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And then there are the doves, birds notorious for making the most lackluster of nests. They will lay eggs right on top of the spikes. When you see the nests,

And then there are the doves, birds notorious for making the most lackluster of nests. They will lay eggs right on top of the spikes. When you see the nests, it is amazing that doves / pigeons exist at all. They must survive out of spite and numbers. Check out /r/stupiddovenests on reddit for some good examples.

borski 2y ago
Pretty sure pigeons exist entirely thanks to NYC. :)
- dylan604 2y ago
  Or London
maeln 2y ago
It is because most pigeons we see in cities are rock pigeon and were usually making their nest in cliff, crevases and rock formation[1]. Not in tree. Therefore, they never needed to make such artfully crafted nest since the rock was already providing enough shelter. This is also why they are very adapted to live in cities, because our concrete jungles are actually closer (in their verticality, materials, and relative lack of trees) to mountainous terrain than to a jungle. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_dove#Distribution_and_habitat https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_dove#Distribution_and_hab...
- fullstop 2y ago
  Ah, interesting, that makes sense. I will still laugh at their "nests", though. :-)
- alnwlsn 2y ago
  I've heard it said that the terrible nests are more to stop the eggs from rolling away. Apparently it was easier to evolve the ability to go get a stick than make square eggs.
  - fullstop 2y ago
    Wombats were so close
harimau777 2y ago
However, some pigeons are a little extra: https://www.boredpanda.com/pigeon-poppies-nest-remembrance-day-australian-war-memorial/ https://www.boredpanda.com/pigeon-poppies-nest-remembrance-d...
Suppafly 2y ago
>When you see the nests, it is amazing that doves / pigeons exist at all. They must survive out of spite and numbers. They've basically evolved past the point of needing nests but still have some basic instinct to create them.
zdragnar 2y ago
We don't have too many rock pigeons out in the country where I live, but we do have plenty of robins (American Robin / Turdus migratorius, to be precise), and those have to be in contention for world's dumbest nest builders.

borski 2y ago

Pretty sure pigeons exist entirely thanks to NYC. :)

dylan604 2y ago
Or London

maeln 2y ago

It is because most pigeons we see in cities are rock pigeon and were usually making their nest in cliff, crevases and rock formation[1]. Not in tree. Therefore, they never needed to make such artfully crafted nest since the rock was already providing enough shelter. This is also why they are very adapted to live in cities, because our concrete jungles are actually closer (in their verticality, materials, and relative lack of trees) to mountainous terrain than to a jungle. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_dove#Distribution_and_habitat https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_dove#Distribution_and_hab...

fullstop 2y ago
Ah, interesting, that makes sense. I will still laugh at their "nests", though. :-)
alnwlsn 2y ago
I've heard it said that the terrible nests are more to stop the eggs from rolling away. Apparently it was easier to evolve the ability to go get a stick than make square eggs.
- fullstop 2y ago
  Wombats were so close

harimau777 2y ago

However, some pigeons are a little extra: https://www.boredpanda.com/pigeon-poppies-nest-remembrance-day-australian-war-memorial/ https://www.boredpanda.com/pigeon-poppies-nest-remembrance-d...

Suppafly 2y ago

>When you see the nests, it is amazing that doves / pigeons exist at all. They must survive out of spite and numbers. They've basically evolved past the point of needing nests but still have some basic instinct to create them.

zdragnar 2y ago

We don't have too many rock pigeons out in the country where I live, but we do have plenty of robins (American Robin / Turdus migratorius, to be precise), and those have to be in contention for world's dumbest nest builders.