DECOY is an artist who lives and works in Washington, DC. She shared this idea for bringing pigeons, art, and neighborhood together.

Decoy writes: 

 Summer is quickly upon us and it's time to go back outside. Here is your opportunity to connect with something more than your laptop or Ipod. It has been shown that people who take part in conservation projects report positive health benefits ascribed to being outdoors and to feeling part of something grander than themselves.

is the perfect project to escape the indoors. Through the program you will learn about your city's birds, contribute to scientific research, learn cool facts such as why you never see a baby pigeon, and increase your awareness of nature in your neighborhood.

My mother and father live out in the country and constantly tell me stories of the beautiful birds around them. One day I noticed these two birds coming home every day at the exact same time. I began to observe them and study their patterns. I wanted to learn all I could about the birds. Now they are taking turns sitting on the nest! Thank you, Celebrate Urban Birds, for opening my eyes to all the beautiful birds living in my city!

 Why did I choose Rock Pigeons? 

 In the wild, all individuals of a species usually look much the same. Robins, for example all have gray backs and red-orange breasts. All crows are black. But the pigeons we see around the world are a different story. They show remarkable color variation, just like cats and dogs. Why? They are all descended from the blue-bar Rock Pigeon but over hundreds of years pigeons were selectively bred by humans for their colors, homing instincts, or racing abilities. As a result, captive flocks of different-colored pigeons were established all over the world. Eventually, captive birds escaped into the wild to become the feral, common pigeon flocks we see today.

 Feral pigeons have adapted to life in cities, in suburban parks, on beaches and on farms. They have had established populations in North America for 400 years and on other continents for much longer. And despite this, their populations continue to have individuals of many different colors. They have never reverted to the colors of their wild relatives in the Mediterranean and beyond. No other feral animal has kept so many domestic colors for more than a few generations.

CELEBRATE URBAN BIRDS PROJECT

 The goal of this project is to reconnect urban residents with nature and raise awareness of urban birds and greening through the arts.  This artist chose to focus on the Rock Pigeon...you could choose another urban bird! 

Materials needed:

Scissors

Small bucket

Bird seed

Medium size brush

Crayons/ color pencils

Wheat paste (from craft store or hardware store)

Copies of DECOY pigeon drawing, (see template below)

or create your own bird drawing template

• Go outside and observe your chosen bird carefully.  You can also refer to some beautiful color posters of birds,...either the Celebrate Urban Birds color poster, or the Project PigeonWatch color morph poster.  

Rock Pigeons respond well to anyone who scatters a bit of bird food for them. 

1. Draw a bird template

2.  Make as many copies of your bird template as you need. You can use the template that DECOY drew of a Rock Pigeon at the bottom of this page, or create your own. Laser printers and photo copy machines use the best ink for outdoor exposure. Get template here.

2. If the event is taking place outdoors, have everyone pick a pigeon in the area and color its specific color morph.  Have each person identify their color morph type by looking at the chart. 

 If the event is indoors, like a club or school project, then have them pick a favorite color morph type from the poster and color that specific color morph.

Make sure to label each pigeon in some way to say CELEBRATE URBAN BIRDS!

A different approach: Everyone can personalize their pigeon and make it unique just like them; like people, there are many different kinds of pigeons living in your city.

 3. Have each person cut out their pigeons.

 4. When everyone is done, have an art show where everyone shares their pigeon coloring and have them identify the color morph type. This will get everyone more familiar with all the different types. 

From here there are a variety of ways to get Urban Bird Awareness out there.  Depending on age and type of event you could either...

(A) Attach your pigeon to a popsicle stick and put it into the ground in your neighborhood. Put some bird seed where you put your urban bird. When the birds leave, your urban bird signs will be there to bring awareness. 

(B) Bring your birds home and put them in a window where they can be seen.

I asked the shop on the corner of my street to put some in his window.

Or tape them up at the bus stop you always wait at.

(C) Wheat paste them up

Wheat paste can be bought at any local hardware or craft store. You can also make your own. If you make your own I recommend you make it before the event as it requires heat. 

(1) Begin by pouring 1 cup of flour into 1 1/2 cups of water.

(2) Bring mixture to a boil until it thickens, stir to remove all lumps (with a whisk if possible) and add more water until it turns into a thick, clear goop.

(3) Cook on low heat for at least half an hour, being careful not to burn it. After approx. 20-30 minutes, paste will become thinner and more transparent. * NOTE: It expands a lot; experiment.

(4) Upon reaching a smooth, pliable, and somewhat transparent consistency, take paste off heat and let cool.

(5) Pour into airtight container such as a jar or bottle. 

(6) Gather your DECOY birds, bucket of glue and brushes and you're ready to go! Venture out into your city and look for areas where urban birds like to hang out. Paste your pigeon on flat, smooth, low surfaces. If you want to put a pigeon on a building or store, make sure to ask the owner. Explain your purpose and Urban Bird message. If anything, maybe they will let you put the bird in the window or you can use a newsstand.

OTHER URBAN BIRD AWARENESS STORIES

"I live in a Washington, DC neighborhood that is both historic and a popular DC nightlife spot. After a busy Friday or Saturday night the area can be littered with pizza crusts. Normally the pizza crusts are an eye sore, but a couple of days ago, one brought a smile to my face.

I was on my way to a coffee shop down the street when I saw a pigeon carrying a pizza crust. It was the crust from a jumbo slice, which is, for those who don't live in DC, about 3 times the size of a normal slice. Aside from being adorable, I couldn't believe that this pigeon was able to carry a crust that large and wondered why it was moving the crust at all. The pigeon ignored me and walked underneath a parked car, where another pigeon was waiting. Together, in the shade of the car, the birds dined on the pizza slice. Cutest couple I have seen for a while."

-T. Stein

This is your chance to become a citizen scientist! Print out your DECOY pigeon and begin coloring and observing today!