Homing Pigeons
Homing Pigeon Web Quest
Purpose:
Do you want to learn about Homing Pigeons? This exercise will offer you close-up information you need to raise and enjoy Homing Pigeons as a hobby. You will get to see photos of pigeons and visit other "cooooo"l web sites that show other pigeons and how pigeons can be trained and raced.
Created by: Kent Martin
Saddleback Valley Unified School District
Materials Needed:
Computer, Internet access
Your Task:
Read the following text about Homing Pigeons and answer the questions at the end of the reading selection. Feel free to visit the Hyper links throughout your reading. (Hyper links are highlighted words)
Homing Pigeons are very interesting birds. They are different from pigeons you would frequent at parks because they are able to find their way home when released from distances hundreds of miles from home. Scientists think Homing Pigeons have Magnetite within their brain that "draws" or "pulls" them home. If you were to place a Homing Pigeon next to a wild pigeon you would not notice many differences. They look remarkably alike.
A Homing Pigeon may look more muscular than a wild pigeon and normally has an identification band on its leg.
Click here for more background information on Homing Pigeons.
Raising Homing Pigeons is fun. You need a "loft" or house for your pigeons. A loft should have an indoor area as well as an outdoor area. The outdoor area must be caged in with wire so the pigeons can't fly away. A wired enclosure also protects the pigeons from predators such as Raccoons, Opossums, Hawks, or even your neighbor's cat. Lofts can range in size depending on how many pigeons you have. Pigeons are birds that "roost" or sleep on something high off the ground so roosts need to be provided by their owners inside the loft. Water must be provided at all times for drinking and bathing. Small tubs work well for bathing pans and self waterers work great for the pigeons to drink from. This will keep them "coooo"l during warm weather. Pigeons should be fed 2 times daily a mixture of grains and pellets. Pigeon pellets are available at most feed stores.
Click here to find out more about Homing Pigeon lofts.
Male and female pigeons usually remain mated for life. Once the pigeons decide to breed they work together in building their nest. Most Homing Pigeon Hobbyists provide the pigeons with nesting materials such as hay, straw, or pine needles. Once the nest is built the female pigeon lays 2 white eggs about 1 1/2 inches in length. The eggs are laid 2 days apart. Once the second egg has been laid the male and female pigeons take turns incubating the eggs. The male usually during the day- the female at night. Approximately 19 days after the second egg was laid the chicks hatch. They are covered in golden yellow down and are quite a sight to see. Oversized beaks make it easy for the parents to feed the chicks by regurgitating into their mouths. Within days, the chicks have tripled in size.
It is important that the owner place the identification bands on the chicks after the 5th day. (The band fits the leg perfectly at this stage)
Click here for information about Homing Pigeon bands.
Within 6 weeks the chicks will venture out of the nest and begin practicing flight. Baby Homing Pigeons are flying within 2 months and can be trained to return to the loft by teaching them to use a trap door entrance and released from short distances from the loft.
As the pigeons learn to use the door accordingly, they may be taken further from the loft and released. Once the pigeons have successfully returned from 40 mile trips, the pigeons have found their bearings and can be taken much greater distances.
Click here for information on training Homing Pigeons.
Click here to see a video of a beautiful male Homing Pigeon
Pigeons are relatively easy to take care of but their owners need to be responsible in meeting their food and water needs. Raising Homing Pigeons can be a rewarding experience and a lot of fun!
Pigeon Loft
Questionnaire:
1.) How is a Homing Pigeon different from a wild pigeon? How are they similar?
2.) What do scientists believe allows Homing Pigeons to find their way home?
3.) What is a pigeon loft?
4.) What does it mean when a bird roosts?
5.) List 3 predators of Homing Pigeons.
6.) What do Homing Pigeons eat?
7.) What do pigeons construct their nests of?
8.) How many eggs do most pigeons lay?
9.) How long to the parents incubate the eggs?
10.) Explain how baby pigeons are fed by their parents.
11.) Why do pigeon owners put leg bands on their birds?
12.) How soon after hatching can a baby pigeon fly?
13.) Explain how a pigeon owner trains young Homing Pigeons.
14.) How do you think Homing Pigeons got their name?
15.) What did you learn about Homing Pigeons that you didn't know before?
A Few Internet Resources:
Sheppard's Science Resources
Sheppard's Useful Links
Email: martink@svusd.k12.ca.us
Created August 15, 2000
Last Revised August 25, 2000
Teacher Notes
Homing Pigeons
Suggested Grade Level: 4
Science Content Standards:
Grade 4 Life Science Standards 2a,2b,3b,3c,6a,6c,6d,6c
S.C.O.R.E. Lessons Standards Search by Grade and Subject
S.C.O.R.E. Standards and Framework
California Content Standards Grades K-12
California Content Standards Grades K-12 - Science - PDF Format
Background:
This Web Quest offers students the ability to learn information about Homing Pigeons and explore numerous Hyperlinks themselves. After reading the passage students may complete comprehension questions related to the text. Teacher may wish to explore enrichment alternatives..
Skills:
Reading comprehension, interpreting data, making inferences, forming hypotheses and making predictions
Computer literacy
Effective use of Internet resources
Assessment:
Performance on comprehension questions
Enrichment:
Student created web page
Student created research report
Communication with other students in Pigeon Chat Rooms