Dead pigeon in the backyard

Over the last decade or so Chennai, which used to be the metro of the crows, has undergone a population change of the bird kind.  Though there is still a sizeable population of crows (and the all black ‘jungle’ crow - அண்டங்காக்கா), the pigeon flocks are visibly increasing.

Guess the innumerable apartment complexes offer niches, nooks and corners for the pigeons to flourish along with the lack of predators - especially of the winged variety like hawks, falcons and owls.

With so many pigeons, it was always a wonder why we do not see their carrion.  Almost never.  In the last 10 years or so three or four dead birds is what I must have spotted.

For that matter, it is even more a rarity to see a dead crow - though not unknown.  In case of dead crows, the ‘murder’ of crows cawing around a dead bird is a give-away.  But even with so many crows crying ‘murder’, I must have seen (or heard) perhaps 2 dozen in all my years.

The bird experts and pest control people say we don’t see the dead birds for three reasons.

• though we can’t see them, the predators are there and they do what they are designed for - hunt and devour.
• the weak, sick and elderly birds hide their weakness to prevent the hunters from targeting them;  when they become too weak pull it off, they sneak into nooks, niches and holes where they die, rot or get eaten.
• the dead birds which die either in some dark corner or those that die in the open are made short work by the scavengers - dogs, cats et. all;  if not found by them, the ever present ants finish them off in a matter of hours.

That’s why we don’t see dead birds littering the landscape.  But this is one pigeon that escaped two of the fates.  As we can see, the ants are already at work.
:-(

---