Cross breeding birds?

Question

One of those pointless questions which sometimes gets into my head and won't leave.

Is it possible to cross breed a pigeon with a bird of prey such as a kestrel or are they genetically to different? At the same time could a sparrow be bred with a blackbird?

Answer 1

Sub species can cross breed; in the States the Barred and Spotted owl have cross bred to produce the Sparred owl. It happened naturally when their habitat changed and they came into contact with each other. I don't know if the offspring are fertile. When donkeys and horses cross, the offspring are infertile.
Two different species can't cross breed, and usually two similar species wont because they don't recognise each other as potential mates, the signals are wrong.
You can cross sheep and goats, horses with donkeys or zebra, and different kinds of cats such as tigers and lions. So therre must be a load of possible bird crosses; try Wiki to research the species and start with stuff like turkeys and chickens. You can move up to fancy stuff like flamingoes and eagles later.
Good luck with your mad scientist lab reasearch, remember to develop your laugh.

Answer 2

I had a ringneck dove breed with a pigeon; they had one offspring before the ringneck dove died, but I still have the pigeon and the hybrid. They are two different genera, not to mention species, so I would not have thought they could breed. The hybrid is a male, and I don't have a female pigeon or dove, so I don't know whether he's fertile. Should I try? I only had these birds because kids brought them to me because they couldn't fly yet, and I raised them. The father and son live in a big outdoor aviary.

Answer 3

probably not through making sweet sweet loveto one another but i am sure some boffins could splice there DNA 'Dark Angel' style and make some form of Super-Pigeon.

Imagine Universal Soldier but replace Van Damme with an enourmous Pigeon/Vulture and you can only assume what sort of apocalypse will folllow. The Mad-Scientists don't need any more inspiration they are doin fine by themselves.

Answer 4

I doubt the first would work, we all know what would be on the menu for that first ever so important date!!

Generally, the definition of a species is that they cannot cross breed. It can be genetic, but also physical (size) or behaviour.

Answer 5

Try a sparrow and a rooster ,just to see what happens

Answer 6

no they are genetically different but if you really want to try work away lol