My best friends - Pigeons on my terrace

I feed more than 100 pigeons 2 to 3 times everyday. I have been doing this since past 15 months. I came to know lots of things about what pigeons think.

Near my house there are lots of trees and there is big open place on my terrace.
I put grain (mixture of sorghum & rice) on terrace to feed pigeons. Pigeons love sorghum. I do it 3 times in a day : Morning (7AM) . afternoon (1 PM) & evening  5 PM. Nearly 100 pigeons eat every time. They will be sitting on nearby  trees and waiting for me to put grain and few minutes after I put grain, they start eating. 

From my observation & experience I could infer following things about what pigeons possibly think or feel.

1. They need initiator

When I put grain on terrace they dont come immediately from nearby trees. They wait for sometime. I see a strange pattern here that they need one of them to start moving to terrace. When one pigeon comes and sits, immediately rest of them follow and within next 1 minute I see more than hundred pigeons on terrace.

2. Some will be guarding

While most pigeons will be eating, some will be guarding them. As you can see in picture below. some are sitting at height and watching for bigger birds or cats in all directions. When they sense a danger or sudden movement on terrace they suddenly fly and rest eating there will follow. They keep rotating their positions. So those eating will replace guards and guards start eating then. Very good co-ordination.

 

There is a stray cat in our street. I have tough time saving pigeons from her. Cats are very smart and difficult to stop. We had put a small door on they way to terrace to stop cats and dogs reaching terrace. Dogs could be stopped but cats could jump it easily everyday with some tricks. Now I have put up a bigger door (built it myself) on terrace. Cats are completely stopped now.


3. Eating habits

• They eat very quickly. I put nearly 2 kgs of grain each time. They need 15 minutes to finish it.
• I see sometime while eating some pigeons will start rotating in circle (kind of dancing). I think it expresses their feeling of joy.
• Sometimes I dont disperse food widely. Usually when I am in hurry I dont disperse grain widely over large area. In such cases I found that some of them will start eating and rest will be waiting on tree. Those eating on terrace will not finish the food completely but would leave the place and go back to trees and those from tree will come and start eating. This is amazing co-ordination and it shows how they care for each other. Such a wonderful creature.
• I see that they stop eating food nearly 1 hour before sunset and dont eat nearly 1 hour after sunrise. I dont know why. This is my observation. However, I think crows dont follow such things.

4. Most harmless creature

I think pigeons are vegetarian. I never saw them harming any other creature. I find them very innocent.

Overall I found myself lucky to have so many pigeons on terrace everyday. They are innocent. I call them my friend. Kids those who come to my house get thrilled after seeing so many pigeons eating together. I always thanks my father who started this practice when he came to my house last year. I since then following it. You must at least keep bowl of water on terrace for birds during summer. The feeling of joy when you see it empty end of the day is amazing.