Anyone who has ever walked in a big city will certainly have noticed that, among all wild animals, i pigeons They are absolutely those who meet most frequently. But how did they become so popular in metropolises all over the world? Behind this apparently simple question, there is anything but obvious answer: in part these birds they tend to nest on rigid surfaces And for this reason they prefer buildings, where there are numerous places to shelter and scarcity of predators; partly Urban environments provide them with food easily available. An aspect that not everyone knows, however, is that the pigeons are at ease in the midst of people because in fact they are not wild animals but domesticated!
The presence of pigeons in the city
Let’s start by saying that i pigeons They are domesticated animals: already in Mesopotamia 5000 years Fa began to make shelters and feed these birds. Over time it was discovered that this animal was excellent for bringing messages, giving life to the figure of the traveler pigeon, fundamental during conflicts. From here we understand how the pigeon is now used to living in close contact with humans.
A second reason is linked to the fact that these animals – even in nature – love rigid surfaces, such as cliff And rocks. This makes them perfect for the urban environment, as confirmed by the researcher Colin Jerolmack of New York University at Washington Post:
They really like cement, marble and stone, therefore they prefer to live and build their nests not on trees, shrubs and meadows, but rather next to buildings.
One last factor is that linked to Presence of food: Between garbage bins and bread crumbs, these animals manage to feed without too much difficulty.
Attention: these animals should not be nourished both because in many cities it is prohibited, whether it is bread, cracker or the like, you risk seriously damage their health.
Pigeons can become a problem
The high presence of pigeons in Italian cities and all over the world can become a problem For several reasons, mainly linked to a speech hygienic. In fact, pigeons can smear streets, squares and monuments, also causing high maintenance costs for cleaning the city and monuments.
Among other things, why don’t many died pigeons around are not seen? Being so numerous, it should be equally frequent to see their corpses. In reality it seems that the pigeons tend to shelter in the attics or other places sheltered when sick or wounded, So not to be eaten alive by other predators. Consequently, the pigeons that lose their lives often find themselves in places away from our streets and often does not spend a long time before some other animals eat the remains.
