“Semi-domesticated” or city pigeons belong to the species “Rock Pigeons”. Body length is about 30 cm, weight 400-450 g. This species originated from the wild rock pigeon. The color is bluish-gray, the rump is white, a wide stripe at the end of the tail and two transverse stripes on the wing are black. There are variegated, dark gray, chestnut and even white individuals. The voice is cooing and a low, drawn-out moaning hum: “uuu...uuu.” We are accustomed to pigeons and hardly pay attention to them. Meanwhile, this is quite a beautiful bird - few have such fast, confident flight. It’s breathtaking to see how they maneuver between skyscrapers, diving with a deafening whistle, descending thousands of meters in a matter of seconds. Due to their speed and ability to navigate, domesticated pigeons have long been used as a means of communication - sentry pigeons.

Pigeons place their nests under roofs, in attics, on the eaves of stone houses, in niches among stucco decorations. Its nest is flat and consists of twigs and feathers. The clutch contains two white eggs, which are incubated alternately by both parents. Both birds also feed the chicks. The chicks stay in the nest for about a month. During the summer, pigeons manage to hatch two broods.

Pigeons feed only on plant foods, mainly seeds. In large cities, birds stay in places where garbage accumulates, where they feed on various food waste. The high population of urban pigeons creates a lot of problems. They carry diseases, their droppings oxidize and destroy monuments and architectural structures. People abroad are trying to control pigeons by feeding them grain containing contraceptive drugs. In the sixties and seventies of the twentieth century, many lovers of these birds built dovecotes.

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