Why do pigeons.....

watermeadow

Pigeons poo in my bird bath, posing a health threat to other birds, so I can’t fill it in dry weather for the birds to drink.

I've watched them drink from ours, then turn and deliberately poop in the water, so yes, ours is empty now.

Gosh.
It's an old thread .
But the main reason why pigeons sit in water is to get some relief from mites .

I didn't know that Sago we've had them for at least three years. I shall think of them more kindly but they do eat most of the cherries on our huge cherry tree. It's currently in flower and too big to net but the pigeons are now welcome to the feast!

foxie48

We have a pair of pigeons that nest in the wisteria on the front of the house, they drive our dog mad. Behind our house we have herb fields and the pigeons are shot by licensed shooters. I sometimes get given a pigeon or two and do a lovely pigeon breast dish with pomegranate molasses and walnuts. Delicious!

Wood Pigeons mate for life, my husband refuses to shoot them on this basis.

We have a pair of pigeons that nest in the wisteria on the front of the house, they drive our dog mad. Behind our house we have herb fields and the pigeons are shot by licensed shooters. I sometimes get given a pigeon or two and do a lovely pigeon breast dish with pomegranate molasses and walnuts. Delicious!

Hopefully OP's birdbath was a highlight of said pigeon's life.

Car sticker.birds do it bees do it but why do they do it on my car 😀

Grannybags

This thread is 15 years old!!

Said pigeon will have long departed this life.

A photo of Percy, one of our resident pigeons. Foraging for nest paraphernalia. They are notoriously bad at nest building, partially thanks to us humans, but they do their best.

We have 5 or 6 that seem to reside here. They are rather pricey at the moment. Getting through rather a lot of peanuts but they're worth it

Grannybags

This thread is 15 years old!!

And the life span of a feral pigeon is about five years!

They have just started their spring rituals in our garden ☹
A lot of wing flapping and other such activities.

Pigeons poo in my bird bath, posing a health threat to other birds, so I can’t fill it in dry weather for the birds to drink.

harrigran

Pigeons occupy my bird bath too, iv'e watched them for ages and I have come to realise they do it to deprive the goldfinches and sparrows the chance to drink there. When the pigeon is finished sitting it turns round and does a massive poo thus spoiling the water it is vacating.
Yes I have grade three piles and a cool pool would be quite nice.

Get a sitz -bath type bidet!

jangly

just sit in our bird bath? In the water? There's been one in there for ages. You'd think he'd get a cold bum. Every so often he turns himself round. There'll be no water left when he's taken off again.

Good job DH is out. He hates pigeons.

It’s all the sex they have, it’s the best way to cool down afterwards.

The ones in our garden never stop.

I was explaining to my grandson today that pigeons are the only birds to have won military medals. And that they are superb flyers. However we were only talking about them because one was stealing the food I’d put out for the Robin. Having said that back home I can’t walk on part of my drive because of the pigeon poo, can’t park my car there either and it damages the window frames.

This thread is 15 years old!!

I Quote:-
"Pigeons are often referred to as vermin, but this classification is subjective and not legally recognized in the UK. All wild birds, including pigeons, are protected by law, making it illegal to harm or kill them without specific permissions.

Probably territorial marking to warn off rival squirrels.

Don't have much problem with pigeons but the squirrels wee over one of the bird feeders after they have finished eating - is that to keep the birds off so there is some left when the squirrel comes back do you think?

Pigeons occupy my bird bath too, iv'e watched them for ages and I have come to realise they do it to deprive the goldfinches and sparrows the chance to drink there. When the pigeon is finished sitting it turns round and does a massive poo thus spoiling the water it is vacating.
Yes I have grade three piles and a cool pool would be quite nice.

Heh heh! I just asked MOG the zoologist. He shrugged and said (about ours in the puddle): Maybe it was just an especially stupid one.

I get about three a day messing about on my bird table, making it rock about, they don't trouble me though, I have never had piles though.

Google doesn't know.

There are some desert birds that carry water to their babies in their feathers. I've seen a wood pigeon sitting in a puddle too. The chickens were not impressed because it's their favourite drinking place. I'm going to research into why pigeons sit in puddles......

I have had my one since I was 23. I used germolene on it and I got allergic rash. Went to docs, and mentioned said pile on way out. So got it diagnosed.

I don't know how many I've got.....I think it's more than one....