Parrots are favored for a number of reasons. They’re smart, beautiful, and majestic, and often make the best lifelong companions. That said, there are a number of reasons that parrots may not be the best pet for your household or situation, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any other options.
Pigeons are often overlooked as street vermin, but they actually have a long history living alongside humans and forming rewarding relationships. Keep learning to discover whether pigeons may be the perfect pet for you!
1. Pigeons Have Predictable Temperaments
Evidence in Mesopotamian tablets show domesticated pigeons as far back as 5,000 years, so they have plenty of years living alongside humans under their soft, supple feathers. While they were initially used as a food source, it didn’t take long for humans to realize they had serious skills in finding their way back home.
Because of their millennia of time alongside humans, pigeons have deep-rooted instincts that make them fantastic pets. Their desire is to live near humans, and they’re less inclined to frustration or anger depending on their situation.
Parrots, on the other hand, are only a few generations removed from their life in the wild. While there are plenty that thrive with their humans providing proper care, it’s impossible to accurately predict their temperament in captivity. Pet parrots are some of the loudest pet birds you can have, likely because they’re not used to softening their voice.
Parrots are more inclined to irritated outbursts and it takes more energy and effort to tame them.
2. Pigeons Have Simpler Care Needs
In general, parrots need more space to roam, more attention, greater detail in training (which is necessary for manageable behavior), and more attention for their diet and health. While pigeons still need all of these things, they’re not as demanding as most parrots (especially larger species like Macaws or African Greys.
Pigeons definitely need freedom to roam, but they’re often content with an outdoor aviary or time loose in the home. They’re also generally accepting of pigeon diapers, making it easier to keep a clean home when you give them cage-free time.
Because they are people pleasers, pigeons are easier to train (more on that in the next section) and it’s less of an uphill climb to co-exist with them in your own home. Feeding them is often as simple as finding a suitable seed mix and supplementing with fresh foods.
Their smaller size means they don’t eat as much, and their easy temperament means annual checkups won’t have your vet quaking in fear.
3. Training Pigeons is Easier
Pigeons are smarter than many people give them credit for in the modern era. While they’re often brushed off as “rats with wings”, the pigeons we know are descendents of those who carved their place in the world by proving their worth.
They have a homing instinct that allows them to navigate back home after flying hundreds of miles away. While pet pigeons should not be allowed to wander like this (they’re a favorite snack for hawks), this is a testament to their pattern recognition that makes them easy to train and connect with on an intellectual level.
You can train pigeons to:
- Carry messages (over safe distances)
- Bow
- Spin in a circle
- Complete agility courses
- Step up and step down
- Fetch
And so much more.
Parrots are also intelligent creatures who can learn to do a number of tricks with the right training, but their headstrong nature may mean more difficulties on your end.
4. Pigeons Take Up Less Room
Generally, parrots need a cage at least twice their fully-extended wingspan wide with a height at least one and a half times their head to tip-of-tail length. Vertical space is more precious for them. For some species, this can take up quite a bit of room in your home or apartment.
In many cases, even this minimum size isn’t enough to keep a parrot entertained. They still need plenty of room for perches and toys within the cage, even if they get to spend most of the day on the outside of those bars. This can be quite costly for their owner, and not everyone has room to keep their parrots from going stir-crazy.
Pigeons are less concerned with vertical space, but they love to hop around. Pigeon owners can make their pair happy with a large dog crate (minimum 42 inches wide x 27 inches deep x 30 inches high) complete with several shelves to explore.
5. Pigeons are Very Loving Companions
Earning the love of any animal is rewarding, but not every animal can express love in the way that humans recognize.
While some parrots are affectionate, especially when they are young, they tend to show their affection in different ways. They may be more vocal or excited when they see their preferred person, but physical affection can actually be detrimental to their health.
It may also take some extra effort on your part to bond with birds like parrots.
While it depends on their personality, many pigeons show more physical affection for their caretakers. They can also be clingy, but keeping a pair (as is recommended for pigeon keeping) often mitigates this issue.
Regardless of the pet you choose to bring into your life, offering the best level of care is sure to keep them happy, healthy, and connected to you. Doing proper research beforehand is the only way to ensure you make the right choice, especially when choosing a bird that can live 15 years or more.
