Gray Birds–Pigeons

prayingmother

This is the last of the bird challenges from the Outdoor Hour Challenges. We have enjoyed doing these so much, that we are a little sad for them to end, but I guess now we can make our own bird challenges or maybe do some other challenges. We are thinking about learning about what’s happening in our garden or else learning about some botany. Those are kind of related.

This challenge was on gray birds–Pigeons and Mocking Birds. We do not have Mocking Birds where we live, so Pigeons it was.

We read all about Pigeons in the Handbook of Nature Study. The part from there that my kids enjoyed the most was the story about G.I. Joe the pigeon. G.I. Joe was a pigeon that saved a group of British troops from being bombed by Allies, by delivering a message just in time that the British had already taken occupation of the city of  Calvi Vecchia, Italy, which had been scheduled for bombardment.

Here are the pictures that we were able to take of Pigeons that live just down the road from us.

Rock Dove (Pigeon)

Rock Dove (Pigeon)

As you can tell by looking at the ledge where they are standing, quite a few of them live at this bridge. When we saw that we were going to be studying pigeons, we knew just where to go.

Sometimes I think we get a bit jaded by common birds and forget that some of them are really pretty too. I think that that pigeon in the first picture is a pretty bird, even though I have seen a bazillion pigeons in my life. I have to admit, I probably would not have stopped to take his picture, if it had not been for the Bird Challenge. So we’re glad that we were challenged to learn about common birds.

Pigeon by JD Boy (age 6)

J.D. Boy’s nature journal entry.

Pigeon by Zipp (age 9)

Zippy’s nature journal entry.

2 thoughts on “Gray Birds–Pigeons”

  • Anonymous
    June 23, 2009 at 2:02 pm
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    I totally agree with you about common birds. We sort of miss the beauty in them when we see them so often. I think that way about so many birds now that we have taken the time to get to know them.

    My daughter really abhors pigeons…she has some sort of phobia about them so we tend to avoid them at all costs. But, after this challenge I began to see the beauty of their coloration and their place in our world.

    Thanks for sharing your thoughts and your pigeons and your journals.

    Your family has been a joy to get to know through these challenges and I hope you continue to participate in the OH Challenges at some point. I am contemplating the focus on crop plants but really you could apply the ideas to any plants. Don't forget there is a whole series of garden plants challenges from last year, it is never too late. :)

    Thanks again,

    Barb

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