Female Pigeon Deserts the Male (?)

Question
QUESTION: Hi,

We live in the French countryside and have "adopted" a couple of wild pigeons who nest in our open garage.  Until yesterday, they were inseparable, walking, eating and people-watching together. Suddenly yesterday the female seems to have left the rafter where they sleep, leaving the male appearing lost and anxiously looking for her. She showed up at mid-morning and they ate together and stayed together for a few hours, but the male ended up sleeping alone. Same story today: she came back around 11:00 AM, they seemed to behave normally, coupled, and by mid-afternoon the female was gone again and the male is sleeping alone.

Do you have any idea, David, what is happening? Is this normal pigeon behavior? As a male myself, I have a lot of sympathy for poor Pompon, but maybe he's OK.

ANSWER: It's possible she has found another lover!  It does happen in the pigeon world.  In fact there is an entire group of breeds developed for the purpose of stealing birds from other lofts.  Google "Thief Pouters".

Also possible is that she will be laying soon and is scouting.  However, I would expect the male to be "driving" her and be gone also.  When both eggs are laid, the male will set on them during the day and the hen at night so keep an eye out for this activity.

Dave

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Dave,  Thanks very much for your prompt reply. We are studying our pigeon couple's behavior with fascination. The female is mostly absent, but comes "home" around lunchtime, when we feed her. When she is here, the male is absent. When she is "elsewhere", the male is here alone and he sleeps alone. Sounds like a nest with eggs somewhere else in the neighborhood with the male taking care of it when the female is here?

Thanks again, we won't bother you with a steady correspondence, but your comments will be most welcome.

Edmund

Answer
If you are usually only seeing one at a time, It would appear that they have a nest somewhere.  When setting on eggs, the male will take the nest fairly early morning and then the hen will take over sometime in the afternoon.  Once the squabs hatch, this routine deteriorates.  So, perhaps they already have young.

I have followed many pigeons around the neighborhood looking for their nests... not too hard to do.

Dave