Why Are Pigeons Scared of Humans?
If you ever stumbled upon a flock of pigeons pecking on grains on the road, you must have noticed how they fly away instantly.
Intuitively the question that comes to your mind is, why are pigeons scared of humans? Pigeons are scared of humans because humans are large in size and can potentially be their predators. Pigeons are threatened by humans not only because of their size but also because of their history of poaching pigeons on a mass level.
Pigeons are intelligent creatures who recognize repeated offenses by others. Since human beings have a reputation for capturing pigeons for petting, eating, or keeping them in zoos, pigeons get scared of humans at first instinct.
In this article, I will explain why pigeons are scared of humans and what to do to be on the good side of pigeons.
Read more about pigeon habits:
Why Do Pigeons Get Scared of Humans?
It is very normal for pigeons to get scared of humans, especially the ones that are wild and not domesticated. Whenever human beings approach a flock of pigeons, they fly away to a distant area.
Here we’ve discussed a few reasons why pigeons get scared of humans –
01. Human Beings Are Potential Predators of Pigeons
Most birds are scared of any animals that are large and can pose a threat to them. Pigeons are no exception. Since human beings are large creatures compared to pigeons, their first instinct would be to be wary of them.
This is why human beings are detected as a threat as the first instinct to pigeons. Moreover, humans have a history of poaching pigeons on a large scale.
In fact, one particular breed of pigeons, known as passenger pigeons, was allegedly poached to extinction by human beings. They were shot and killed at such unprecedented levels that they ceased to exist anymore.
Pigeons have therefore adapted to be scared of humans and have gained the cognitive ability to be safe from humans.
02. Human Beings Capture Pigeons for Their Own Gain
Human beings capture pigeons for various purposes. This is why pigeons are very careful around human beings and are scared of them, which is more the case for wild pigeons.
Here are a few reasons why pigeons are captured by humans –
- Pigeons are a delicacy in many cuisines and cultures. Hence, pigeons are regularly hunted or bred for the purpose of consumption by humans.
- Pigeons are also captured for the purpose of petting. A lot of bird lovers keep pigeons in their homes as pets. Pigeons can be trained to come back to their owners or their domestic huts and are thus easy to be kept as pets.
- The pigeon species are extremely diverse, coming in different sizes, colors, and behaviors. The different breeds of pigeons are captured and kept by human beings in zoos to be admired.
The repeated capturing of different pigeons from their close-knit pigeon flocks has made pigeons skeptical of human beings. That is why they are scared of humans.
We have covered an in-depth article on “Pigeon Habits“; if interested, you can check this article here.
How Do You Know When a Pigeon Is Scared?
When a pigeon is scared or aggressive, it will immediately activate its flight or fight senses, just like most animals that are hunted for prey.
Pigeons are a bird of prey and thus have heightened abilities to protect themselves from their predators.
01. Signs That Your Pigeon Is Scared
Here are a few ways of knowing if a pigeon is scared –
- The pigeon will immediately bolt into flight and take shelter somewhere nearby if it gets threatened by a human or another animal. Usually, pigeons will fly to a much higher place than the perpetrator.
- If the pigeon is captured and cannot fly away, it will pull its feathers close to its body when it’s scared.
- The feathers of pigeons can also be erect when they are scared, usually when startled. The feathers stand and look like pigeons having goosebumps.
- Pigeons will let out short bursts of shrieks when scared. This is their way of crying out for help when they feel cornered.
02. Signs That Your Pigeon Is Being Aggressive
Pigeons can get aggressive when they are scared about getting attacked or feel threatened. Signs of aggression may include –
- Pecking with their beaks
- Flapping their beaks vigorously
- Clawing the cage
- Growling in low pitch
- Prowling around the cage continuously
- Holding keen eye contact with you
Do Pigeons Get Attached to Humans?
Pigeons may have a natural instinct to be wary of human beings, but that is only because some humans are unknown to them.
However, once pigeons get to know a particular human being and familiarize themselves with the behavioral patterns, voice, and sound of that human, they can easily get attached.
Pigeons have higher intellectual capabilities compared to other birds and can be very emotional as well. They mate for life and hence form strong attachments with their lifelong partners.
Pigeons tend to become attached to humans for the following reasons –
01. Pigeons Get Attached to Their Domestic Owners
Pigeons are pet animals and get along with humans very well. Once they are domesticated, they will stay at your place, eat the food that you give them, and build their nest in the home made for them.
They get even more attached to the person who constantly nourishes them, provides their food, cleans their coops, and takes care of them when they are sick.
Pigeons can get very fond of their caretakers once they familiarize themselves with the person.
They can even attack other humans or animals if you try to hurt their favorite person.
Just like pigeons are protective of their young ones, they are also protective of the humans to whom they are attached.
02. Pigeons Get Attached to Their Feeders
Pigeons love their food. They love munching on nuts, seeds, fruits, and insects of all kinds. They are particularly fond of sodium-rich food and also sunflower seeds.
If you are someone who gives pigeon food on a daily basis, you will see that the pigeons that come to eat your treats will get very attached to you.
People have a habit of lovingly feeding wild pigeons that roam around the vicinity of their homes. If the treats are given at a particular time and place, pigeons will gather around the specific area at the same time every day to avail their treats.
03. Pigeons Get Attached to Their Trainers
Some pigeons are bred for the purpose of racing. These pigeons are smart, strong, and athletic in nature.
Every racing pigeon has a specific mentor and trainer who takes care of them and prepares them for their races. Through repeated contact and love, these pigeons get attached to their trainers.
Moreover, racing pigeon trainers are very highly skilled and specialize in the art of taking care of pigeons. Likewise, they are very good at getting on the good side of pigeons.
Final Words
I hope you found your answer to the burning question of why are pigeons scared of humans.
Even though pigeons do not get alarmed at the sight of humans, there are some genuine reasons why they are getting increasingly cautious.
We should treat pigeons with love and affection so that they get more comfortable in the city and urban areas.
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