Pigeons and doves belong to a large and successful family of 289 species, ranging in size from the Diamond Dove which is approximately 12cm long, to the Crowned Pigeon which is as big as a female turkey, and in colour from the many-coloured Fruit Dove to the soft grey Wood pigeon. Our familiar feral pigeon of the streets has been known by man for 6000 years. They were sculpted on Egyptian tombs, carried messages for King Solomon, helped Julius Caesar conquer Gaul and won many medals for bravery in both world wars. Several poets including Shakespeare have written about the qualities of pigeons. They are truly amazing birds, for they can;
- live everywhere except Antarctica
- suck water the way we do
- navigate up to 1000 miles
- sense the Earth's magnetic field
- fly as fast as 75 miles per hour
- hear ultra-sound
- see colours including ultra-violet
- feed their babies 'milk' even if they are male
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