Show and Tell

a pocket field guide, for anyone who's ever shared a bench with one

Cliff Dwellers, Technically

Wild pigeons nest on rocky cliff ledges. Your window sill, your parking garage, that gap over the grocery store sign -- to a pigeon, those are just cliffs with a better food court.

They Remember Every Face

Pigeons can tell individual people apart by their faces -- including which ones feed them and which ones don't. You have a reputation. It is being discussed.

That Shimmer Isn't Paint

The green-and-purple flash on a pigeon's neck comes from the shape of the feathers themselves, not pigment -- the same trick that makes a soap bubble shift color as it turns.

Reputation vs. Reality

The Reputation

"Rat with wings." Mostly interested in your fries. Somehow always underfoot.

The Reality

Navigates using Earth's magnetic field. Mates for life. Was once trained to spot cancer cells in lab images, correctly, most of the time.

Look Closer Next Time

Next time one lands near your bench, you'll know: cliffside royalty, elite face-rememberer, wearing a coat that shifts color like a soap bubble. Not bad for a bird everyone ignores.

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