Wood pigeon
WOOD pigeons appear to more abundant during winter when very large flocks numbering many thousands are seen over farmland and more birds using urban and suburban areas in search of food.
It was originally thought that in autumn and winter the numbers of our native birds were swelled by migrants from Europe. However, ringing records have disproved this theory and this increase is simply a result of successful summer breeding.
Wood pigeons are our largest pigeon, and adults can be identified by white patches on their necks and white stripes on their wings which are more obvious in flight; juveniles do not have the white neck patches.
Other similar looking pigeons that are commonly encountered are feral pigeons which originated from the domestication of wild rock doves, and stock doves.
Wild rock doves are only found on the west coasts of Scotland and Ireland, and the feral pigeon population originated from escaped domesticated birds.
Feral pigeons can be very variable in appearance and are smaller than wood pigeons.
Stock doves are farmland birds and can be seen in rural gardens but very rarely in urban and suburban gardens and are both smaller and darker than wood pigeons. They have a very noticeable large iridescent green neck patch and a dark grey upper back contrasting with paler lower back and rump. A key diagnostic feature are the short narrow black bars in the centre of the lower wing.
Wood pigeons are very successful birds and seem to be one of the only birds which thrive due to current intensive agricultural practices.
Their diet is generally vegetable based favouring oil seed rape, the young shoots of brassicas such as cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts along with grain and certain fruits and berries- they have a particular liking for ivy berries. Pigeons are among the few birds that can suck in water with their heads down whilst most other birds scoop up a beak of water and then tip their heads back sending the water down their gullet.
Wood pigeons have been recorded as breeding in the UK in every month of the year but August is the peak month for fledging. They build a flimsy nest consisting of a very basic platform of twigs, often high in trees, and lay a maximum of two eggs per clutch. They will also nest in buildings. The eggs hatch within 17 days and the chicks, known as “squabs” fledge after a further 30 days. Both parents feed the young on highly nutritious “pigeon milk”, which is a regurgitated secretion from the lining of the crops of the parent birds. This “pigeon milk” is produced a few days before the eggs hatch and the parents cease to eat at this point to ensure the milk is not contaminated by seeds which the squabs would be unable to digest. After this initial period the parents start to introduce increasing amounts of adult food softened in the parents’ crops.
Wood pigeons are seen as a major agricultural pest causing between 10 to 40% loss of yield. Particularly due to the increase in oil seed rape planting and the bird’s penchant for it.
Wood pigeons are seen as an increasing threat to farming. Many different techniques are used to reduce potential crop damage - visual, auditory, habitat management, exclusion and lethal controls. Gas cannons and bangers appear to be the most effective auditory deterrents with hawk-shaped kites and human-shaped scarers being good visual deterrents.
The use of nets to exclude pigeons is very effective but expensive.
Intensive shooting of pigeons does not appear to be particularly effective as a means for crop protection despite the increase in Wood Pigeon shooting. Limitation of crop damage is an ongoing challenge to agriculture.