I raised pigeons for about 20 years. What started out, as a hobby became a near obsession? I raised all sorts of pigeons, but manly what are called fancy birds. Fancy birds are those mostly which get 'shown' in competitions. Some of the so-called Fancy birds are not kept for show, but are given free reign and freedom to fly.

I started out with show Modena's, graduated to Crested Helmet's, and a few feral pigeons, and then to Birmingham Rollers. I have also raised Racing Homer pigeons.

There are many common myths about pigeons that folks seemingly like to latch onto which would tend to support their particular, metaphysical, religious commitments.

The first myth has to do with monogamy. Pigeons, despite what you may have heard are in no way monogamous. Generally speaking, if you find a male and female pigeon, paired up they are for the most part devoted mates. However, both male and female of the species are prone to wander a tad. In fact, those pigeon breeders who want to keep a total control of the bloodlines, and parentage of their birds are very careful to keep those 'mated pairs' in complete lock down. Scientific studies have shown that at least a 17% 'infidelity rate' is FACT among the known genotypes. What does that mean in common language? It means something very simple.

These 'studies' of actual, bird behavior, shows a strong tendency to illicit (from a good Christian perspective) physical couplings. If a genetically known bunch of pigeons are housed in an 'open loft' situation, then we DO KNOW that at least 17% of the offspring do not in fact line up, genetically speaking with their alleged parents. An open loft situation is that where all the birds have total access to each other.

To be absolutely certain of the offspring, pigeon breeders have to lock up the 'mated pairs' in individual nesting, and breeding situations.

Over the course of 20 years of pigeon breeding, I found a few remarkable occurrences, which gave me more than a little pause for thought.

Very occasionally, I raised a male or female bird, which would have nothing to do the opposite sex. In fact, they seemed to be driven to attachments for the same sex. It is a common known, and documented observation among pigeon breeders that if you have too few males in an open nesting loft, that the females will form what would otherwise be known as strong relationships. In fact, most of those behaviors will parrot the male and female relationships with one exception; they produce no young, but in every other respect, seem to be a completely committed 'couple'. They build a nest, occupy the same nesting box, hand out together, etc. They are 'at each other in many other ways usually consigned to the male and female relationships.

I have also raised 'male' birds that seemingly had only an interest in other 'male' birds, no matter how many unmated hens (females) were in this type of 'open nesting' situation.

Now I am not making some sort of argument, about human sexuality, nor the 'religious discourse which so demarcates this topic, but I will say, in nature, among the pigeon population, there is some basis for a smidgeon of room for doubt about a final, absolute, from on high dictum. Nature, within the pigeon population does not line up with such metaphysical views, nor does it line up with common, everyday myths of pigeon monogamy.