What Do Pigeons Eat?

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Pigeons are a species that has been largely domesticated by people, and with such breeding that was carried out in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries because of how useful the birds were for communication, many pigeon populations now originated as these birds that were released when they were no longer required. This has meant that the original rural population of pigeons is actually smaller than those who survive in urban areas, and as such their diet has adapted to the food sources available. There is also a large number of pigeons that are still domesticated, and their diet is also very different from the other pigeon populations.



The Pigeon's Diet In Rural Areas

The diet of the pigeons in rural areas can largely be considered to be the natural diet of the pigeon, despite that adaptations that other parts of the pigeon population has made. Pigeons are generally herbivores, surviving on a diet that is made up mainly of seeds, but also occasionally supplemented by fruits or berries. The other aspect that needs to be considered as well is that although the main part of their diet is made up by fruits and seeds, if there is a shortage of food, their system is also able to process invertebrates and insects such as worms that can be found in rural areas.

How The Diet Of Urban Pigeons Will Differ

One of the most important facts to bear in mind is that urban pigeons will have adapted to the food sources that are available in urban areas. There are some people who will throw out breadcrumbs or seeds for pigeons, and there are also people who will have bird feeders that pigeons will take advantage of. However, discarded french fries, burger meat, bread buns and almost anything else that people can drop will be on the diet of the pigeons.

Adapting A Diet To Suit A Pet Pigeon

There are plenty of commercial pigeon seed diets that are produced by companies for those who keep pigeons as pets. These will often include a variety of different seeds, and some may also include pellets that have been formulated to suit the pigeon's digestive system. However, as a rule these will need to be supplemented by fresh fruit and vegetables, which should be diced and cut into manageable chunks. Along with all other pigeons, it is also best to provide domesticated birds with a good source of fresh clean water.

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