Pigeon Bully Caught in the Act - [Long Weekend in NYC - Part 3]

According to my wife's FitBit we walked a little over 20 miles this past weekend in NYC.

There's so much to see and do in New York City that it can be somewhat overwhelming to decide what to actually do.

One of the things we didn't get a chance to do, and which is on our list for the next visit, is take the Tram over to Roosevelt Island. It was just too cold to entertain it this time.

One person's pigeon is another person's dove

In this post I'll be sharing some images of the ubiquitous pigeons that take up permanent residence in NYC.

There were lots of signs warning you not to feed them but, with all the street food vendors and tourists, it's pretty much a lost cause.

According to Wikipedia:
_{The rock dove or rock pigeon (Columba livia) is a member of the bird family Columbidae (doves and pigeons). In common usage, this bird is often simply referred to as the "pigeon". The species includes the domestic pigeon, including the fancy pigeon. Escaped domestic pigeons have raised the populations of feral pigeons around the world. Wild rock doves are pale grey with two black bars on each wing, while domestic and feral pigeons are very variable in colour and pattern. There are few visible differences between males and females. The species is generally monogamous, with two squabs (young) per brood. Both parents care for the young for a time.}

_{The species is also known as the rock pigeon or blue rock dove, the former being the official name from 2004 to 2011, at which point the International Ornithologists' Union changed their official listing to its original British name of rock dove (styled as Rock Dove).}

Pigeon bullying

The last eight images were taken near Times Square on Sunday morning as we walked the 2+ miles from our Hotel at 77th and Broadway back to New York Pennsylvania Station at 34th Street and 7th Avenue. It captures a pigeon bully in the act of harassing some of the city's pigeons to entertain his children 😱

Long Weekend in NYC Series

As a quick recap, this past Friday morning my wife and I took a long weekend and took the train into Manhattan to spend a few nights in the Big Apple and head to the Dawes concert at the Beacon Theater on Friday evening. The @steemit posts in this series showcase some of our adventures.

Here are links to the previous @steemit posts in this series:

• Through the Eyes of a Child - [Long Weekend in NYC - Part 1]
• Just Beneath the Surface in the Belly of the Beast - [Long Weekend in NYC - Part 2]

References

• Wikipedia: Rock Dove
• Audubon Guide to North American Birds: Rock Pigeon
• Cornell Lab of Ornithology: Rock Pigeon

The city erects little sidewalk pigeon jails to keep them under control.

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Bryant Park was loaded with flowers emerging from winter hibernation. A larger pigeon jail with nicer amenities.

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Central Park West near the American Museum of Natural History.

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Can you guess the common name for this pigeon? From the Cornell Lab of Ornithology: Rock Pigeon:
_{Pigeons come in many different shades and plumage patterns. People have named some of the common forms, so keep an eye out for these varieties:}

• _{“blue-bar” form (a bluish-gray bird with two black bands on the wing and a black tip to the tail)}
• _{“red bar” version (similarly marked, but with rusty red replacing bluish gray)}
• _{“checker” (birds that have spots on the wings)}
• _{“spread” (all black or all gray)}
• _{“pied” (birds of any color that are splotched with white); and mostly red or mostly white forms}
  

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Resting on a column ledge at the American Museum of Natural History.

Pigeon Bully #1. Can you spot the pigeon bully?

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Pigeon Bully #2.

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Pigeon Bully #3.

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Pigeon Bully #4.

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Pigeon Bully #5.

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Pigeon Bully #6. He looks so proud!!!

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Pigeon Bully #7.

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Pigeon Bully #8. Leaving the scene of the crime.

All images (except as noted below) @cognoscere and taken on March 10 - 12th, 2017 in NYC. (Sony RX100 V)

• Roosevelt Island Tram - By Jim.henderson - Own work, CC0