Doveiformes-What are the characteristics of pigeons?

Pigeons often appear near gardens and public buildings. They are very popular in cities and villages. Domestic pigeons and wild pigeons are mostly vegetarians. They eat seeds, fruits or leaves. Except for the largest species, they are all powerful pilots. As soon as they found the danger, they flew into the air, flapping their wings quickly and speeding up their flight. In the first few days of hatching, they will feed their chicks with a kind of "floating juice" like mammals. This "milk" is the milk white material secreted by pigeon crop, which is rich in protein. The way they drink water is also unusual among birds; They put their beaks into the water and can drink water without looking up. Most other birds have to look up to swallow. Domestic pigeons are domesticated by wild pigeons, and human pigeons have been domesticated for at least 4000 years.

pigeon

Pigeons order Pigeonidae, short bill, base covered with wax film. The body is spindle-shaped, and the coat color is complex, which is mostly blue-gray, and there are pure white, tan, black and white mixed. Strong reproductive ability, can breed 10 times a year, incubation period 18 days, male and female hatch eggs alternately. The wax membrane of domestic pigeons can secrete chyle, which is used to feed young pigeons.

Domestic pigeons are domesticated from the original pigeons, and there are many varieties, which can be divided into carrier pigeons, meat pigeons and ornamental pigeons according to their uses. Carrier pigeons can reach a top speed of 70 kilometers per hour. Because pigeons have a strong homing habit, since ancient times, people have used pigeons' homing ability to help humans spread information in activities such as navigation, exploration and letter delivery. Pigeons are fresh and tender, and some strains of pigeons have peculiar shapes and are deeply loved by people.

Blue-crowned dove

Doveiformes, Doveidae, large, with blue-gray feathers all over the body and obvious and gorgeous fan-shaped crown feathers on the head; There are broad dark chestnut stripes on the shoulders and back. Two eggs are laid each time, and the incubation period is 28 days. Distributed in New Guinea and its adjacent islands.

Blue-crowned turtledove lives in the forest and feeds on papaya, bananas and other fruits. During the breeding period, the head with gorgeous fan-shaped crown feathers often swings up and down as a show-off behavior of courtship. Because of its gorgeous crown feathers, it is often captured and killed by people. According to records, in 19 13 alone, more than 27,000 blue-crowned chickens were slaughtered to meet the demand of feather decoration in London market. The number is very rare now and should be protected.