Pigeon Numbers

[Pepe]

Does anyone know if the increase in the pigeon population during the summer is due to birds migrating from europe or, do you think it is due to the birds excessive breeding?

[kirky640]

Does anyone know if the increase in the pigeon population during the summer is due to birds migrating from europe or, do you think it is due to the birds excessive breeding?

in my opion its probably down to the mild winters we have been having over the last few years as the warmer the winters are the less birds will perish. only my opin mind im not certain

cheers kirky

[Cranfield]

Wood pigeon "migrating" from Europe, has always been something I find difficulty in believing.

 

The first reason is, why would they ?

 

I can remember one of the shooting mags (probably the Shooting Times) about 25 years ago publishing pictures of large flocks of pigeons reaching the coast after crossing the Channel.

The picures were of flocks crossing the Thames, from near Southend, to the Isle of Grain in Kent.

Something they did a few times a day.

[Fisherman Mike]

Migration normally occurs to the Northern regions with large numbers of Birds arriving from Europe, particularly France & Germany generally only when the winters are severe. This seems to coincide with a similar large influx of Thrush species and also Waxwings.

 

The Pigeon is still on the increase and has been steadily increasing its territories in the last 20 to 30 years.

 

Now as common in Parks, Gardens and Towns as it was in its original habitat.

 

The key to its success is its ability to breed all year round if the weather permits and also an abundance of food stuffs now available to enable it to do so.

 

Very severe winters however can make serious in-roads into the populations and losses can be very high. However the bird seems to have an uncanny ability to recover very quickly.

 

Case in point.... a pair in a leylandi outside my bedroom window have laid two eggs this week after already rearing 2 young since the first week in March. I dare say they will raise another in late July/August.

 

If the UK population estimated to be around 3 million pairs raised 2 broods a year at a 50% success rate thats 6million extra pigeons.......... Food For Thought... The blighters would take over the world if we didnt shoot em

 

FM.

[Highlander]

Increase INCREASE if you were round here you'd think they'd all gone TO Europe for their hols. There has always been talk of pigeons migrating but I think the general concensus is that they don't. In studies it's accepted that Woody is a fairly sedentary bird when it comes to locale.

 

If you go back to PW posts this time last year there's definitely no increase in pigeon numbers in the summer, most of the posts (if I remember correctly) argued that Will B and other 'professionals' had shot them all ...then along came harvest time and a miraculous INCREASE in numbers

[Pepe]

Woodpigeon migrate south in Europe, crossing the pirenees to central Spain in massive flocks. I was just wondering whether some of them deviated to Britain. Aparently, the U.K. is the only place in Europe where the woodpigeon stays all year round.