Animals that have the ability to see at night have a certain advantage that other animals simply do not. Its easier to hunt for unsuspecting animals at night or to keep away from predators that can only see during the day. A number of animals are able to see at night but how about pigeons? Can pigeons see at night?

Pigeons may have excellent eyesight but these little animals aren’t able to see at night that well. One benefit that they have is that their eyes are sensitive to light. Because of this, they can find their way in the dark at night but they cannot see as well as an animal with night vision can.

Can pigeons see at night?

It’s no news that pigeons have one of the most powerful sets of eyes in the animal kingdom. These creatures can see far better than humans and many other birds.  In fact, some folks even refer to these creatures as two eyes with wings.

If you live in a city, you will likely have seen pigeons out on the streets at night feeding. You may have wondered whether the creatures are also night birds.

Pigeons are not nocturnal birds like owls, nighthawks, and nightjars, but their eyes are very sensitive to light.

What this means is that these remarkable birds only need the light of the moon and city lights to find their way around in the dark.

That being said, they can’t see as well at night as they do in the morning.

Can pigeons fly in the dark?

Pigeons may have eyes that are extra sensitive to light, but they don’t go about flying in the dark. The only time you are likely to see a pigeon flying at night is when something disturbs or chases it out of its shelter.

Pigeons aren’t tough birds, so when predators like cats, snakes, or owls come to their shelter at night, they fly out immediately.

Another reason why a pigeon will fly in the dark is if humans play loud music at night. The sound scares them out of their shelters.

Pigeons are also likely to fly in the dark if the humans that they live close to forget to turn off their outside lights at night.

What do pigeons do at night?

Before a pigeon says goodnight to the world, it thinks about how its day went and prays to find more food the next day. Just kidding. Pigeons are diurnal birds, and so spend their nighttime sleeping.

No one can time exactly when these creatures fall asleep but several studies have shown that pigeons begin to rest as soon as it gets dark. Pigeons will remain in their shelters, sleeping until day breaks and the sun rises.

Can pigeons sleep with the lights on?

Countless studies have shown that pigeons and many other bird species have trouble sleeping with the light on at night.

If you want your pet pigeon or the pigeons living close to you to sleep well at night, then you shouldn’t leave the outside lights on when you go to bed.

Pigeons, like humans, need to get enough sleep at night if they are to stay healthy. You can help them out by keeping the place where they sleep dimly lit or dark.

Where do pigeons sleep at night?

As soon as it starts to get dark, pigeons return to their shelters. Contrary to what most people think, pigeons don’t ever sleep in their nests.

A pigeon might be a nursing mother, but she won’t spend the night in the nest with her eggs or chicks.

She would instead congregate with other adult pigeons. These birds like to spend their night on the roof of buildings, window sills and under bridges.

Conclusion

In conclusion, no, pigeons cannot see that well at night. These animals have eyes that are sensitive to light and because of this, they can use the light of the moon to get around at night.

They will only fly at night if disturbed, not for everyday activities like finding food.

These animals sleep at night but won’t sleep that well if there is a lot of light in the area. You can find them sleeping on the roofs of buildings, on window sills, or under bridges.

If you enjoyed this article then you may also be interested in other bird related articles. Here are some articles that you may be interested in: how to relocate a birds nest with eggs, can you hatch eggs with a heating pad, why do birds puff up their feathers, how to sterilize a birds nest