Rob Swindell: Pigeons deserve better from humans

Through their distribution and adaptations over millions of years, birds can be found on every continent. And not only can they be found on every continent, but they seem to have adapted to every ecosystem — including those created or occupied by humans. Rock pigeons were introduced to North America in the early 1600s, and today they can be found year-round in most of North America and all of South America. The rock pigeon is often found nesting on buildings and window ledges, and foraging in busy urban streets and neighborhoods. Although most people ignore the birds or even try to feed them, I still get nervous for their safety around so many people. There seems to be an innate urge in children to chase birds, and sadly a few people try to harm them. One strange and seemingly dangerous environment for the rock pigeons is under bridges. When I drive through and see them flying around, I get anxious — but until recently I had never seen a dead rock pigeon near a bridge. I was saddened to see two dead rock pigeons under a bridge in North Ridgeville a few months ago. Rock pigeons had a long history with humans as Charles Darwin kept and studied them for many years after his famous voyage on the Beagle. His research and observation in the differences between captive and wild birds helped him to form his theory of evolution through breeding and natural selection. They have been used for not only research, but also for homing, racing, carrying messages, lures, fertilizer and food. Because of domestication and selective breeding, and populations of wild pigeons, there is an unusual variance in color. Most are an iridescent bluish gray and have two black bands on their wings — though wing patterns may also vary. Rock pigeons in the Southwestern United States may have more red plumage than northern and eastern varieties. Many have the distinctive red-orange eyes. They are usually found in flocks, foraging on the streets and ground for a variety of foods. They are also known as the city pigeon. Many peregrine falcons live in urban areas and pigeons are their favorite prey. What are known as homing pigeons are domestic rock pigeons, and one of their most notable traits is their ability to find their way home from distant locations. Reportedly they can even do so blindfolded by using the earth's magnetic field (though I think blindfolding a bird is quite cruel). This ability made them valuable as carrier pigeons, and they were used to transport messages for the U.S. Army during World War I and II. A small tube was attached to one leg where messages were placed inside using thin paper. During World War II, according to the U.S. Army Communications Electronics Museum, the unit known as the Signal Pigeon Corp "consisted of 3,150 soldiers and 54,000 war pigeons, which were considered an undetectable method of communication. Over 90 percent of U.S. Army messages sent by pigeons were received." They were credited with saving the lives of local inhabitants and British troops of the 56th (London) Infantry Division. They are also known as racing pigeons. The first American club to conduct races started in 1872, after which in 1880 The Atlantic Federation of Homing Pigeon Societies was formed. Reportedly, racing pigeons have flown as long as 1,600 miles with an average speed of 30 mph. Today, the American Racing Pigeon Union has 700 affiliated clubs around the country. However, like racehorses and greyhounds, racing pigeon fanciers have no use for losers. As noted by the organization HelpWildlife, "In order to do well in this competition, pigeon fanciers will try to breed the best possible pigeons. With this breeding comes killing. Pigeons that do not do so well in the races are usually killed, thus creating space for newly bred pigeons who might be faster." "It's clear ... that culling unproductive birds is extremely commonplace and fanciers are encouraged not to talk about it in public. Logically, without culling, either directly or indirectly through birds lost in races, lofts would soon be filled with older, slower birds since pigeons can live into their teens. It's hard to see how a fancier could remain competitive without disposing of older or less productive birds in some way," HelpWildlife concluded. There is a detailed study by Jan Deckers and Silvina Pezzetta on "The ethics of pigeon racing." They concluded "that pigeon racing should be prohibited because of its disadvantages for human and nonhuman animals. The disadvantages of pigeon racing for people stem from the fact that racing pigeons ... are used as instruments to fulfill the human desire to compete in races. Through racing pigeons, we make them do what we want them to do, where racing is not something that they are inclined to do autonomously. This behavior is not conducive for holistic human well-being." My disdain for using animals for entertainment — especially for betting — is not a secret. The death of horses on racetracks are all too commonplace, and greyhounds, like pigeons, are bred for success with the losers discarded without much empathy. It is also disheartening to see healthy birds in captivity, and I find the quote by Jacques Deval in, "Afin de vivre bel et bien," to be quite impactful, "God loved the birds and invented trees. Man loved the birds and invented cages." In addition to competitive racing, they are used for weddings and events due to their training to return to their lofts. They can and do get lost and injured, but thanks to their banding, they can often be traced back to their owners. Occasionally these birds assimilate into a wild flock, but feral rock pigeons only have a life expectancy of 2.4 years. My wife had one show up tired at her place of work and contacted the owner. The owner said feed it and let it rest and it would find its way home after a couple of weeks — and it did. My wife and her boss called her "Patty the Pigeon" and last saw it at 8:30 one morning, and then received word that it had returned home to Michigan by 3 p.m. We have received similar calls from others who have found a pigeon hanging around. Unfortunately, today many people regard rock pigeons as a nuisance — no longer filling their role in our lives, but the pigeons have found an ecosystem that works for them. Ironically, they have been successful living in our urban areas often on the waste we create. Bethany Brookshire notes our changing attitudes, "We domesticated the pigeon about 5,000 years ago. The pigeon really highlights how humans — and by humans, I mean predominantly Western civilization — tend to only admire animals for which we have a use. We had a use for pigeons: We used them as food, messenger, and fertilizer. Now we just let go of the animal we used to love. We assumed pigeons would just die out without us. But we've created niches in our cities that have been perfect for them. So they have continued to thrive. Now that we don't have a use for them, we just disdain them." Rock pigeons have a long and, as it turns out, complicated history with human beings. They deserve our kindness and maybe even a Bronze Star for their service. Field trip on tap The Black River Audubon Field Trip is set for Oct. 14 at 9 a.m. at Carlisle Reservation, 12882 Diagonal Road, LaGrange. The leader is Chad Wilson. Meet by the Raptor Center. Rob Swindell is president of the Black River Audobon Society. Contact him at robswindell@roadrunner.com.