In 2009, I uploaded a 5 minute video to YouTube where I made a digital painting of a pigeon, accompanied by a poignant “sad violin song.” My devotion to this gray feathered creature is forever documented in film.
Yet, as a native New Yorker, when I tell people that pigeons are my favorite bird, they look at me like I just knocked an ice cream cone out of their hand.
“But why?” are often the first words out of their grimaced mouths.
No amount of impassioned defending ever does the trick in those scenarios, and it gets a little tiring. How nice it would be to just point to a written record of my argument:
“But why?” they ask,
“Please refer to my published article on the matter,” I’d reply, dropping the mic as I exit.
This will rarely happen, if ever, but if it does I am prepared. You bet it’ll be the pinnacle of my whole life, just like the pigeon is the pinnacle of the avian world.
Acknowledge Your Hypocrisy
This one goes all the way to the top – there’s a huge problem just in our perception of what a pigeon is. You know doves? Those beautiful little birds they release in droves at select overly expensive weddings?
Sit down for this one. Scientifically, doves are just smaller, white pigeons. They aren’t different species whatsoever.
The way we view doves throughout history has been consistently positive. They’re the bird of peace, and I guess you could also argue bath products (Side note: but did you know Dove also makes chocolate? How do you go from shampoo to chocolate, of all things?).
Doves have been used as religious symbols in ancient history, representing the goddess Inanna-Ishtar in Mesopotamia and the goddess Asherah in Levant. Doves became known as the “bird of peace” in the first place due to their role in both the Hebrew and Christian Bibles.
When there’s literally no difference between the birds besides the color of their feathers, it seems appropriate the the pigeon should also represent all of these things. Yet, while doves are birds of peace, pigeons are feather rats, gutter birds. I’m sure Inanna-Ishtar and Asherah aren’t too thrilled about those terms.
A History of Service
Outside of their symbolic nature, pigeons also have a long and dedicated history of practical use, primarily for military purposes.
In World War II, the Dickin Medal could be awarded to animals to honor their service, and guess which bird is a thirty-two-time recipient. Yeah, you read that right – 32 pigeons have received a medal for saving lives during times of war. Even the very first three instances of this award were granted to pigeons.
G.I. Joe the Pigeon saved whole village of people from air strikes. What has your action figure done, huh?
Here is a complete list of pigeons who have been awarded a Dickin Medal.
Pigeons haven’t just won awards meant for animals though – they’ve won medals primarily meant for people. In 1918, the French homing pigeon Cher Ami won the Croix de Guerre Medal for successfully relaying a message despite life-threatening injuries in World War I, and is now preserved in the Smithsonian Institute.
Generally, an Excellent Bird
Since you can find pigeons in massive groups all over the world, you might be inclined to view them as an infectious pest. I get it, I do. It’s hard to see pigeons as beneficial when they’re snacking on a discarded two-day old Big Mac. Nonetheless, that doesn’t make the viewpoint any less incorrect.
Pigeons are actually beneficial for the environments they inhabit, as their sparse, temporary nests can be made almost anywhere, out of pretty much anything. Similarly, they’re opportunistic feeders – meaning they can live off human scraps that other, native birds cannot.
Outside of being hardworking and environmentally friendly, pigeons are also really freaking smart. They recognize their own reflection better than 3-year old human children, and are even capable of completing abstract math problems. Given their decorated military history, their intelligence isn’t very surprising.
Basically, pigeons are just out here hustling. They’re trying to make it in the big city, which, aren’t we all? Unlike the rest of us, though, these birds have the added benefits of being fearless, confident, and, well – flying.
Since I’m 100% confident that these facts have successfully converted you into a through-and-through pigeon fan like myself today, I’ll see you around at The American Pigeon Museum.
Further Reading for the Born-Again Pigeon Enthusiast:
- https://thisgreatplanet.wordpress.com/2011/06/27/in-defense-of-pigeons/
- https://bklyner.com/in-defense-of-pigeons-bensonhurst/
- https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-american-pigeon-museum-oklahoma-city-oklahoma
