This video presents new news that reveals a large and sudden increase in the numbers of migratory pigeons or migratory doves living in their natural habitat, as the increase reached 25% in just two years, which will arouse the interest and surprise of many specialists and those interested in migratory birds, as well as many hunting enthusiasts in the countries of the continents of Europe, Asia and Africa, especially since this pigeon occupies an advanced position among them.
This beautiful and gentle bird was included in the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List in August 2015 under the classification of threatened with extinction due to the sharp and continuous decline in its numbers living in the wild in its main distribution countries.
This news or report "for which I provided two sources in the video" is new and was published in August 2024 based on a study conducted by a group of specialized scientists for the European Commission, and this percentage means a 25% increase in the numbers of 400 thousand "four hundred thousand" pairs of pigeons in Western European countries, according to the report and study.
This large and sudden increase occurred within two years in Western Europe, due to the ban on pigeon hunting in three countries: France, Spain and Portugal. The report stated that before 2018, one million pigeons were hunted annually in the three countries that have banned pigeon hunting since 2021, and the ban will continue in 2024. This increase in numbers means an expected increase in the number of pigeons in the Arab countries on the African continent, namely Sudan, Egypt, Morocco, Algeria and Libya, when flocks of pigeons migrate seasonally from Europe to Central Africa on the seasonal migration journey of birds from Europe to Africa. In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, hunting regulations issued by the National Center for Wildlife Development have banned pigeon hunting since 2021. Britain is considered the country most interested in preserving pigeons, and organizations there have tracked their migration by hunting a number of them and installing small devices on their bodies to track them via satellite. After its issuance, amazing facts were revealed, as it turned out that a pigeon migrated from Britain to Africa, crossing the seas, then returned to the same area from which it migrated on a journey of 11,000 kilometers. The distance they travel in migration and movement in search of food and rest is between 500 and 700 kilometers per day, and they fly at an average speed of 60 kilometers per hour.
The truth is that migratory birds generally fly day and night, and God Almighty has given them the ability to determine their paths, guided by the sun, moon, stars and other capabilities that make them not mistaken in direction. Flocks of pigeons settled in European and Asian countries migrate annually in a fixed season during late August and September, and head south to spend the winter in Africa, then return on a reverse flight to remain during the spring and summer months in their European and Asian breeding areas, and the return flight is concentrated in April and early May.
On both trips, pigeons cross many coasts and wild areas, especially those with many trees, in Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states, and remain there for days and weeks, and become a target for hunting. Hunting them in Saudi Arabia was of great interest, so much so that they ranked first among hunters of migratory birds.
Streptopelia turtur
, a resident bird that breeds in Saudi Arabia, but in very limited numbers and places, as well as in other Arab countries.
Studies have investigated the reasons for the decline in pigeon numbers and confirmed that the change in the agricultural pattern in Europe, which is one of the most important habitats for pigeon breeding, has led to a decline in natural plants that produce seeds and thus a lack of food for pigeons in nature. The lack of food has also led to a decrease in chick production rates.