# Female driving behavior?



## tiffy316 (May 21, 2016)

I understand why male house pigeons display driving behavior, but I'm not sure why my female pigeon is doing it. Sometimes she coos and pecks my hand when I get it close, sometimes even twitching her wing. She doesn't do it all the time, just sometimes. Could this be female driving behavior, or something else?


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## Pigeon_Business (Dec 26, 2020)

You need to drop everything you're doing right now and take this very seriously. I see posts like this all the time. Whenever I see posts about females twitching and displaying possible driving behavior, I have to respond. I do this because time and again, the pigeons always die around a week after such symptoms become significant enough to post about. You are in a critical time and can still save your bird. I hope for your dear pigeon and all the ones I’ve lost that you read this in time. Your pigeon has Pigeon Mycoplasma. Has your bird been under significant stress as of recent - hungry coyotes, foxes, or hawks in your area can trigger this condition and a subsequent rapid decline. The death of companion pigeons can also trigger it. My pigeon Thomas died of this as a boy and I’ve never forgiven myself. Don’t lose your bird, don’t wake up day after day haunted by the animal you let down. Read this article and save that beautiful bird
What Kind of Diseases Can Pet Pigeons Get?


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## tiffy316 (May 21, 2016)

Uh, I don't think that's the cause. I've had her for about 3 weeks, and she's been doing that for at least the first few days after I got her. She's not sick, she's just trying to tell me something that I don't quite understand. Anyway, Mycoplasma is an upper respiratory infection. The symptoms of which could be coughing or sneezing. She doesn't have that. She just likes to play fight with my hand from time to time. BTW, the wing twitch is literally like a little tail wag. She's just flicking the very end if her wing. It's what they do when they like someone.


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## Joeyspesh (Sep 16, 2020)

tiffy316 said:


> Uh, I don't think that's the cause. I've had her for about 3 weeks, and she's been doing that for at least the first few days after I got her. She's not sick, she's just trying to tell me something that I don't quite understand. Anyway, Mycoplasma is an upper respiratory infection. The symptoms of which could be coughing or sneezing. She doesn't have that. She just likes to play fight with my hand from time to time. BTW, the wing twitch is literally like a little tail wag. She's just flicking the very end if her wing. It's what they do when they like someone.


@tiffy316 I had two juvenile pigeons last summer, and both displayed this same behavior you described.... I call the wing movement “wing circles” and I was under the impression that was a way of showing love, affection and/or excitement, and furthermore that it’s pretty regular? I’ve never heard of it being anything other than that. At the time I researched so much wondering if something was wrong with them, but as both displayed it for 4-5 weeks while they were with me, especially when excited to see me or hungry, I was reassured that it was perfectly normal! Both birds were released and observed for 6+ months with the flock, happy as Larry! 

... @Pigeon_Business your reply has me fascinated .... I see that you said you “always respond” but it looks like you only have one reply on this whole site? (I wanted to read the other threads but there aren’t any listed, Do you have more account names?) 

We should all learn from one another so I’m interested to hear more! I’m very new to pigeons, so your information would be helpful to me and I’m sure others. 😊


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## tiffy316 (May 21, 2016)

Joeyspesh said:


> @tiffy316 I had two juvenile pigeons last summer, and both displayed this same behavior you described.... I call the wing movement “wing circles” and I was under the impression that was a way of showing love, affection and/or excitement, and furthermore that it’s pretty regular? I’ve never heard of it being anything other than that. At the time I researched so much wondering if something was wrong with them, but as both displayed it for 4-5 weeks while they were with me, especially when excited to see me or hungry, I was reassured that it was perfectly normal! Both birds were released and observed for 6+ months with the flock, happy as Larry!
> 
> ... @Pigeon_Business your reply has me fascinated .... I see that you said you “always respond” but it looks like you only have one reply on this whole site? (I wanted to read the other threads but there aren’t any listed, Do you have more account names?)
> 
> We should all learn from one another so I’m interested to hear more! I’m very new to pigeons, so your information would be helpful to me and I’m sure others. 😊


So why do you think she likes to play fight with my hand?


