Hello, everyone! Today, a friend asked me if it’s okay for pigeons to eat sand. Let me share a little trivia about pigeons with you.
You might be surprised to know that pigeons eat stones and sand. But why do they do this? The answer lies in the ‘gizzard.’ Since pigeons don’t have teeth, they ingest sand and small stones to aid in efficiently digesting their food, using them as their ‘second set of teeth.’ These granules help to grind down the food.
In fact, pigeons have very good eyesight and can spot tiny grass seeds, fruits from trees, and even small insects that are invisible to the human eye. Pigeons are often the first to flock to fields where seeds have been sown. Yes, they are extremely vigilant and adept at finding the nutrients they need.
We often see pigeons in urban areas, and they do not miss out on human leftovers. They eagerly consume not just food but also sand and pebbles. This is the secret behind the scenes we observe of pigeons pecking at seemingly empty ground.
In this way, pigeons cleverly survive in nature. The next time you see a pigeon in the city, remember that they have eyes that miss nothing small and think about their survival strategy. You might start to see pigeons in a different light.
Why not start paying attention to the subtle behaviors of pigeons from today? You might find yourself admiring their modest yet intelligent way of life.
