Feral

So, two types of pigeon visit. This is a feral pigeon...

And this is a wood pigeon.

The former are descended from domesticated rock doves, the latter is our largest and commonest dove. I am keen on both. But not as keen as I am on songbirds. Or raptors. Or owls. Well, anyway, I like them.

In Amsterdam, I noted that the feral pigeons there were paler than those in London, and were more like the Northamptonshire representative. In London, they have increased melanin in their feathers which seems to do something beneficial with particulates from exhausts. Many of them had injured feet, with either broken or distorted toes. I was with a vet and asked her if they were in pain and she said yes, but that animals deal differently with pain. Not that it doesn't matter, or isn't unpleasant, but that they kind of get on with it. Same pain, less suffering. Like that Buddha story with the two arrows.

A colleague at work pointed out to me that you never see baby pigeons. This is notable. In the garden, I have seen baby robins, starlings, blackbirds, a baby pied wagtail, and I think I saw a baby blue tit. The baby dunnocks are a little tricky to distinguish. But despite the large number of pigeons who visit, I have never seen one who looks like a juvenile. Apparently, pigeons are excellent parents. Maybe they don't let their children out until they have passed the ugly stage.