and can be taught some basic tricks like go to "name" in england it has been proven and when i find out the edition of the homing world magazine it was in i will inform u all


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## turkey (May 19, 2002)

I like the "come on" comment. I used to say that a lot too. 

"Stuart Little" used to come to me when I tapped my arm. His previous owner used to whistle and he would fly to her. 

On the other hand I can relate to birds flying away when you talk to them. Whenever I look directly towards certain hens in my loft and talk to them, they start grunting, keeping an eye on their escape route. 

Julie


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## Elisabeth (Feb 5, 2004)

When we still had a flock of street pigeons coming to our garden - led by the great white male Garfield, who one day just appeared and ate out of our hands - there were two pigeons (both female, though I don't know if they are smarter or more likely to learn than males) who knew the names I had given them. One was Garfield's daughter Kleintje (a dutch word meaning "little one" or "baby"). When I called "Kleinklein!" she would fly over from the kitchen door (being the princess of the flock she always sat front row) to my hand. And when I didn't hurry up with the food, she'd make little "krr krr" sounds.
The other one was a small black and brown girl, also a descendant from Garfield. Her name was Wol, and being only a cousin, she had to wait farther away on the shed roof. But when I called "where's my Wolball" she would look up, step about and fly over to my hand. 
And Garfield? I didn't call him, he called me. When he was hungry, he came to the kitchen door en called "hooo! hooo! hooo! hooo!" until I came out and fed him. Talk about smart.


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## haraggan (Aug 22, 2002)

Pheap definitely knows her name, and she also knows the names of our cats. When I say "Mojo" she always looks around for him...


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

At least three of Cynthia's pigeons definitely respond in some way to their name. I think one needs to be focussed on them, and usually be in sight of them, however one of them (Hurdy) will actually look around if I call his name when he's just standing on a perch. This one is also aware that when he wants twigs for his nest, and I point to a place where he cannot actually see them (on a shelf below his box), it will be worth his while to go to where I pointed.

John


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## raynjudy (Aug 22, 2000)

Make no mistake--Bernie KNOWS his name! He also knows the house rules...

We don't like him in the laundry room, as there may be granules of stuff he'd peck at, that aren't really good for him. Of course, Bernie makes every possible effort to invade the laundry room!









If I see him headed that way, all I need do, in my best 'father voice', is shout, "Bernie!", and point my arm in the opposite direction. Bernie bows and spins, complains much, and stubbornly justifies his position. I stand my ground... Bernie races away, having made another decision. Judy shakes her head and smiles...









While trusting and child-like, and endowed with an insurmountable curiosity that isn't necessarily tempered by wisdom, I find Bernie lacking in nothing. 

I can be lying on my back, wiring a stereo, say, and he will approach, all bright-eyed and curious, watching my every move intently; and I ask him, "Is this interesting?" Making direct eye contact, he acknowledges that it is indeed interesting, and comes in for a closer look. Eventually bored by it, Bernie begins to play with the wire. A tug-o-war ensues, and a 15-minute job ends up taking an hour. 

Just say the words, "Spider Creatures!", and you'll see a warrior pigeon shift into full attack mode! He plays tirelessly, as he did last night.










Hell, yes, he knows his name! He knows the rules (there are few), and just how far to bend them. He knows all he needs to know. 

Bernie is a complete being, and I sense that he is sentient. I find it impossible to be lonely in his company, and I love him like one of my children. I regard Bernie as an equal partner in this present voyage across space and time. 

To keep company with Bernie, well, the honor and pleasure are all mine.

PIGEONS FOREVER!!!

--Ray

[This message has been edited by raynjudy (edited February 21, 2004).]


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## dovemom (Aug 27, 2003)

I love your stories, Ray and I think I might just be in love with Bernie!

Brenda


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## TerriB (Nov 16, 2003)

Yes, Ray, Bernie has a huge following! 

When Walter first walked into our yard, I was desparately searching the web for information. Bernie's story was one of the first that I read. It amazed me that someone would have a pigeon as a pet. Big thanks from Walter, Grace, Bliss & Mieke!

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Terri B


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## becege (Mar 12, 2003)

I had a Polish Lynx hen who, when I would call, "kiss, Beanie, kiss", would jump up on my shoulder and give me little birdy kisses. I miss her so much!


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## Tobynkiwisma (Aug 19, 2003)

I definetly feel as if birds know their names, if they don't they at least recognize the sound of you voice or the sylables you stress when talking to them.

Meg


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## raynjudy (Aug 22, 2000)

Thanks, guys!









--Ray


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## Poulette (Feb 5, 2002)

Pigeons learn to know what words mean, like "good night", time to eat, or sweet kisses... I wonder if they recognise us humans for our head and face, only... I mean, I think sometimes they consider hands, feet, as "strangers", (like a Spider creature







. Do they know all parts belong to the same "face"???








Suzanne


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## Jules (Nov 28, 2003)

I feed the ferals here and it's quite a flock. Around 120+. There are pigeons of all colours, breeds and of course quite a few with varying war wounds.
One in particular is missing both feet and to see him land on a branch in the Pine tree is something else. He's sort of a favorite. His name is stumpy. (-: I always have special treats for him. When I call him he flies down and will try to land in my hand nestling his "stumps" between my fingers so he can rest in my hand and enjoy the goodies.