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## Joeyspesh (Sep 16, 2020)

tiffy316 said:


> So why do you think she likes to play fight with my hand?


does she only do it when hungry, or in her “house”? My previous rehabs would do that when searching for food, or when they wanted my attention. Is there any pattern to hours? I understood it to be quite affectionate according to my research at the time, or relating to food or attention?


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## tiffy316 (May 21, 2016)

No, it's kinda random. Like sometimes she'll do it when I pet her or try to get her to come onto my hand. I don't think she does it bc she's hungry. Could the play fighting just be an affectionate gesture?


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## Joeyspesh (Sep 16, 2020)

I wish I had an answer for you! I don’t know if it’s possible to upload videos here or a link to a video elsewhere, for others to chime in?


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## LustStarrr (Mar 4, 2020)

tiffy316 said:


> I understand why male house pigeons display driving behavior, but I'm not sure why my female pigeon is doing it. Sometimes she coos and pecks my hand when I get it close, sometimes even twitching her wing. She doesn't do it all the time, just sometimes. Could this be female driving behavior, or something else?


Could it be amorous behaviour, & she’s trying to court your hand in the absence of a mate? I’ve noticed one of the paired females in my feral flock does the wing flick thing too, which her partner also does. She usually does it when they‘re smooching each other, & generally being romantic. She’s a funny one though... I’ve also seen her on top a couple of times when they’ve mated, so perhaps that‘s why she does the wing flick that I’ve only ever seen boys do. LOL

Cheers,

Fern


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## monab (Dec 31, 2020)

tiffy316 said:


> I understand why male house pigeons display driving behavior, but I'm not sure why my female pigeon is doing it. Sometimes she coos and pecks my hand when I get it close, sometimes even twitching her wing. She doesn't do it all the time, just sometimes. Could this be female driving behavior, or something else?


Does this happen in the loft? (defensive action) or in open(which is odd)


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## tiffy316 (May 21, 2016)

She's indoors. I have another pigeon, but he's not interested in mating with her. Sometimes when I pet her, she bites my hand. No big deal. Just wondering why she does it sometimes.


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## Rose Fox (Jan 2, 2021)

I have two pigeons, both were hand fed (I'm still feeding the second one). When I got the first one he was still peeping, he'd peep and nibble/nuzzle at my hand and flick both of his wings. Unfortunately his "nibble/nuzzles" have evolved into serious biting. He doesn't peep anymore, instead he makes a growly deep pitched coo. He hacks at me with his beak, grabs a piece of my skin, bites down on it as hard as he can (which definitely hurts) and then shakes the bit of skin like a terrier as if he's trying to tear it off. While doing this he will flip one wing. Sometimes he will also raise the wing and wingslap me. When he's getting ready to bite, he always raises his head and neck to an erect position and fluffs his neck a bit, this is why I believe he's male. I discourage the biting by keeping my hand out of his face, backing off or putting him back in his cage when he starts biting, or offering my hand with a piece of bread so he bites the bread and not me. He doesn't like the bread and stops biting. I think he is going through an adolescent hormonal stage and that's why he has suddenly become more aggressive. I've also given him a small stuffed toy and he often lunges and bites that.

My other pigeon is younger but fully fledged, so when she peeps at me she's begging for food. She is currently under quarantine and won't be introduced to my other one until she's weaned. She flips both wings enthusiastically as soon as she sees me, and then while I'm feeding her. She also does the "nibble/nuzzle" on my hand.

Finally I also have a pair of diamond doves. The cock displays at the female with bow-coos and tail spread, then he will approach her with his head down, flicking his wings. She will flip her wings at him when he feeds her.

From what I can tell, the wing flicking is similar to a dog wagging its tail. Sometimes even a dog about to attack will wag its tail. I'm not sure if it's a dominant gesture, I think it depends on the context. If the biting is only occasional it's probably just the pigeon signaling it wants to be left alone. Or - it's bratty teenager syndrome + hormones.


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