Food is a source of life and health for birds, whether they are in urban areas or the wild. So how do pigeons find food?

Pigeons find food using their excellent eyesight. In the wild, they live in cliffs and thus have evolved to be able to see far to find food. It has been said that pigeons see from 40-70 miles. If food is left out often in areas they will know that that is a food source.

In cities and urban areas, people offer pigeons food, from bread to chips to sandwiches and seeds. It isn’t difficult for pigeons to have access to food in human-populated areas. But what about where people aren’t feeding these birds? How do pigeons find food?

This article looks into how these feathered friends find food. So if you’re a concerned pigeon lover, a wildlife enthusiast or simply curious this article will answer your question.

How do pigeons find food

These birds, just like many, rely on their eyesight to find food. Finding food is what many pigeons spend most of their time doing. Pigeons need to spend a lot of time looking for food because their metabolisms are fast and they need to eat often

Pigeons are a part of the rock dove family of birds. These birds, in nature, live in caves and on cliffs, they have evolved over time to be able to have a greater range when looking for food. They have excellent eyesight making them better able to spot food from far, it is said that they can see up to 40- 70 miles.

In more urban areas, pigeons recognise areas where food is frequently left out. If you regularly leave food out in certain areas then they will know to keep coming to your yard for food. If you choose to leave food out on purpose for birds then leave something good for them like birdseed. Don’t leave foods out like bread as this is not good for the birds.

Can pigeons smell food?

Yes pigeons can smell food, they smell very well but the main use of this great sense of smell is not to find food. If pigeons are looking for food or assessing food they will use their acute vision and their great memory but not their sense of smell to find it.

These animals will use their sense of smell to navigate home. They create an “odour map” of their home environments, this becomes a sort of navigation tool. When they are lost they use these and their great sense of smell to find their way home.

Why you should not feed pigeons:

Feeding pigeons is a noble thing to do, but feeding pigeons may not be the best idea. The more you feed pigeons the more pigeons will flock to the area because they know that that area offers a source of food. This can result in large pigeon populations which can lead to overcrowding and disease.

More pigeons also means more pigeon poop. Pigeon poop is highly acidic and can do damage to your buildings. This can become a problem in cities and to homeowners alike. In addition, diseases are also spread through pigeon poop which can negatively affect humans.

Summary

In summary, pigeons find food using their eyesight and their memory. They live in rock cliffs in the wild far from food and thus have evolved to be able to see food from far away. They spend most of their days looking for food.

In urban areas, they take note of where food always is or where food is regularly available and use that to their advantage. They will keep an eye out for backyards with bird feeders and know where to go where humans give them food

These birds have a great sense of smell but the main use of their sense of smell is to navigate home. They create “odour maps” of their environments and when far from home they use these to get home.

If you are considering feeding pigeons you may want to think again. These birds can cause an infestation which can have a negative effect on cities. Their poop can damage buildings and cause illnesses. Don’t worry they can feed themselves with no human assistance.  

If you enjoyed this article then you may also be interested in other pigeon related articles. Here are some articles that you may be interested in: Why do pigeons eat leaves? Do pigeons attack other birds? Why do pigeons puff up their chest? How do pigeons protect themselves? Why do pigeons poop so much? What do pigeons like to play with? Why do pigeons have red feet?