Julianne


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## raynjudy (Aug 22, 2000)

Julianne, that was exactly the kind of thing I needed to read, just about now. 

Bless your sweet heart!









PIGEONS--AND PEOPLE TO LOVE THEM--FOREVER!!!

--Ray


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## TerriB (Nov 16, 2003)

Hi Suzanne,

I believe they recognize us as all one entity. Recently, I picked Walter off his shelf adjacent to the nest box and put him on the ground so he wouldn't be wing wacking my head while I peered in the door to the nestbox to talk to Grace (on dummy eggs). He immediately turned around, grabbed my pant leg and gave it a good shaking. He stepped back to glare at my face, then marched around to the access door and flew back to his post. ;-)

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Terri B


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## Poulette (Feb 5, 2002)

Terri,
That makes sense, because they see "it" all move together... but I wonder sometimes how they consider us... a giant pigeon, a monster, a "something strange", a nice different big bird ... 







Suzanne


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## raynjudy (Aug 22, 2000)

"He immediately turned around, grabbed my pant leg and gave it a good shaking. He stepped back to glare at my face, then marched around to the access door and flew back to his post." ;-)








!!! There is a fine line, Missy, and you just stepped over it!

"...but I wonder sometimes how they consider us... "

Indeed. It is believed their eyes focus to the equivalent of an 8X binocular--enough to see moons around Jupiter (and speaking of celestial bodies, the next time you view the moon through a good telescope, pop in a yellow filter, and watch the craters double!). The human eye-brain combination has a somewhat unique perspective of what we chauvinistically call "reality".

I'm sure the pigeon's perception of things is equally unique!









The pigeon's visual acuity is far superior to our own, and studies of their visual memory demonstrates that they can permanently remember and recognize 300 visual icons. 

The same studies show that they can "associate" as well: A pigeon taught that it will receive a treat if it pecks a picture of a tree, and not a truck, will, given a new set of pictures, try the house plant icon instead of the car icon.

What did the gamekeeper say in Jurassic Park, about the raptors? "They remember."









--Ray


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## Poulette (Feb 5, 2002)

So Ray, the pigeons that wait for me on my way to work will remember my face, even if I have a winter coat and a hat today, or a light summer wear and sunglasses in July! 
(They must recognise my nose mostly ;P) 
Suzanne


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

I accept my Skye, with all his wonderfulness, jumping on my shoulders, picking at my earings, his soft feathers against my head, and pigeony smell, and his surprise poopies! He 'roo-koos" in my ear, and it just sounds like a song! 

I speak to him gently, and he knows what I am saying.

I love him without any limitations, He knows that. 

I think the rest of my flock, who aren't hand raised think he is a little strange, they accept him as a pigeon, but quite don't know what to think of him. They usually politely ignore him, as he is not treated as part of the totum pole hierachy! (The pecking order)

I am so desperately close to him, that I'm scared. I recently lost Pee Wee, and that was such a shock, I can't imagine what I am going to do when his time comes!!!He is like one of my kids! We have been discussing this ever since Pee Wee passed on.

Treesa


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## TerriB (Nov 16, 2003)

Treesa,
Ah, yes, pigeony smell! Being allergic, I usually wear a dust mask. But every once in a while, I'll indulge a quick visit with gentlemanly Bliss.  For what it's worth, having lost several long term companion animals in the past few years, the one I thought would rip me up turned out to be the easiest. She had been through so much that death was more of a peaceful release. You can only enjoy their own specialness while you have them around.

Ray,
That's amazing that they could see the moons around Jupiter!

Suzanne, 
From my extremely limited experience, I do believe that some of the pigeons raised with a lot of people contact think of humans as other pigeons. When we had just Walter, I would sit on the front step with him so he could get some sun and fresh air. At first, I took something to read, but he would periodically give that warning, "huh" call, so I'd look up to check for hawks. After a while (I am eventually trainable!) it registered that he was trying to teach me how to be a good pigeon - take your turn at helping to watch for danger. As long as I occasionally scanned the skies, I could read uninterrupted.

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Terri B


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## raynjudy (Aug 22, 2000)

"So Ray, the pigeons that wait for me on my way to work will remember my face, even if I have a winter coat and a hat today, or a light summer wear and sunglasses in July! 
(They must recognise my nose mostly ;P) "

Who can say? They may recognize your gait, carriage, or demeanor. Maybe even pheromones play a roll! Bernie immediately discerns male from female humans.









"That's amazing that they could see the moons around Jupiter!"

Four of them, anyway!







A fully dilated adult pupil averages maybe 5 mm, without the 8X magnification. A pigeon has that beat. If you have binoculars, check out Jupiter high in the east, late evenings--you'll see up to four moons. The Orion Nebula is easily seen too!

"After a while (I am eventually trainable!) it registered that he was trying to teach me how to be a good pigeon - take your turn at helping to watch for danger. As long as I occasionally scanned the skies, I could read uninterrupted."

With considerable patience on his part, Bernie has Judy and I well trained too!









--Ray


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## pigeonlover2004 (Feb 20, 2004)

Weeel...my Rock dove (puffy) comes when I call his name, like when I am outside and I am walking in the woods and I call him he will fly down from a tree and land on my head...well if that counts as coming. Also if I clap my hands and call him he will come to so yeah!!

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Tyson Day


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