Peregrines, Herbs and Pigeons -Things to Do
At the CTV Tower
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The 2016 family at home: – Hope, Tenor, Ziegler and Casper.
Photo: © 2016 Karen Von Knobloch
Photo: © 2016 Karen Von Knobloch
Photo: © 2016 Don Thomas
Pigeons at Play
The doves that you see in this area are likely to be the Rock Pigeon (Columba livia) whose native range is from India to Spain. In the wild they nest on sea and mountain cliffs but hey have adapted well to city buildings. These handsome pigeons occur in various colour combinations but usually with two dark wing bands. This is the same species as the carrier pigeons that were once so important in carrying express military messages. The Rock Pigeon is now common, and often a pest, in cities around the world as well as near any grain elevator.
Don’t overlook these cheeky urban dwellers. Even if they are a nuisance for home and business owners, they have interesting behaviours. Watch closely as you enjoy your coffee or lunch!
Look out for:
Head bobbing. Pigeons’ eyes are at the side of their heads – good for spotting potential predators, but poor for judging distance. When they move their eyes up and down those bobble-heads are getting a fix on you and your sandwich!
Chilling out and warming up. Pigeons will rest where they can get most relief from heat or cold. Watch how they choose different perches on different days, depending on the weather.
Pairing up. Pigeons tend to mate for life. When a male courts a female he will prance around her, bowing and spreading his feathers. If she likes him they will put their bills together in a “kiss”.
Read more about rock pigeons.
Rock Pigeon
At the Grand River Hospital Garden
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43.456199, -80.511701
The Garden
On the other side of King Street, opposite the CTV tower with its noisy Peregrines, is the quiet Grand River Hospital garden with shade for sitting. Enjoy this oasis in the centre of town, and watch the peregrine show.
In the garden you will find (among others):
We have deliberately used a variety of useful web links above. You can use these to research other garden plants.
Many garden plants have had a place in medicine or in household uses, or still do, and most of them were wild plants somewhere before they came into cultivation. For instance, Purple Cone Flower has been widely used in native medicine, and Bouncing Bet provided a soap substitute for European settlers.
Pigeons at Play
The doves that you see in this area are likely to be the Rock Pigeon (Columba livia) whose native range is from India to Spain. In the wild they nest on sea and mountain cliffs but hey have adapted well to city buildings. These handsome pigeons occur in various colour combinations but usually with two dark wing bands. This is the same species as the carrier pigeons that were once so important in carrying express military messages. The Rock Pigeon is now common, and often a pest, in cities around the world as well as near any grain elevator.
Don’t overlook these cheeky urban dwellers. Even if they are a nuisance for home and business owners, they have interesting behaviours. Watch closely as you enjoy your coffee or lunch!
Look out for:
Head bobbing. Pigeons’ eyes are at the side of their heads – good for spotting potential predators, but poor for judging distance. When they move their eyes up and down those bobble-heads are getting a fix on you and your sandwich!
Chilling out and warming up. Pigeons will rest where they can get most relief from heat or cold. Watch how they choose different perches on different days, depending on the weather.
Pairing up. Pigeons tend to mate for life. When a male courts a female he will prance around her, bowing and spreading his feathers. If she likes him they will put their bills together in a “kiss”.
Read more about rock pigeons.
Rock Pigeon