Why don't youi ever see baby pigeons? Only big adults?

Answer 1

We get this question periodically. Here's the answer:

Pigeons are altricial birds, i.e., they stay in the nest until they can fly. Pigeon young are hatched at 18 days. They stay in the nest till they are about 30-35 days old. When they fly for the first time, you can often see them in flocks among the adults if you know what to look for. Young pigeons have little if any iridescence on the neck. They still often squeal when they chase their parents or other adult trying to con them into feeding them. Their feathers are a bit duller than the adults and their tail feathers often have a slight point to them - where the down was attached.

Pigeon young almost double their weight each day in the nest and pigeon parents feed them well. In fact, for about the first ten days, they actually feed them a "crop milk". It's not really milk as we think of in mammals -- it looks more like a cottage cheese they produce - but it is a high energy food and the youngsters (squeakers) grow fast and well on it. About 7-10 days into the nest period after hatch, the adults begin to add grain, seeds, whatever, to the food that they are giving the youngsters.

There are a lot of young pigeons out there at certain times of year and part of the fun of looking at a flock is to recognize which are young and which are adults.

If you want to find out more, you might want to also check a few sites like:

http://www.angelfire.com/ga3/pigeongenetics/
http://www.pigeon.org

Answer 2

I think it is because they remain babies for longer than other birds.
I volunteered at a wildlife rehab center and we took care of some baby pigeons and they needed to be hand fed even when they almost looked like full grown adults.
The babies are funny looking, very cute anyways, but in a fugly way. They're also surprisingly tiny when they frist hatch.

Answer 3

Wow - I never thought of that! There are pigeons all over my neighborhood, but I've never seen a baby. They are similar to doves, and I don't see little doves either. They must be kept in the nests until they're big enough to fly.

Answer 4

Don't pigeons stay in the nest for longer than most birds until they get older? I think I heard that somewhere. <3

Answer 5

The babies stay in the nest until the adult pushes them out

Answer 6

You must be really stupid.
All birds stay in their nests and are taken care of by their mother before they leave their nest and learn to fly.

Answer 7

birds have to be able to fly and take care of themselves when they leave the nest, a few parents feed them for a week or two until they can feed themselves, but most have to be able to take care of themselves, just about all birs are adult size when they leave the nest

Answer 8

Ive wondered this myself. Could they stay in the nest until full grown? They do grow fast.

Answer 9

They stay in the nest and are fed by both parents until they are old enough to fly.

Answer 10

They stay in the nest. Birds grow fast. Trust me I know. I breed birds and our babies grew up in two weeks!