The baby pigeon is known by the name squab. Despite the large numbers of pigeons seen in cities worldwide, the sight of their young is conspicuously rare, leading many to wonder if baby pigeons exist at all. This common observation is rooted in the bird’s secretive nesting habits and a unique developmental timeline.
Defining the Squab
A newly hatched squab is a far cry from the plump, feathered bird most people imagine when they think of a pigeon. These hatchlings are born altricial, meaning they are completely helpless and blind for the first few days. They are covered only in sparse, yellowish down that resembles fuzz. Their skin is pinkish, and their beaks and feet appear disproportionately large for their small bodies, which weigh only about half an ounce at birth.
The term “squab” is also used in a culinary context to refer to young pigeons harvested for meat. The squab’s appearance changes rapidly, but it remains dependent on its parents for a long duration, hidden from view.
Why Baby Pigeons Are Rarely Seen
The primary reason squabs are virtually invisible to the general public comes down to their nesting strategy and extended time spent in the nest. Pigeons, descended from the wild rock dove, instinctively choose nesting sites that mimic their ancestral cliff faces. They build their nests in hidden, high locations, such as building ledges, under bridges, or within abandoned structures, making them inaccessible and out of sight.
Squabs stay in the nest for an unusually long period, typically four to six weeks, sometimes longer. This extended nest time allows them to grow intensively, fueled by a specialized diet. By the time a young pigeon finally leaves the nest, it is already fully feathered and nearly the size of an adult. When these newly fledged juveniles emerge, they simply look like slightly smaller adults, which is why they are not recognized as the “baby” pigeons people expect to see.
Unique Nutritional Development
The rapid growth of the squab during its long nesting period is supported by a substance called “crop milk,” sometimes referred to as pigeon milk. This secretion is not a true dairy product like mammalian milk, but a semi-solid, cottage-cheese-like material shed from the lining of the parent bird’s crop, an enlarged section of the esophagus.
Both male and female parents produce and regurgitate this substance to feed their young. The process is hormonally regulated by prolactin, similar to lactation in mammals. Crop milk is exceptionally high in protein (often around 60% of its dry weight) and fat, making it an energy-dense food source necessary for accelerated development. This specialized diet also contains antioxidants and immune-enhancing factors, providing the squabs with immunity during their most vulnerable stage.