Studly Pigeons

[3113]

I'm not deeply into birds, pigeons especially, but I do love pausing to watch them at this time of year. The males get all studly. They puff themselves up and go after the females. Who, coyly or otherwise, walk away from them. The guys cut them off, puff up bigger, coo and dance, strutting their stuff. You can almost hear the conversation....

Male: Hey, baby! (puffing up) How'd ya like to mate with a real stud?

Female: (leaving) No way. Get lost!

Male: (cutting her off) Come on, sweet thing, give us a chance. (fluffing out feathers) Check out these moves. (dances) I'll show you a good time AND build you the nest of your dreams...baby!

Ah. Spring.

 

[Guest]

I'm not deeply into birds, pigeons especially, but I do love pausing to watch them at this time of year. The males get all studly. They puff themselves up and go after the females. Who, coyly or otherwise, walk away from them. The guys cut them off, puff up bigger, coo and dance, strutting their stuff. You can almost hear the conversation....

Male: Hey, baby! (puffing up) How'd ya like to mate with a real stud?

Female: (leaving) No way. Get lost!

Male: (cutting her off) Come on, sweet thing, give us a chance. (fluffing out feathers) Check out these moves. (dances) I'll show you a good time AND build you the nest of your dreams...baby!

Ah. Spring.

You make the flying rats sound almost romantic... must be that "writer" thing.

 

[artisticbiguy]

I'm not deeply into birds, pigeons especially, but I do love pausing to watch them at this time of year. The males get all studly. They puff themselves up and go after the females. Who, coyly or otherwise, walk away from them. The guys cut them off, puff up bigger, coo and dance, strutting their stuff. You can almost hear the conversation....

Male: Hey, baby! (puffing up) How'd ya like to mate with a real stud?

Female: (leaving) No way. Get lost!

Male: (cutting her off) Come on, sweet thing, give us a chance. (fluffing out feathers) Check out these moves. (dances) I'll show you a good time AND build you the nest of your dreams...baby!

Ah. Spring.

*strut strut, fluff* Hey baby, check out these breast feathers... I've been preening for days! *turning around, spreading my feathers* Have you ever seen tail feathers so straight, so clean and smooth? *lifting my beak and posing* and look at the neck ring. See the colors. I'm prize poultry here; Perdue has nothing on me!

 

[3113]

*strut strut, fluff* Hey baby, check out these breast feathers... I've been preening for days! *turning around, spreading my feathers* Have you ever seen tail feathers so straight, so clean and smooth? *lifting my beak and posing* and look at the neck ring. See the colors. I'm prize poultry here; Perdue has nothing on me!

(Coyly wandering off--glancing about for other males who might make counter offers) I dunno. You do have a sexy neck ring. (Pointedly ignoring the song and dance). But I ain't gonna feather my nest with just any fly-by-night carrier pigeon. Can you put me up in style, big boy? Or are you fluff and puff but no stuff?

 

[artisticbiguy]

(Coyly wandering off--glancing about for other males who might make counter offers) I dunno. You do have a sexy neck ring. (Pointedly ignoring the song and dance). But I ain't gonna feather my nest with just any fly-by-night carrier pigeon. Can you put me up in style, big boy? Or are you fluff and puff but no stuff?

*taking to wing* I can nest it for you babe. I'll feather you something all right. *heading off to fight for a good location to start building a love-nest*

 

[3113]

*taking to wing* I can nest it for you babe. I'll feather you something all right. *heading off to fight for a good location to start building a love-nest*

(Calling after) Go for those glowing lights! The red-yellow-green things. They've got nice little cubby holes. And you can watch the traffic go by below....

 

[rgraham666]

They only do it in spring where you live? They do it year round here.

A few years ago, I was watching one guy pigeon doing the whole 'strut my stuff' routine. She actually got interested.

Just as they were about to get it on, a bus comes zooming out of the bus bay they're in front of. They take off in a flurry of feathers, in different directions.

This sex outdoors thing is not without its hazards.

 

[3113]

They only do it in spring where you live? They do it year round here.

They might do it year round here--but I only really notice it in spring. And, soon after, there are pigeon nests in a number of streetlights, with momma pigeon contentedly gazing down at the traffic from the pocket of the red or green light (they don't seem to ever pick yellow).

I do wonder what the psychological effect of that red or green light is on the chicks. I suppose it's warm; and as it's been happening for generations now, normal. I find it intreguing because it's compete adaptation. The streetlight is the new "tree" to the pigeons who know no other enviornment.

 

[Selena_Kitt]

You're making me fondly remember Bert and Ernie...

you know, Bert's penchant for pigeons...

Remember Bernice?