Fun Egyptian Swift Pigeon Facts For Kids

The Egyptian swift pigeon (Columbia livia) is a fancy domestic breed of pigeon. The name swift was given by reason of a resemblance to the bird of that name in Egypt. It belongs to the order of Columbiformes and can be found in areas of Europe, Southwestern Asia, Africa, and North America.

This species has many different shades of color and can be differentiated or divided into two groups- show birds and flying birds. The birds are bred massively in Egypt for purposes of shows and this has led to severe genetic mutation, where it has become difficult to differentiate them from other pigeons.

The Egyptian swifts are birds that are suited to stay in warm places and hate cold places and therefore can't be found in the Antarctic or the Arctic.

Pigeons have a history of been kept as pets and usually trained for different purposes and the swift pigeon is not aloof of that and therefore there is extensive breeding of them with other pigeons and this results in several pigeons with blotted colors on their body and mixed characteristics.

If you want to discover more birds like the Egyptian swift pigeon, then check out our savannah sparrow facts and western kingbird facts.

Egyptian Swift Pigeon Interesting Facts

What type of animal is an Egyptian Swift Pigeon?

Egyptian swift pigeons are the descendants of rock pigeons, which are fancy and domestic breeds with different classifications. They are flying birds in the USA, while utility birds in Europe.

What class of animal does an Egyptian Swift Pigeon belong to?

The Egyptian swift bird belongs to the class Aves and is in the order of Columbiformes. There are around 12 local breeds among the Egyptian swift pigeon breed as noted by the fanciers, and all of them have their origin in Egypt.

Some of the varieties are Ahmar gohzar, Anbary Asmar, Egyptian Halaby, Egyptian Absy, Karakandy Absy, Otati, Kojook, Bolk, Mesawed, Safi Egyptian swift pigeon, Rehani, and Halaby.

How many Egyptian Swift Pigeons are there in the world?

There isn't an exact number that has been calculated but surely they are not less in number as more and more swift pigeons are bred in order to keep them as pets.

Where does an Egyptian Swift Pigeon live?

Egyptian swifts usually can be found in areas of Europe, Southwestern Asia, Africa, and North America mostly, but there is no reason for them not to be found beyond that. The only place that they would avoid is colder places.

What is an Egyptian Swift Pigeon's habitat?

The Egyptian swift pigeon breed is a bird that stays in warmer climate regions and cannot be found in cold places that lack agricultural pastures suitable for the pigeons to feed on. They can be found in many areas that are close to agriculture and have open shrub vegetation.

Who do Egyptian Swift Pigeons live with?

Pigeons tend to stay in groups and even the flying Egyptian swift is similar to that habit. Egyptian swift pigeons are comparatively medium-sized birds and can often be targeted by larger birds or animals and therefore mobe along in groups even though they can stay alone as well.

How long does an Egyptian Swift Pigeon live?

The lifespan of flying Egyptian swifts is around 10-15 years.

How do they reproduce?

Egyptian swift pigeons are monogamous in nature, which means they tend to get along with one pigeon and stay with them. After mating, the female pigeon usually takes care of the egg until it hatches by staying beside it, while the male pigeon is the one who brings food for the female pigeon and protects them as well.

The perfect time for these species to breed is during spring and fall.

What is their conservation status?

According to the IUCN Red List, the flying Egyptian swift pigeon is of Least Concern as there is an abundance of male and female swift pigeons all over the world.

Pigeons have been vastly bred for centuries and the Egyptian swift is mostly a domestic or show pigeon which makes it more often breedable and therefore can be found in abundance.

Egyptian Swift Pigeon Fun Facts

What do Egyptian Swift Pigeons look like?

The Egyptian flying swifts are not big birds, but rather are 11-14 in (28-36 cm) in height. They have long necks and the color varies from almost pigeon to pigeon.

The birds are often separated into show birds and flying birds, though there has been a considerable crossing of the two groups, which is why judging the birds by head size has become difficult.

Some Egyptian swift pigeons have bluish-black colored bodies and small heads with short white necks. There are some other breeds that can have brown and yellow tones as well.

The birds have strong feathers, a medium-sized head, and can fly well with their strong and long wings. Due to breeding, there might be cases where the Egyptian swift is totally white in color or has bluish-black spots on the body.

