San Francisco Pigeons vs. Seattle Pigeons
When I was in San Francisco, I noticed the pigeons, especially their feet. Unlike Seattle pigeons, the San Francisco Pigeons did not have mutated, deformed talons. In Seattle, every pigeon I see practically leaves me cringing in sympathy for the state of their poor feet. But every pigeon I saw in San Francisco had beautiful, normal feet.
So what is up with Seattle pigeons that their feet are so deformed? Something wrong with the water? Secret experiments on our local avian population? Well, after some investigating it seems that San Francisco may be the outlier rather than Seattle, and that deformed pigeon feet is quite normal in cities around the world. What a sad state of affair for all the cooing city pigeons out there.
There are many different theories to what cause pigeons to have deformed feet including injuries due to netting and anti-pigeon spikes. Another being that hair or thin thread get wrapped around the pigeons poor feet and cutting off circulation leading to toe loss or other deformities. Another theory is that infections created from standing in their own piles of pigeon poo create the deformities.
Whatever the cause of city pigeons poor foot conditions, I feel bad for the sweet littles! Pigeons already have a hard enough time. They are a bird that garners little respect, despite their resourcefulness and resilience. They are seen mostly as a nuisance despite obvious signs of beauty that the pigeon population has. The iridescent plumage on their necks are quite captivating, and their lovely little coo is a beautiful birdsong. The way they bob as they walk is charming and delightful, as if they are doing a little dance. But still, the vast majority of the population still disparages and scoffs at our pigeon friends. But next time you stub your toe and bemoan the pain of the experience, think of all the pigeons with their foot deformities as it will give us all a greater respect for pigeons inner strength and desire to persevere in a chaotic world.
So what is up with Seattle pigeons that their feet are so deformed? Something wrong with the water? Secret experiments on our local avian population? Well, after some investigating it seems that San Francisco may be the outlier rather than Seattle, and that deformed pigeon feet is quite normal in cities around the world. What a sad state of affair for all the cooing city pigeons out there.
There are many different theories to what cause pigeons to have deformed feet including injuries due to netting and anti-pigeon spikes. Another being that hair or thin thread get wrapped around the pigeons poor feet and cutting off circulation leading to toe loss or other deformities. Another theory is that infections created from standing in their own piles of pigeon poo create the deformities.
Whatever the cause of city pigeons poor foot conditions, I feel bad for the sweet littles! Pigeons already have a hard enough time. They are a bird that garners little respect, despite their resourcefulness and resilience. They are seen mostly as a nuisance despite obvious signs of beauty that the pigeon population has. The iridescent plumage on their necks are quite captivating, and their lovely little coo is a beautiful birdsong. The way they bob as they walk is charming and delightful, as if they are doing a little dance. But still, the vast majority of the population still disparages and scoffs at our pigeon friends. But next time you stub your toe and bemoan the pain of the experience, think of all the pigeons with their foot deformities as it will give us all a greater respect for pigeons inner strength and desire to persevere in a chaotic world.