All animals go through the circle of life, they are born (or hatched in the case of pigeons) live and die. But where do pigeons go to die? This article goes into it.
Pigeons look for dark secluded spaces to die. This includes holes, crevices, ventilation shafts and various building openings to spend their last moments. They do this to have peace away from predators in their last moments and they do this to not become a hindrance to the flock. They then die in peace in these spaces
At some point, everything comes to an end. It’s an inescapable fact of life. As humans, we have our final resting places, but what about birds? Considering how many pigeons are in existence one would assume that we would see more dead pigeons lying around, but we don’t. So, where do pigeons go to die?
Pigeons are one of the oldest domesticated and versatile birds of all times. They have been kept as pets, used as food, guides and otherwise. They are intelligent, they can recognize colours, measurements and have homing capabilities.
These animals are loyal, reliable and travel really fast, no wonder they’ve been messenger birds and travel guides. These birds are herbivores eating grains, vegetables, and fruits.
They exist all around the world in large numbers and yet not many people have ever seen a dead pigeon.
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Where do pigeons go to die?
These animals have a relatively short life span. They are also a tasty meal for any cats in the neighbourhood as well as predatory hawks. With so many pigeons dying often, how is that we never see dead pigeons everywhere? Do their feathered friends bury them or do they have someplace that they go before they reach bird haven?
Feral pigeons that live in cities look for dark covered spaces when they feel ill or are wounded. They’ve been this way for 1000s of years. They do this as a last-ditch attempt to recover in a safe space away from predators and not wanting to endanger the flock.
Pigeons will look for holes, crevices, ventilation shafts and various building openings to spend their last moments. Their small bodies decay very quickly after death. This explains why we don’t often see them dead and lying all over the place
Another reason why dead pigeon seems to disappear is to keep their dead bodies away from predators. These predators include cats, hawks, foxes, raccoons, and other opportunistic predators that will prey on weak and or dead and dying creatures.
These predators are quick to attack so chances are before the sick pigeon can hit the ground they’ve been swooped up and snatched off as a meal.
How long do pigeons live?
How long pigeons live for is dependent on a couple of factors. While it is very unlikely for them to survive until old age in the wild, they may not do much better in captivity either. A pigeon in the wild can live up to 10 years.
The average number of years pigeons in cities live up to is 3 to 6 years. This is because they are easy prey, they get hit by passing cars, or fly into windows and mesh nettings around buildings which can be fatal for them.
Pet pigeons, on the other hand, can live between 9 to 15 years. This is if the pigeon is not being raised for food, they live this long if they are treated extremely well.
Treating a pigeon well can be a job on its own, they need space, lots of open-air for flight, variety in their diet and can become sick if isolated from a flock.
What causes pigeons to die suddenly?
Pigeons are susceptible to a wide range of diseases. Pigeons are zoonotic creatures, they can act as disease carriers. Often pigeons die because of these diseases.
As pigeon age, their immune strength, agility, sensory and digestive systems decline, this causes them to die suddenly.
Signs that the pigeon is dying:
Sick or dying pigeons often isolate themselves, they remove themselves from the pack and go to dark shaded spaces. Their activity levels drop, and you hear them cooing less and less.
In addition, their eating habits change for the worst and they don’t interact with the flock. Remember to be careful around these birds as they can carry and transmit a variety of diseases.
Do birds bury their dead
No, birds do not mourn or bury their dead flock members. You may have noticed birds “mourning” a dead member of their flock.
The sounds that a dove or pigeon make can sound like mourning over their friend as they gather around it but this does not mean they are in mourning.
Rather it means that they are trying to get some sort of response from the fallen bird to find out what happened and where the death-causing threat came from.
What if a pigeon dies in your house?
If a pet pigeon dies in your house, especially from old age or from an unknown cause, its best to hire professionals to get rid of the bird.
If you decide to bury the bird make sure that you use disposable gloves for handling and seal bags for the disposing also burry the bird very deep in the ground.
Conclusion
Pigeons naturally look for dark crevices when they are sick and dying, this is so that they are out of sight when they die.
These animals have a low life expectancy rates both in the wild and in cites if they aren’t taken care of. If a pigeon dies on your property it would be best to contact pest controls services to remove them
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? What do pigeons like to eat? Where do pigeons go in the winter? Click the links to read more
