Pigeons are the birds . They are not mammals . They feed their young squabs through their beak. But do pigeons produce milk?
Pigeons can make milk. Their milk is called crop milk. It is very nutritious and full of fats and proteins. It is not like mammals milk but a pale yellow in color. Pigeons milk is more healthier than true milk.
Pigeons don’t have organs as mammals do from where it comes from. What is it nutritional value. Can you drink it? Can you make it at home. Get all these answers here in this article.
Contents
What is pigeon milk?
Pigeon milk is also fake milk while of mammals milk is called true milk. It is formed in the crop of the pigeon. Crop is an area present in the oesophagus, above the stomach It is pouch like structure. We can say it is a storage space for crop milk.
What is actually this milk is! There is a secretion lining in the crop. From this lining, liquid like material is produced. It is mostly fat and protein.
Nutrition value
This crop milk is one of the most nutritious and healthier liquid in the world. During the early days when squabs can not feed on seeds. Pigeons through their beak feed them their pigeon milk. After feeding on this baby pigeons show tremendous growth. They reach the adult pigeon size in almost 4-6 weeks.
This is actually crazy. How fast their growth is! This pigeon milk is so healthy as when given to chicken’s babies. They show almost 36% more faster growth than usual.
What is pigeons milk made of?
| Composition | Quantity |
| Protein | 60% |
| Fats | 32-36% |
| Carbohydrates | 1-3% |
| Minerals like Calcium phosphorus , potassium and Sodium | less than 1% |
It also contains antibodies and antioxidants that are so helpful for the survival of the squabs.
How much they produce milk?
If you are thinking that with pigeon milk you are going to open an dairy. It’s almost impossible. This curd like material is formed only in small quantities in the crop. That is enough for feeding two squabsy.
Pigeons lay two eggs. Both parents have to look after them. Before two days of laying eggs both start making milk that is enough for 2 squabs. If there will be three squabs then there is possibility one will die.
Crop milk is not produced in large quantity. Pigeons whatever they eat store and form the milk. In early days. Baby pigeons cannot digest any of the hard food. They can’t feed seeds and grains.
This is the reason this curd like liquid fed to them. This is enough for their early and fast growth.
If pigeons abandon their squabs or die, there are chances that babies also die. It is because pigeons milk is necessary that without them chances of squabs to remain alive reduces.
How do they feed?
They don’t have milk in the chest nor the hands so they can carry the pigeon in their lap and feed them.
Pigeons feed through their beaks.
You can see in the above video that how she is putting her beak in his squab. So he can drink crop milk and get proper diet. This is actually a very liveable movement. Every living creature in the world take care of their babies. Pigeona do the same even they fight with others for their survival.
But sometimes they even kill their babies. Here you can read why?
Can you make pigeons milk at home?
You cannot make pigeons milk at home. As this is specially formed by the genes present in them. Scientists recently find the genes which is capable of making pigeon milk. In future they may be working on it.
In order to save your pigeon. You can make liquid food that almost has a same amount of nutrition which is enough for the proper growth of the pigeon. You can see this process here in this post
What does pigeon milk look like? It is yellow curd like liquid present in crop. It is more denser than water but less motile than honey.
Can you drink pigeon milk?
Imagine you are hungry and moving on the road. Suddenly you see a flock of pigeons. And your naughty mind think of drinking their milk. Is it really possible?
Nobody in the world haven’t tasted pigeons milk yet. Getting pigeon milk is a tough task because it is present inside their mouth in the crop . It is not possible to drink pigeon milk.
Moreover, it is not like mammals milk. It is called fake milk. Actually it has same type of nutrients as in mammals. That’s why scientists named it milk.
Do pigeons have nipples?
Nobody in the birds kingdom have nipples. Pigeons can feed their squabs milk but it is not a breast milk. It not comes from the nipples but produced in a storage pouch that is present above the stomach.
Are Pigeons the only birds that make milk?
Pigeons are not the only birds who produce milk. Some other birds like doves, Flamingoes and male emperor penguins also produce crop milk. They have different nutrition value than pigeons mil