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Pigeons Intelligence.

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Dav1

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Came up on my feed and so as I do I started researching. It now seems clear pigeons are as or more intelligent than primates. Some studies have shown they equal or "outsmart" children up to young adolescent in many tasks.

Here's one article, there are many more.

www.psychologytoday.com

The Surprising Neuroscience of Pigeon Intelligence

Do you think pigeons are "birdbrained"? These studies will show you that the opposite is true.
www.psychologytoday.com www.psychologytoday.com
 
I kept and raced racing pigeons before for years and still keep in touch with my friends that race them professionally to 700 to 800 km, there are birds that are really very intelligent and there are some that are not, even when they came from the same parent birds or nest mate, if you ever have a bird that won a race or even won multiple race and get top prices, you will just wonder how the character, physical feature and the behavior of the exact bird compare to its siblings. Racing pigeon is more about the science, nutrition, luck, and patience that you have and how observant you are in learning the birds behavior and capabilities. They are very fulfilling in terms of the achievements you and your bird has accomplished, they are very intelligent and very loyal, if you're able to handle them properly and learn how to read the characteristic of the breed lineage and learn the science of nutrition for them to fly all the way to the last race point. you'll see the physical limit it has and you'll sometimes wonder what it can achieve with you knowing it capabilities limit.
 
One thing I can say is that, pigeons in present days are treated really unfairly being casted as dirty as rats of the sky, the press has not been able to give them proper credits and ignorance in city councillor has been creating by laws that ban keeping pigeon sports, pigeon are very intelligent and very loyal, they have the determination that is not comparable, they flew many distances to deliver messages while injured and has save soldiers lives in wars during world war 1 and 2 both documented in the UK, US and Europe like G.I joe https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G.I._Joe_(pigeon) , Tommy https://grokipedia.com/page/tommy_pigeon, Cher Ami https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cher_Ami, just a for example, Instead press are creating report that are base on ignorance in pigeon and bylaws are being created to prevent people that are properly taking care of pigeon for racing sports, I have read news that there are proper pigeon racing club members that are having issue because bylaws was being created without proper consultations with what is really needed and I wish that schools science program should look at pigeon as an example for learning based on how they can find its way home being release hundreds of kilometer from their home, and how can the science of nutrition can be applied to this thorougbreed of the sky, besides this the most important i believe is to create interest in the young mind of the younger generation on science, patience and discipline and keeping the young generation to be more hands on practical senses and this will keep them out of trouble and not totally glued on computers and tv's.
 
I was always under the impression that they were about as thick as a brick. Around our way, they are often found flattened on the roads as they seem too stupid to move from the road when a vehicle is coming, unless the pigeon suicide rate is high due to depression because of higher than average intelligence. :rolleyes:
 
Contrasting observations;

I put a freezer tray (basket) down over some bird food as it was being hoovered up by the resident woodies.
On CCTV, sped up, I saw a pigeon try to reach between each set of bars, in turn, going all the way round the tray, quite a few complete circuits, on and on, that is not bright.

At my perm, if I arrive with camo on, the woodies, will alarm clap, normally about four times, above areas where other birds and mammals are feeding.
So camo is great if you put it on in a hide, or wear while stationary, but in areas that are shot (by people dressed like that) the place is already on alert.
I've noticed it for a few years now, but using the Merlin app, made me listen more closely, and I noticed the path it took, and where it repeated its wing clap alert.
That is smart (to some degree) but also shows the symbiotic nature of species in one area.
 
Always had the utmost respect for Woodpigeons
I hunted them intensely for years,very smart,have stood up in the hide to take a shot, pigeon radar, jinks,left then right and away,also seen them present the flank where feathers are thickest take a shotgun round at 30mtrs quick shake and off, amazing, Good Luck 🤞 mitch21
 
Ive got them in my trees. They build crap nests and dont seem to recognise Sparrowhawks until its too late...Feathers everywhere regularly
 
We have a group of feral pigeons that will sit on the opposite side of the roofs to the wind. So while we have had a fairly constant SE wind they have moved to the NW side of the roof. Wood pigeons just sit in the same perches looking for the next hoovering job. :ROFLMAO:
 
Some pigeons seem to have more intelligence than others.
My (bright) cat has been known to fancy the dim ones... ;)

IMG_20260207_100707.jpg
 
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