Pigeon Flights

Mating habits of the pigeon

Pigeon Squab and
Egg in Nest

The pigeon mates for life and can breed up to 8 times a year in optimum conditions, bringing two young into the world each time. The frequency of breeding is dictated by the abundance of food. Pigeon eggs take 18/19 days to hatch with both parents incubating the eggs. Young dependant pigeons are commonly known as ‘squabs’.

Pigeon Nest
with 2 Eggs

Both parents feed the young with a special ‘pigeon milk’ that is regurgitated and fed to the squabs. Each squab can double its birth weight in one day but it takes 3 days before the heart starts beating and 4 days for the eyes to open.

Pigeon Squab - 
3 Days Old

When squabs are hungry they ‘squeak’ whilst flapping their wings and as a result they are also commonly known as ‘squeakers’.

Pigeon Squabs -
10 Days Old

At approximately 2 months of age the young are ready to fledge and leave the nest. This longer-than-average time spent in the nest ensures that the life expectancy of a juvenile pigeon is far greater than that of other fledglings.