06/12/2021
‘Squab’
We were so privileged to have Wood Pigeons nesting in the large tree in our garden during the Summer! They successfully raised three little ones and it was incredible to observe their progress! Yes they may not be the most attractive baby birds…but they are still very sweet and we loved getting to know them.
It's actually quite rare to see baby pigeons because nests tend to be very high up and well covered, plus they spend a lot longer in the nest than other birds do (on average 30 days). When they fledge, they look almost similar to the plumage of adult birds so it’s harder to distinguish. They chose quite a low tree and it was easily seen from the ground…both parents and babies weren’t bothered by our presence in the garden at all.
This little one is less than 2 weeks old here, look at the feathers growing in at the top of its head! We couldn’t believe how quickly they grow in size, the first 10 days they are fed exclusively on crop milk from mum and dad, then gradually seeds and other foods are introduced by the parents.
I’ve read recently that pigeons do often reuse their nests, they build around and on top of pre-existing ones, and as you probably know pigeons are monogamous, so we hope after their successful brood they’ll return again next year!
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