Although pigeons are regarded as pests by many city dwellers, they are fairly unique in the bird world. They drink with their beaks underwater, actually sucking water through the nostrils. They are also the only bird besides the flamingo to produce a milklike crop secretion very similar in consistency and function to that of mammals. The feral pigeon is one of several breeds of rock pigeon, Columba livia. Although the bird pictured here hitched a ride from Liverpool, England, to Caracas, Venezuela, on a merchant ship, other members of its species typically migrate thousands of miles, maintaining speeds of up to 70 km/h (44 mph).
Peter Ryley/Oxford Scientific Films
"Feral Pigeon," Microsoft(R) Encarta(R) 96 Encyclopedia. (c) 1993-1995 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
