When it’s warm out, the bobbing, cooing, affectionate sky-rats known as pigeons are everywhere. But not so much during winter. Pigeons are one of many birds that seem to become scarce during the wintertime. 

If you see fewer pigeons out during the winter months you may assume that they, like other birds, fly south for the winter, but do they? Where do pigeons go in winter? This article looks into it.

Pigeons living in urban areas do not fly south for the winter. These pigeons will create nests in warm roof ventilators, attics, and a variety of other warm places in the city. Wild pigeons will pad their nests up during winter. Pigeon nests in the wild include tree trunks, crevices between rocks, and in thick vegetation

Where do pigeons go in winter? Wild, vs urban pigeons

Many of us are fascinated by pigeons, these birds have been living among humans for thousands of years and some humans have even taken them as pets.

These birds are very active in the warmer months but you may not see so many pigeons flying around during the wintertime. This is where these birds are during winter:

Pigeons in the wild:

Pigeons are very attached to their nests, this is where they can be found during winter. Their nests become imprinted on them and their nests are home to them. Pigeons in the wild will pick a nest and pad these nests with leaves, greenery, and vegetation for warmth.

Pigeon nests in the wild can be made in anything from tree trunks, crevices between rocks, and thick vegetation. These birds will huddle together in these nests to stay warm

Pigeons have this amazing ability to live comfortably in cold temperatures, they can survive in cold temperatures of around -40 degrees Fahrenheit, they are able to do this because of their feathers.

Their feathers act as a sort of insulation, pigeon feathers are able to trap warm air close to the bird’s skin and this keeps the birds warm. When body heat is released by the bird, it becomes trapped between the bird’s feathers and skin.

This is another reason why they don’t need to migrate, they can handle winter temperatures better than many other birds can.

That being said, some pigeons migrate to warmer locations nearby if they detect very harsh weather approaching their area.

Urban and city pigeons:

In the wintertime, urban and city pigeons do not leave their homes in urban areas and cities, these birds do not migrate. Temperatures in urban areas may become very cold, but not too cold for pigeons.

Luckily for urban and city pigeons, temperatures in cities and urban areas, during winter, are usually not as low as temperatures in the wild. This phenomenon exists thanks to the abundance of heating systems and cars that produce heat in winter.

The temperatures in the city may not be as cold as in the wild but pigeons do still need to find warmth. They will look for and find warmth in roof ventilators, attics, and a variety of other warm places

Their social nature also helps them keep warm in urban areas and cities. Pigeons are known to huddle up with each other when cold, they also roost together at night, this sharing of body heat helps keep them warm

Domesticated pigeons:

Domesticated pigeons haven’t had to grow up in and suffer the harshness of the outside world and its fluctuating temperatures. Many pigeon keepers keep their birds in quite comfortable environments, this is true during the wintertime as well.

Pet pigeons are usually kept in the house and are kept warm by a heating pad or a heat lamp. This keeps the birds from developing frostbite.

If the birds are not kept in the house then they likely live in a roost that keeps them warm during the colder winter months. These roosts likely include a form of artificial heating, like air blowers, inside. All this keeps the birds from suffering from the cold.

What do pigeons eat in the winter?

Wild pigeons: Pigeons are resourceful birds, they are quite intelligent as well. In the wintertime, pigeons in the wild forage for vegetation, seeds and even fly to nearby human locations looking in the trash for food.

These birds eat a variety of foods, they may eat more live prey like insects during winter when plant matter is scarce.

Urban pigeons: Pigeons in urban areas are just as resourceful. They leave their warm winter homes for the day and forage along streets, street cafes, alleys, neighborhood parks, and around commercial restaurants looking for food.

They can be found hunting for scraps or swooping in and grabbing food from unsuspecting diners.

These birds have to spend their days finding food in order to have enough energy to keep themselves alive throughout the night. They will look for food during daylight hours and sleep at night.

How are baby pigeons protected from the cold?

Baby pigeons are protected from the cold by their parents.

They snuggle up between their parent’s warm feathers to keep warm. A pigeon’s nest is padded with additional weatherproof padding and this helps baby pigeons stay warm as well.

A baby pigeons’ feathers will also help to keep it insulated from the cold. Warm air becomes trapped between the bird’s feathers and skin and this keeps them warm.

How to tell if your bird has a cold:

The common cold is a disease that humans can get that affects the upper respiratory tract. Birds cannot get the common cold but they can suffer from bird respiratory diseases.

Signs that your bird is suffering from a respiratory disease include:

• Wheezing

• Coughing

• Gurgling

• Difficulty breathing

• Open-mouth breathing

• Sneezing

• Nasal discharge

• Gasping for breath

Conclusion

Pigeons that live among humans in urban areas and cities, tend to stay in the same area for the winter, these urban and city pigeons can be found in warm spots around the city like roof ventilators, attics, and a variety of other warm places.

Pigeons in the wild will stay in their nests during the wintertime, these nests can be made in tree trunks, crevices between rocks, and thick vegetation

Pigeon pets are usually kept from winter’s cold temperatures as they live in their owner’s homes or in coops with artificial heating

Baby pigeons are kept warm by their parents and their wings during winter.

Pigeons will become very resourceful during winter eating more insects in the wild and scavenging for food along streets, street cafes, alleys, neighborhood parks, and around commercial restaurants in urban areas.

If you’re interested in pigeons you may also be interested in these articles: What do pigeons eat in the wild? When do pigeons leave the nest? Where do pigeons go to die? What do pigeons like to eat? Click the links to read more