Headless

[Bobby D]

I was out with the camera earlier today when I saw this Pidgeon sitting on a pole with its head drawn right into its body. I was wondering if they do this sort of thing often and if anyone can tell me why they do it.

[werdnal]

Never seen one quite that extreme - maybe its your camera angle, but it does really look headless!

They do this when they roost to sleep, but not usually in such an open and vulnerable position - asking to be grabbed by a passing sparrowhawk! Its also a sign of a sick bird, so maybe this one is not well, although its feathers would normally be fluffed up as well if it was really sick.

There are cases of baited or poisoned pigeons being put out to kill birds of prey, but as this one is obviously sitting up, I don't think this applies here!

It looks like a woodpigeon, but difficult to be sure. Could be a juvenile woody, or even a rock dove as the colouring is right. Did you see it move at all?

[Bobby D]

werdnal, thank you for your visit and comments on giving a little more thought to the matter in this case I'm sure that the bird is in perfect health as I watched it flying overhead before it finally perched on top of the pole. It's possible that the reason for the drawing in of the head in this fashion was that it is a rather exposed area where we have an almost constant strong breeze and the pigeon was simply getting comfortable and trying to avoid the wind.

[sunnydale]

Originally Posted by Bobby D

Oh my goodness, that does look rather odd - very very odd actually!

Bobby, it's perhaps a good job you saw the bird - in it's entirety - before it perched!

It gave me shivers just kooking at it in it's headless state!

Tracey

[Bobby D]

Sunnydale I can confirm that the pigeon is fine and has rejoined the two or three others that insist on trying to devastate my wife's garden.

[htcdude]

Maybe it had a really bad itch on it's rump and was stretching to get to it

Nige