If you’re a bird lover then you may become concerned that your feathered friends are suffering through the bitterness of the cold during winter. They are happy to fly around and steal our foods in the summertime but what about when it’s cold out? Do pigeons get cold? Do that have a way of dealing with being cold? This article looks into it.

Pigeons do get cold, these animals, just like many other animals, feel the effects of the cold and react to it. Pigeons can tolerate temperatures of down to -40 degrees Fahrenheit. They keep warm by padding their nest with vegetation and garbage.

Do pigeons get cold?

Pigeons are warm-blooded, like humans, and so yes, they get cold. These creatures can tolerate a temperature of down to –40 degrees Fahrenheit. If you’ve never seen a pigeon during the winter period, you might assume that the birds have migrated to a region where it is warm. But that’s not the case.

During wintertime, pigeons that live in cities will nest in attics, roof ventilators, and any other warm place they can find. For added warmth, these animals will pad their nests with a variety of vegetation and whatever soft and warm water they can find. This includes vegetation, leaves, greenery and even some garbage if they need to.

They don’t come out of their nests until winter passes – so that explains why you are less likely to see a pigeon in the winter.

How cold is too cold for pigeons?

Pigeons can survive cold temperatures, but there’s a limit as to how much cold they can take. If pigeons had a high tolerance to extreme cold like penguins and polar bears do, then pigeons would exist in the arctic. No one can say how cold is too cold for these remarkable birds, but what we know is that they can comfortably withstand temperatures down to –40 degrees Fahrenheit.

How do pigeons protect themselves from the cold?

When the temperature drops in the winter, pigeons have to protect themselves from the extreme cold or risk freezing to death. During wintertime, pigeons fluff up their feathers to create air pockets for extra insulation. A pigeon also protects itself during winter by tucking its bill in its feathers or back.

If the cold gets too extreme for the bird, it goes into a state of torpor where it uses up its body’s fat reserves, much like an animal does in hibernation. In this state of inactivity, a pigeon can greatly lower its body temperature to stay alive.

How do I protect my pigeons from the cold?

If you are a pigeon owner and live in a region where the temperature starts to drop then it is essential that you find ways to protect your pet bird(s) from the harsh cold that winter brings. The following are some things you can do to help keep your pigeons warm during the winter months:

• Place water bowls on heater mats to keep their water from freezing. If you can’t heat up the bird’s water, you should change it at least thrice a day
• Place light bulbs or heat lamps that get very hot in the birdcage. You should also place a heat pad to prevent the pigeon(s) from sustaining frostbite in the feet
• Cover the cage with clothes and plastic sheets at night
• Feed them extra corn at least twice a day

Can pigeons freeze to death?

Pigeons may be tough birds, but yes, they can freeze to death. Some pigeon breeds have a very low tolerance to cold and may not even survive winter. The breeds that live in Europe and other cold climates have a higher tolerance to the cold. However, they can still catch a cold and freeze to death during winter if they get soaked and cannot fluff up their feathers.

Conclusion

In conclusion, pigeons do get cold, these animals can surprisingly tolerate temperatures of -40 degrees Fahrenheit if they need to. During the wintertime, or when it suddenly becomes cold outside, pigeons pad their nests with a variety of greenery and other plant matter to keep it warm. This includes greenery, vegetation, leaves and even garbage if need be.

We don’t yet know what is too cold for pigeons but they can tolerate temperatures of -40 degrees Fahrenheit. When it’s too cold hey will fluff up their feathers to trap heat. But they can still freeze to death.

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