Whats going on when a pigeon puffs up and struts around?
The puffed-up, strutting bird is a male pigeon courting and showing off for a female. Males fluff their iridescent neck feathers, reflecting shimmering green, bronze, and purple; they spread their tail feathers; they parade or dance in a circle around the female; they coo loudly. This courtship behavior may lead to mating or it might serve to strengthen the lifelong bonds of an already-mated pair. Although you can see pigeon courtship all year long, it peaks in springtime in urban areas around the globe. Watch pigeons up close this spring! Distinguish the young from the adults: * Look at their ceres. The heart-shaped growth at the top of the pigeon’s beak, the cere, is dull and grayish in young birds and white in adults. * Look at their eyes. The eyes of a young bird are brown. The eyes of an adult bird are orange to orange-red in color.
