where did our old couple go?

[singlady]

We have been living in the same condo for four years and the same pair of wild pigeons have been nesting behind the air conditioner compressor on a long ledge outside one of the windows. This weekend I suddenly realised that there was definitely a new female with what looked like the same male. About an hour later, I could see the 'old' female on the ledge of an adjacent building being hassled by another bird. He kept stalking, she kept moving. But 'our nest' has definitely been taken over by a new female and possibly male.

any thoughts on what has happened here?

[sreeshs]

Interesting, I believe pigeons mate for life unless separated. Are you sure it is the old hen itself in that adjacent building ?

[singlady]

yup, very sure. she had an oddly scruffy looking 'comb' on her head. the male was quite handsome but she always looked as if she needed a bath and a hair brush.

[sreeshs]

Had they been nesting in the sense, laying eggs and raising the hatchlings ?

[singlady]

they laid a lot of eggs over the years but only one egg actually produced a chick. The rest of the eggs they just rolled out of the way and smashed them.

[sreeshs]

That might be a reason they decided to take different paths ???

[Feefo]

they laid a lot of eggs over the years but only one egg actually produced a chick

We have an incredible amount of divorces in our aviary, both the cocks and the hens instigate them. I think it is because their eggs are replaced with plastic ones, they must realise that they never hatch and blame their mate.

Having said that, the one pair that were allowed to hatch and raise a pair of babies divorced when the babies were 20 days old...then reunited 8 years later!