Why don't pigeons fly away when you run at them like most other city birds?

Question

I know there are more birds in the world besides the one outside my window, but I was just wondering.....because the other city birds (or whatever breed they are called) fly away when you run at them, but pigeons act as if you aren't even there. Is it because they've gotten used to humans around them? Is it in their nature? What would be the reaction of other birds not in the city if you ran at them?

Thanks

Answer 1

They get very close to humans in order to get to all the tasty human food. Pigeons have just gotten used to people. Out here in suburbia we have a different type of pigeon and they don't like people much.

Answer 2

you better be careful, didn't you see the move "the birds"?

Answer 3

they are weird birds!they scare me

Answer 4

because people feed them, so they like that and are just sorta like, " Humans are helpful."  they are also used to thew presence of humans and have deemed it non-harmful and beneficial (due to the food!) Other birds not in a place like that would freak and fly.

Answer 5

It depends on the area you live in. For example, I see pigeons in parts of Chicago and Milwaukee that actually run from people when we get too close. Then there are parts like China Town in Chicago and Downtown Milwaukee where they are used to people. It's mainly because those areas have the most people and we drop food or actually try to feed them.

Answer 6

I have been fortunate enough in the last several times to visit England several times. There is a place called Trafalgar Square. It is a huge pavilion that has big statues of different things. When we first went over there they had vendors selling little courtesy cups with cracked corn in them. You could hold out your hand like you had something in it and pigeons would be all sitting on your arm and head. There would be thousands and thousands of wild pigeons at the Trafalgar Square. Now, it is against the law to feed pigeons and all of the thousands of pigeons of Trafalgar square are for the most part gone.  I encountered more pigeons at Kings Cross Station than anywhere in London. When you travel the English countryside you will see small flocks of pigeons and most of them will be white or almost all white flying in the fields. I suspect that the people free loft their pigeons and eat the squabs. I do know that the British people eat Wood Pigeons.

Wild birds if fed regularly over hundreds of years and domesticated like pigeons have been would behave the same way. I think that there are so many racing homers and other types of flying pigeons that get lost that their blood courses through 90% of all feral pigeons. This would account for their propensity to be docile. Pigeons are very smart. They know if you are after them or not. That and they know that they are quicker than you are.