If there are pigeons living near you then you may have noticed a lot of poop in their habitats. But why do pigeons poop so much?

Pigeons poop so much because they are opportunistic feeders, they eat a lot and eat when they can. The bird’s poop to keep their digestive system clear. The birds also poop a lot because what they eat in urban areas is less digestible than what they eat in the wild so they poop more

Pigeons litter our skies, streets and urban parks. They have become a sort of a staple in urban areas and unfortunately, so has their poop. Pigeon poop can be found anywhere that pigeons can and unfortunately, it causes diseases and can even damage property.

You may have noticed that pigeons poop a lot, more than you would expect them to, given their small size and light frame. This poop can collect over time and can become a real hazard. So the question that many of us have is why do pigeons poop so much? Whether you’re a bird lover, vet or just curious this article will be helpful to you

Why do pigeons poop so much?

Generally, pigeons don’t poop that much, in fact, they will only poop a lot when they have access to a lot of food. This is what we usually see in urban areas where pigeons have access to much more food.

In this case, the pigeons will poop a lot to ensure that their digestive tract clears regularly. Because pigeons are opportunistic eaters they eat whatever they can whenever they can, these birds seem to poop everywhere and they poop a lot.

In addition, the size of the bird plays a part in the birds pooping. Smaller birds like sparrows will eat less because they need less energy to fly and thus will poop less. In comparison pigeons are larger birds and thus will need more food to function and fly, they will thus eat more and as a result, will poop more.

Also, their diets also play a part in how much they poop. Pigeons like to eat green vegetables, this compared to foods like seeds and animal matter is less digestible. For this reason, they will poop often.

Do pigeons poop when they fly?

Yes, pigeons do poop when they fly. Some people have the idea that pigeons don’t poop as they fly but this wouldn’t be practical. The idea that pigeons don’t poop while they fly comes from the fact that feral pigeons such as the Columba livia fly while holding their feet against their body. In this case, if they were to poop as they fly they would poop on their feet.

In reality, pigeons do poop when they fly. As a pigeon flies it will move its legs while flying and poop. This isn’t the ideal situation though, pooping while flying or walking can be quite messy. Pigeons will prefer to poop standing up. This is preferred because the pigeon feels safe and isolated.

In addition, you may have noticed a pigeon poop when it is afraid and fleeing. They do this to get rid of anything in the intestines. This is to ensure that the digestive process doesn’t take up any of the resources that could have been used to flee.

Summary

In summary, pigeons poop so much because they eat so much. These animals have access to a lot of food in urban areas and they take advantage of that. As a result, their digestive tract passes food in an effort to keep it clear. In addition, most of the food they eat in urban areas is less digestible than food they can eat in the wild and they pass this quicker.

They do poop then they fly but they don’t prefer to. Pooping while flying or walking can get messy and they prefer to poop when they feel relaxed, safe and when they know they wont be disturbed. But if they quickly become scared and have to fly away they will poop to prevent resources being used up by digestion

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? How do pigeons find food? Why do pigeons puff up their chest? How do pigeons protect themselves? What do pigeons like to play with? Why do pigeons have red feet?