March/April 2025

24 – Purebred PIGEON selected high perches that placed them above lower-ranking pigeons. They also found that dominant birds demonstrated a greater degree of perch fidelity than subordinate birds. In other words, dominant birds were more likely to return to the same perch again and again. The researchers suggested that high perches may be preferred because they make it easier for pigeons to detect and escape from predators. High perches also make it easier for dominant birds to display aggression to subordinate birds. Because of their rank in the hierarchy, dominant pigeons are able to command the most favored, and safest, roosting places. CONCLUSION Dominant behavior in pigeon flocks appears to be associated with multiple factors, including body size, energy expenditure, and perch preference. REFERENCES Portugal, S. J., J. R. Usherwood, C. R. White, D. W. E. Sankey, and A. M. Wilson. 2020. Artificial mass loading disrupts stable social order in pigeon dominance hierarchies. Biology Letters, 16: 20200468. Portugal, S. J., L. Sivess, G. R. Martin, P. J. Butler, and C. R. White. 2017. Perch height predicts dominance rank in birds. Ibis, 159 (2): 456-462. Ricketts, R. L., D. W. E. Sankey, B. P. Tidswell, J. Brown, J. F. Deegan, and S. J. Portugal. 2022. Overall dynamic body acceleration as an indicator of dominance in homing pigeons (Columba livia). Ibis, 164: 581-586. Mike McKaig, PhD, is Professor Emeritus of Speech Pathology at the University of Central Oklahoma. He got his first pigeons when he was six. Today he has homing pigeons, a breed he admires for its intelligence, athleticism, and stunning colors. Trent P. B. Smith is a high school student and visual artist in Edmond, Oklahoma. W hencontactingour advertisers , pleasemention P urebred P igeon