Why do pigeons bob their heads?

Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports
1

I must say you really don’t need to correct this Cecil person so much as I am now thoroughly confused as to why pigeons bob their heads.:confused:
Sincerely,
Anonymous.

2

I’m guessing that you’re commenting on this thread, but for some reason chose to start a new topic instead of continuing the old one?

3

I believe awakening old threads is frowned upon.
That’s the firs thread I read on the 'Dope, BTW. :slight_smile:

4

He’s probably just talking about the column, Why do pigeons bob their heads? - The Straight Dope , which offers 3 different explanations, plus a joke answer, and leaves the answer non-definitive.

I have a hard time seeing how the balance thing works, since pigeons don’t seem to be leaning sideways when they walk. I would expect the counterbalance method of head vs chest to require some sideways tilt. The “monocular acuity” explanation seems to make more sense having seen video of a chicken holding its head completely still while the owner waves its body around.

Such as here: Chicken Head Tracking - Smarter Every Day - YouTube

Description: owner holds chicken. See chicken head. Owner waves chicken body around in circles, while chicken’s head remains fixed with respect to the camera. The chicken keeps its head still.

In that video, there’s no balance issue at play. It seems the point is for the chicken to keep a consistent view of the world. I would expect pigeons are the same. Move the head forward with one quick jutting motion, then hold it still while moving the body forward, repeat.

5

because they can’t dance?

6

Bobbing helps them to detect motion of their prey and predators.

  • Birds are very interested in moving things: small moving objects to catch and eat (such as insects), and large moving objects that might be dangerous and need to be avoided (such as hawks). Detecting movement while you are moving is hard; the best way to do it is to stand still. The head bobbing of birds allows them to detect movement while they are moving too.

Link.

7

OK. The OP’s reference to people correcting Cecil made me think he was commenting on a thread rather than a column. I overlooked the reader responses that were in the column.

8

Thanks, indian, that matches what I describe. Well, the whole description in the link. That excerpt fuzzies up that the bird’s head is staying still with respect to the world, then jutting forward.

9

Maybe they’re just really enthusiastic?

–Cliffy