The way pigeons are drawn home reflects the comfort of being together and knowing where we belong.
The iridescent feathers of pigeons are striking. A small turn of the head changes how the light catches them, shifting green to purple across their necks.
Those shimmering feathers are something I associate with city visits. On my nature walks, I’m more likely to encounter their relatives, the mourning doves. Although they belong to the same bird family, pigeons and mourning doves favor different nesting places. Mourning doves commonly nest in trees. City pigeons descend from cliff-dwelling rock doves, so buildings and bridges offer the types of sheltered ledges their ancestors knew. Pigeons also live beyond our cities, wherever rocky cliffs and ledges provide nesting places near suitable feeding grounds.
Pigeons form lasting pair bonds, preen one another, and share the care of their young. The babies remain tucked away in their nests until they are nearly grown, which is why they are rarely seen.
We may only glimpse their family life, yet pigeons get to know the people around them. Pigeons can distinguish between individual people, remembering who has allowed them to feed and who has chased them away.
Home is a strong pull for these birds. Homing pigeons have a remarkable ability to find their way back from unfamiliar places hundreds of miles away. Historically, they carried messages people desperately needed to receive. The destination of those journeys was their familiar nesting place, perhaps a waiting mate, and the place they call home.
These three bring together what makes pigeons so appealing: individual character, beautiful color, and a sense of company. Their story brings to mind what draws us home, too, and the comfort of being where we belong.
Watch me draw this piece.