An Introduction to Common Types of Pigeons and the Function of Their Tails
The pigeon is a very common bird, raised all over the world. In everyday life, what we call a homing pigeon is one type of pigeon, mainly used for racing and communication. Pigeons date back several thousand years, are very good at flying, are small in size, and come in a great many varieties. Let's take a look below at what common types of pigeons there are and what function the tail serves.
1. What common types of pigeons are there?
Pigeons can be divided into two major categories: wild pigeons and domestic pigeons.
(1) Wild pigeons
Wild pigeons include both tree-dwelling and rock-dwelling fine breeds. They refer to pigeons that have not been domesticated and are distributed all over the world, mainly including the wood pigeon, the rock dove, the North American passenger pigeon, the snow pigeon, and the turtledove, among others.
1. Rock dove
The rock dove, also called the mountain stone pigeon, is a type of wild pigeon. It mainly lives on coastal cliffs, building its nest and breeding among cracks in the rocks. The rock dove is larger in size than the rock pigeon, and its feathers have spots. In China it is mainly distributed throughout the Northeast, eastern and central Inner Mongolia, and other areas.
2. Band-tailed pigeon
The band-tailed pigeon is a second-class protected animal in China and a type of wild pigeon. Its feathers are black, and the edges of its wings have white feathers. It is mainly distributed in Europe and is not easy to domesticate.
3. Snow pigeon
The snow pigeon is a type of wild pigeon, mainly distributed in the Tibet region of China. It is famous for being born in snowy mountain areas, and its whole body is white, with a few in grayish-slate color.
(2) Domestic pigeons
The domestic pigeon is a bird domesticated from the rock pigeon. According to use, it can be divided into three major categories: racing, meat, and ornamental.
Meat pigeons are large in size, have delicious meat, and are rich in nutrients. Meat pigeons reproduce quickly and are easy to raise, making them an excellent tonic food for humans. A common one is the chicken-type pigeon.
Racing pigeons are athletes in sports competitions, with a strong desire to return to the nest and the ability to fly quickly. They are mainly divided into short- and medium-distance pigeons, long-distance pigeons, ultra-long-distance pigeons, and racing pigeons.
Ornamental pigeons are the smallest type of domestic pigeon, with a great variety of colors. There are ground pigeons that cannot fly, and fast pigeons that are good at flying.
2. What function does a pigeon's tail serve?
A pigeon's tail is like a kind of aircraft, or the rudder of a boat. A pigeon's tail has twelve feathers. When spread, it is shaped like a fan and can turn flexibly, keeping the body balanced and controlling the direction of flight. When the end of the tail forms a straight line it is called a flat tail, when it forms an arc it is called a round tail, and when it forms a scissor shape it is called a scissor tail. Among these, the round tail is relatively better.
Pigeons represent beauty, happiness, and peace. In squares all over the world, flocks of pigeons add to the atmosphere and entertain tourists from everywhere. No matter what type of pigeon it is, we all need to protect and care for them.