Diet
The rock pigeon
eats a wide variety of seeds. It may also eat
some insects and plants. In cities, rock pigeons eat seeds, peanuts, french fries, popcorn and a variety of handouts from humans.
The rock pigeon feeds on the ground in groups.
Life Cycle
The female lays 2 eggs in a nest lined with sticks,
leaves, stems, roots and debris
. In the wild, the nest is built on a cliff. In cities and towns, the nest is placed on window ledges, on roofs, in traffic lights, and under bridges. The male builds the nest.
Both the male and the female incubate the eggs for 19 days. Both parents feed the chicks or
squabs "
pigeon milk." Pigeon milk is a
a mixture of water, fat, minerals and protein that the male and female rock pigeon produce in their
crop. Their crop is a
sac at the bottom of their esophagus.
Pigeon milk is also called
crop milk. The chicks fledge when they they are
25-26 days
old. The female may have as many as 5 broods a year. Male and female rock pigeons may mate for more than one season and often use the same nest for many years.
Behavior
The rock pigeon and other birds in the
Columbidae family have a unique way of drinking water. Most birds take a sip of water and then throw back their heads to swallow. The rock pigeon uses its bill like a straw to suck up water!
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