horseshoe

[fert]

was out walking my pup today and stumbled across a barley stubble field full of pigeons and rooks.

i stopped and watched for 30mins or so i noticed that all the pigeons werent in a uniform pattern of any sort (horseshoe L etc) they were just flying about from one bird to the other not flying in to the opening in the back of the horseshoe. so why is the most common pattern a horseshoe?

[ernyha]

The horseshoe pattern is to give them a tempting open space to land in instead of them having to jostle for a position as you saw them doing.

Plus they like to get to the front of the space so in theory they should land exactly in the spot where you want them to.

[Paul in North Lincs.]

when using the horse shoe pattern, the knack is to draw the bird into the open space which will provide an easier shot.

[invector]

Pigeons need a place to land, safety within the feeding group and a way out if danger threatens. Although when actually feeding they seem to be milling about your pattern is there to entice them down in the first place!! Even a regimented horseshoe pattern will work because they are seeing what they want to see, Space to land, the safety of the group and a way out if things go wrong. :(

 

By the time they see their mates are not milling about they should be DEAD!!! I regularly get pigeons landing in the decoys, looking at their dead mates hoisted up unnaturally on wire cradles, and then start tearing at the greenery.