Pigeons have a surprising diet. When you take a look at pigeons, you will also notice that they mainly prefer to consume seeds. However, you cannot provide all sorts of seeds to pigeons, but what seeds do pigeons eat? It is important to understand what seeds pigeons eat, and you will need to provide the appropriate seeds. Continue to read, and we will share a list of the seeds that pigeons usually eat. By using this as a guide, you can go ahead with feeding pigeons.
What foods do pigeons eat?
Pigeons consume a range of seeds, grains, berries, and fruits, as well as earthworms, snails, and insects on occasion. Urban pigeons consume a lot more than simply regular pigeon food, especially leftovers such as junk food, bread, candies, and baked meat from various animals. They discover these meals in the trash, in parks, and on the streets as they go around the city.
As a result, many mistakenly believe that pigeons are disease-carrying scavengers. Pigeons don’t spread illness, but their droppings do. They arrive out of nowhere and deposit their excrement wherever there is food, which is harmful. Domestic pigeons, on the other hand, cannot access such delicacies, so they stick to the preferred meals that they would consume in the wild, keeping them healthy and balancing their diet.
What seeds do pigeons eat??
As mentioned earlier, you can provide certain types of seeds to pigeons as food. Let’s deep dive and explore what those seeds are. Once you are aware of them, all you have to do is to go ahead and provide the seeds accordingly.
Sunflower Seeds
What seeds do pigeons eat, sunflower seeds? The majority of people are aware of the benefits of sunflower seeds, but they are unaware of whether or not pigeons consume them. Sunflower seeds are eaten by almost all birds and are recommended. Sunflower seeds, in particular, are high in fiber, protein, and fat. This has a lot more power and energy stored in it.
However, the birds must remove each husk in order to reach the heart inside. This may make a nuisance around feeders, and it takes a lot of energy for the birds merely to de-husk the seed. Sunflower hearts with the husks removed can be purchased. They’re pricier, but they’re well worth it because blue tits and greenfinches like them. There’s no trash around the feeders, and the birds dive right in.
Oats
Oats During the mating season, pigeons prefer this protein and fat-rich oat. Protein is essential for growth, while fat and carbohydrates offer energy for newborns and their parents. Magnesium and phosphorous are also found in oats. This is beneficial to bone health and nerve function. For this reason, racing pigeons are frequently given oats in the weeks preceding up to a competition.
Pigeons prefer dehusked oats because they are easier to break down, although they will consume them wherever they are found. However, because this grain is so powerful, You should only keep oats within 5% of the diet consumed by pigeons.
Corn
What seeds do pigeons eat, corn? Some pigeons eat corn as a main meal, and they seem to like it. It has the perfect balance of protein, fiber, and fat, however too much maize can rapidly lead to weight gain. However, that extra insulation isn’t such a bad thing in the winter, and maize is an excellent winter diet. It also contains magnesium and potassium, as well as Vitamin B1, Vitamin B9, and Vitamin C
Pigeons like raw corn kernels, but they also like popcorn. However, don’t use any butter or salt because it’s bad for the birds’ health. Corn that has been cracked should be avoided. Mold and fungi thrive in the exposed inside of the kernel, and shattered parts can damage the pigeon’s crop, causing canker sores.
Sorghum
These spherical, red, or white grass grains are undoubtedly familiar to anybody who bought a bag of birdseed. Sorghum, often known as milo, is a common food for pigeons. That isn’t to suggest it isn’t a popular menu item. Sorghum is light in nutrition, mostly providing quick energy through carbohydrates, with iron, fiber, and a tiny bit of calcium thrown in for good measure.
Many other birds struggle to digest this grain and choose to avoid it in favor of better morsels. Pigeons will also choose higher-quality meals over sorghum, but if it’s available, they won’t even take a look at it. However, a diet that is highly reliant on this feed might result in nutritional shortages. Sorghum is mostly used as a filler.
Barley
What seeds do pigeons eat, barley? Barley is a typical pigeon diet, but it is not something that birds enjoy. Nonfact, because of the amount of indigestible fiber in this cereal grain, some people think of it as a kind of an intestinal cleaner than a meal. It is not, however, nutritionally bereft. Vitamin B6, iron, potassium, magnesium, and a tiny quantity of calcium are all present in the digestible part.
Because there isn’t much fat or protein in this, it shouldn’t be the mainstay of a pigeon’s diet. When given the option, the birds will often avoid eating it. When barley accounts for over 15% of a pigeon’s diet, it has an adverse effect on chick growth and egg production. This emphasizes the deficiency of essential nutrients.
Peas
Peas are a flock favorite and a highly suggested pigeon meal. Gardeners regularly battle puckish pigeons to defend their pea plants, such is their love for this plant. The size and consistency of these small green legumes are ideal for easy ingestion. Peas are readily digested by pigeons and provide excellent nourishment.
Final words
By reading this article, you got a better understanding of what to feed pigeons. Make sure that you keep these facts in mind and go ahead with feeding the pigeons accordingly. By doing this, you will end up learning how to raise healthy pigeons. On top of that, you will even be able to keep them away from encountering health problems.