Socks with pigeons
We meet them in parks, on the streets and sometimes even in train station halls. For many of us, they are a permanent fixture in cities. Some love to feed them, while others cross the street at the very sound of cooing. Pigeons have been with us for years and have evoked extreme emotions throughout that time. Socks with pigeons are sure to steal the hearts of urban coo lovers, and perhaps convince skeptics as well. For it seems that we often underestimate the intelligence of avian companions. First of all, pigeons are true masters of travel, which is perfectly proven by homing pigeons. These remarkable birds can perfectly determine their location and determine the direction of their flight, as if they had an internal map and compass. However, how is a pigeon actually able to find its way back to its dovecote? It's a question that has been studied by scientists for years, and the findings so far may really surprise you. New Zealand researcher Todd Denis conducted an experiment in which he released pigeons in an area with a disturbed Earth's magnetic field. At this point, the birds lost their orientation and were unable to get out of the circle. As soon as they left the area with a disturbed magnetic field, they instantly regained their sense of direction and were able to continue their journey. On this basis, it has been established that pigeons can sense the Earth's magnetic field, and it is this ability that allows them to always return home. This fact alone makes it worth wearing pigeon socks and appreciating the unique abilities of our urban companions.
Urban superhero
However, this is only the beginning of the list of pigeons' extraordinary abilities. The birds have excellent eyesight, which allows them to behave like... skilled drivers. It has been proven that pigeons pay attention to landmarks and, for example, can turn 90 degrees at an intersection just like moving cars. Most pigeons fly during the day. Only the most determined and stubborn individuals even travel at night. This is related to another skill of pigeons, namely recognizing the polarity of light and the position of the sun. As if this were not enough, pigeons have been endowed with extremely sensitive hearing. The birds pick up low-frequency sound waves. Therefore, even at distances of hundreds of kilometers, they are able to hear, for example, the sound of the sea. We already know that pigeons are excellent travelers, but it is much less often mentioned that they can... count. According to a 2011 study at the University of Otago, it is believed that pigeons have no trouble serializing sets of numbers or even learning equations. In the same year, Scottish researchers proved that pigeons recognize human faces. The birds perfectly remember who has been kind to them and who has chased them away. Although they are unlikely to notice your socks in pigeons, they will already easily see a friend in you.
