The England v Algeria football match became interesting for our pet pigeons when a bird was spotted sitting on the Algeria goal post during the match. After a replay we saw what looked to be a juvenile speckled pigeon (Columba guinea) sitting quite safely on the goal post (seeing as there wasn’t much of a threat of a goal from England):
Here’s photos of the pigeon:
And here’s a photo of a different juvenile speckled pigeon:
Juvenile speckled pigeon (photo from Dave Shedman)
Buy your official Pigeons As Pets England v Algeria T-shirts: “Ah! The Algerian goal, the safest place to nest.” at http://www.cafepress.co.uk/pigeonsaspets
Sorry, i mean Columba arquatrix.
Hi Matsoe,
it seems that some of your post is missing?
Join the facebook group:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Pigeon-on-the-Algeria-Goal-Net/132521570101142
I thought it was a juvenile speckled piegeon too. Great post, thanks! The Bird now has a Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/page/The-World-Cup-Bird-on-the-Net/130684163619914?ref=mf#wall
The bird now has a Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/page/The-World-Cup-Bird-on-the-Net/130684163619914?ref=mf#wall
I could not help to link the comical side of the game with the “family Guy” episode when Peter sang “The bird is the word” song. If anyone out there is good at PowerPoint, linking the two on a self-extracting resentation would make amusing watch over here in the UK.
Hi I was under the impression that the bord is a juvenile laughing dove. anyone agree?
Hi Sean,
although I’m no expert on South African pigeons, by comparing photos of the pigeon on the goal post and juvenile speckled pigeons, I stand by my opinion that the pigeon on the goal post is a speckled pigeon.