Local DTLA Pigeon Genetic Milestones - Academic Evidence

 As it's been around 7 years that I'd been visiting the local Downtown Los Angeles pigeon flocks and keeping this blog, several breeding seasons had come to pass, with some distinctions in the subsequent offspring of the pigeons that had been living back then now prominently mixing in to the general showing of the birds (I estimate that the local flocks' birds will see an average lifespan of up to 10-15 years, since they're cared for, on a distributed and daily basis). 

What does this mean? 

It means that the pre-existing birds (adults and wild pigeons) are seen, side-by-side, demonstrating what the University of Utah's Pigeonetics website documents as genetic variations, due to some or other particular conditions; genetic development conditions, as it were.

"Snooker," as I've named him (I've discerned that he's male, over time, due to his behavioral traits and his mating-act positioning of himself as the dominant partner), pictured here (below), earlier on, in 2024, with what could be his offspring (above); a more young and less developed bird, as the birds are capable of improving on their inherited genetics with suitable nutritional and conditioning support, during their lifetime. Snooker is perhaps a year and a half old, or so - I noticed him at the library beginning last year, in 2023. I was surprised to see his genetic likeness in this other, young bird, which left the flock, after some weeks. The genetic variant of this style of pigeon is perhaps known as an "Afghani High Flyer," with various marks of genetic distinction being apparent, given a common wild pigeon.

The University's website does a fine and entertaining quick read on genetic variants, as well as some of the conditions under which some of these variations occur, in the birds' pedigrees. Some of the conditions require multiple breeding seasons, as well as chance and distributed mating efforts - keep in mind, pigeons are bound to relatively simple behaviors, given that their outdoor wildlife hobbyist environments are coupled with some challenges and strife, from naysayers to their well-being. This being the case, 7 years is plenty of time for these birds to have mixed, and - one can observe, on any given day, the richness in variety that the birds' plumage and other ornamentation, such as their eyelids, leg feathers (my mother would call this feature their "pants"), as well as frills and beak shape and size differentiations. 

I call this one "Redbeard," for his unique decorative facial plumage. Redbeard is a fun and friendly bird; I spot him sometimes breaking the ice, so to speak, on a day-by-day basis, by flying "at" me, excitedly, ostensibly, because I bring them tasty sweets, mostly pastry type items, and cookies. It's a sign of the promise of youth, of the birds, in renewing their numbers, year in and year out, of that perhaps we will see them though as someday hand-tame birds, under some circumstances, at least. It's happened before, at least, quite nearly so, but there's been a lot of other things going on, around their daily habitat environments. This being the case, I do make it out to feed them pretty regularly, nearly every day, given a month, or so, so that's good conditioning towards these local Downtown Los Angeles birds becoming tamer, over time. Redbeard is very sociable-curious, as the flocks of pigeons around him, since his upbringing, have been relatively large; anywhere from 25-100 birds, I'd estimate, show up for the feedings around him. I estimate Redbeard's age to be 1-3 years old; I just started noticing him, in particular, this year.

Given time left to themselves, (in a theoretical setting), pigeons will revert to their wild state, in appearance. These genetic variations are considered domesticated and fancy traits. My take on these flocks is that they can be fancy, moreso than domesticated, for beginners, given that there are still threats abound, for the birds, being likely. Beyond that, civic support for the birds would ostensibly grow, organically, given that they are wildlife, and, as well, being that they're taken care of, as best as they can be (I clean up, after them, on a regular basis, and other people provide them with water dishes regularly, as well). 

A prominent monochrome-colored black-feathered pigeon, which is one of the markers of genetic variance that occurs, under controlled care circumstances, here, amongst many other pigeons, for reference. This flock is situated just outside of downtown LA, but they're more free to perch and peck around, in their daily habitat environment, without being harassed. As a result, their behavioral traits and mannerisms are more gentle, naive, and open to sociability.

Check out the University of Utah's site, as the information there will assist most readers in understanding the sort of information discussed here, in a more pragmatic and straightforward manner of explanation, as it was the source of my realization of the developments discussed here, and there are simple, page-by-page discussions that are navigable, with pictures and or charts included on each page. It's really a well-done explainer site, that serves the purpose of demystifying some of the complexities of pigeon pedigree development and establishment. 

Recent PubMed National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) Articles Detailing the Roles that Real and Robotic Pigeons Live Out, in Burgeoning our Augmented Reality Future.

Although, 

in one of iPigeon.institute’s initial and formative published purpose and mission statements, I’d estimated that the “real” iPigeon consumer product release would be decades away - from that time, just over 4 years ago, to the date (June 14th, 2018, it was, when I’d posted that article, and it’s July 2nd, 2022, today, when this article was initially published), I’d been a comparatively young and pretentious public relations fawn, of a blog publisher, with great and vast ideas, of the mind, whereas I’d hoped, somewhat, that I was on the cutting edge of the robotic pigeon / augmented reality consumer product topic and public spectacle that would arise, as a result of this phenomenon and development, in society - it turns out, however, that academic and medical literature predates my claim-staking efforts. I’m always playing catch-up, in my relentless pursuit of knowledge, within the industry of biotechnology, apparently 👀🫣.

Here are some article leads pertaining to predating and since-then research and discovery developments upon the topic and subject matter of augmented reality “real” pigeons, robotic pigeons, and “real” pigeons, as some of the fore-bearing burdening birds (or beasts, as it were) of our developing technologies of correlated subject matter, such as Brain-Computer-Interfaces and remote-controlled brain interfaces, as well as some of the historical, previously classified, documentation, of our nation’s literary and intelligence heritage, which also predates even these late-breaking developments in pigeon-assisted technology. 

Historical background:

The pigeon, as a species, has maintained an illustrious career in the annals of the U.S. and British armed forces and intelligence agencies, dating back (upon a quick-search basis) to at least World War 1. 

A manual detailing the implementation and service basis of the pigeon amongst British armed forces, dating back to World War I. (Courtesy of the British Library).

In the United States, recently declassified documents detail the pigeons’ role in developing camera and image-based surveillance and recognizance intelligence, from a more advantageous position than could have been gained through other established technology, such as airplanes. 

Such documentation lends credence to the fact of that the pigeon has long been one of our stalwart lab and combat environment animals which have helped burgeon technology developments and national security efforts. Soon, I’ll update this article with some links to journal articles that cite pigeons as research subjects and as physics and physiognomical models for establishing remote sensing recognizance intelligence, brain-computer interfaces, and wirelessly controlled augmented intelligence experiences, thus paving the way for humanity’s progress.