Pigeon Takes a Swim (Charles County)

[Marcia Watson]

I was birding today at Myrtle Grove WMA in Charles County. There is a large lake, about 23 acres, used for fishing. I watched a Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) circle over the lake a couple of times. Then, to my surprise, the pigeon landed on the water about 100 ft from shore and paddled about for a while, then took off and flew into the woods. I have never before seen a pigeon swimming and was surprised how easily if took off from the water - no struggle at all to get airborne. It really looked quite comfortable on the water.

Marcia
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Marcia Watson
Bowie, MD

[JAMES SPEICHER]

If one searches for "can pigeons swim," the answer seems to be a resounding NO.  Foot structure simply isn't up to the task.   It seems they can float for a while, but that's about it. 

Jim S

ps A surprising number of pigeon oriented websites are to be found...

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[Gene Scarpulla]

"Normally do not swim, but can do so when alighting on water for drinking." (Cramp, S. 1985. Handbook of the Birds of Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, Volume 4. Terns to Woodpeckers. Oxford University Press, New York, NY, USA as quoted in: Lowther, P. E. and R. F. Johnston. 2020. Rock Pigeon (Columba livia), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (S. M. Billerman, Editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.rocpig.01)

Gene Scarpulla

Bowie, MD

[Steve Long]

That reminds me of watching an Osprey force a Great Blue Heron down onto the water surface near my boat several years ago.  As I was starting to think about how to rescue a Great Blue, the heron took off from the water surface without seeming to have any trouble with that task physically or mentally.  But that is the only time I have ever seen a Great Blue sitting on the surface of deep water.

I also have seen Barn Swallows intentionally land on deep water and splash around.  The first time I saw that, I thought the bird was in trouble, but as soon as I approached it, it flew off.  Then I watched as several landed on deep water between boats in the marina slips and splashed around as if taking a bath in a bird bath.  That was during an unusually hot period, and in salt (brackish) water in the Annapolis area.

Steve Long, Oxford

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[JAMES SPEICHER]

A conversation from the WV LISTSERVE: WV-...@LIST.AUDUBON.ORG

Subject: In flight bathing

On Tue, Jun 8, 2021 at 10:25 AM, Bruni Haydl

I never considered a Kingbird...  Had the best time watching them [bathe].  Unlike the other birds,

they kind of do a skimming belly flop and then back up on the dry branch

and start preening.  Then another trip through the water. 

*****

From: James Speicher 

Date: 6/8/21 12:44 PM

I wonder if that's common among flycatchers. I observed a Phoebe doing the same thing in a perch above a farm pond yesterday.

Jim Speicher

Broad Run/Burkittsville area

S FREDCO/MD

#######

I can't buy swimming in a passerine though. Like using chopsticks instead of oats to power a rowboat!

I wonder if an inflight collision with a cicada brought the pigeon down on the water...

Jim S

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[Lynn Gregg]

I, too, have seen and photographed a blue heron floating on a lake like a swan (Wilde Lake, Howard Co, 2018) and then take off.