As you can see, my pigeon neighbor is maintaining the status quo:
I do have some interesting new information to share, however. I finally dug out my dusty copy of The Birder’s Handbook and read up on our feathered friend the feral pigeon — or Rock Dove — as they are also known. The first big surprise is that both the male and the female share incubation duties. I made (at least) two errant assumptions regarding the bird outside my window: 1) that she was only one bird and 2) that she was a female. I have seen the error in my ways. No longer shall I disparage the hard egg-rearing work of Poppa pigeons everywhere.
Judging from the developmental patterns described in the Handbook, it seems I may also have a partial answer to the baby pigeon question as well as a glimpse of what is to come over the next week or so. After 15-19 days of incubation, the “altricial” Rock Dove offspring — meaning they are born immobile and are fed, in this case by both parents — will hatch and then undergo a fledging period of 25-26 days. Presumably, after this time, the babies will be ready to leave the nest and find their own San Franciscan to infuriate every morning at 6:00 am.
So, it seems as though I’ll be dealing with about a month of baby pigeons in all their baby pigeon glory. I’m not sure if this will be a good or a bad thing, but it should afford plenty of opportunity to snap some shots for the annals of science. Lest you think my research has eliminated all further surprise, I am still unsure as to whether the young will be downy or downless, or if they will be born with their eyes open or closed. Ooooohh, the suspense! Check back for updates — same feral pigeon time, same feral pigeon channel.
Filed under: Nature