The swift pigeon has a small skull and a short beak. The tail of the flying Egyptian breed is excessively long in size, and their wings are also long.

How cute are they?

They are not quite as cute as bee hummingbirds, but one won't deny that they are pretty adorable as well. With their unique varieties of color like the pop of yellow and many patterns, the Egyptian swift breed pigeon is adored and used as a show pigeon as well.

How do they communicate?

The Egyptian swift breed tends to communicate through common movements and sounds but can also make different types of sounds to show different emotions. For example, they coo to show affection.

There are different varieties of pigeons all over the world but the common trait of all the pigeon breed is to coo in a resonating sound in order to communicate.

How big is an Egyptian Swift Pigeon?

The swift pigeon breed is 11-14 in (28-36 cm) tall and the stork is 32-60 in (82-152 cm) in length which makes this pigeon breed almost three times smaller.

How fast can an Egyptian Swift Pigeon fly?

They aren't as fast as the Cooper's Hawk but can surely fly at a speed of 30-60 mph (50-95 kph) which isn't very slow compared to other common small birds. Flying is a big part of the life of these breeds and it is common that they would be able to fly fast.

Over the centuries these breeds have developed skills to survive in a world where most birds have gone endangered due to being preyed upon or being affected by the environment.

How much does an Egyptian Swift Pigeon weigh?

The Egyptian swift breed weighs about 11-15 oz (315-450 g).

What are their male and female names of the species?

There are no specific gendered names associated with this breed and are just known as Egyptian swift.

What would you call a baby Egyptian Swift Pigeon?

Baby pigeons are known as squabs and that same name is used for the newborns of the Egyptian swift. Until they have developed the ability to cater to their needs, they are taken care of.

What do they eat?

The Egyptian swift pigeon bird diet consists of grains, rice, wheat, and any other agricultural harvest. They also feed on worms and insects. It uses its beak to pick up the grains and feed on them.

Are they poisonous?

Not at all. The Egyptian swift pigeon temperament is subtle and this breed is quite friendly and doesn't have any venom. In case they are attacked, like any other animal they would defend themselves by fluttering their long wings and even try to stab with their beaks.

Would they make a good pet?

The Egyptian swift pigeon-friendly habits would make them great pets as they tend to like staying in areas that are suitable for breeding and training. Pigeons are smart animals and are often used as show pets.

They are not like Kea parrot but are surely entertaining enough. The pigeon breed that is the most perfect is an Egyptian swift pigeon pet and it also can be used as a show Egyptian pigeon if the fanciers train it.

Did you know...

Egyptian swift pigeon personality is friendly and they are extremely smart and if trained can solve puzzles or even perform in entertainment shows. Pigeons have been bred for centuries especially in Southeast Asian nations and have been used to deliver messages and such as pigeons are quite smart.

The standards of training pigeons are low and just have a simple system that can be kept in mind to train them. The show Egyptian swift pigeon is quite favorable because of their skills in Egypt.

What's the difference between an Egyptian Swift Pigeon and a normal pigeon?

The Egyptian swift breed comes in different sizes and is about 11-14 in (28-36 cm) tall, while normal pigeons always have grayish-blue feathers with black bands around their neck. A normal pigeon is also known as a feral pigeon which returned to the wild after it was bred from the wild rock dove breed.

The Egyptian swift pigeon on the other hand is a show pigeon that has been bred articulately over years and has ended up being a mixture of a lot of pigeon breeds.

How did the Egyptian Swift Pigeon get its name?

The Egyptian swift resembled the bird that was present in the 18th century in Egypt and therefore was given the name Egyptian swift.

The feral pigeon has quite a resemblance to the bird (Egyptian swift pigeon) but varies in characteristics like color and size. There are almost 12 local breeds among the Egyptian swift pigeon breed as noted by the fanciers, and all of them have their origin in Egypt.

Some of the varieties are Ahmar gohzar, Anbary Asmar, Egyptian Halaby, Egyptian Absy, Karakandy Absy, Otati, Kojook, Bolk, Mesawed, Safi Egyptian swift pigeon, Rehani, and Halaby.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other birds including Vesper Sparrow and  Burrowing Owl

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable African olive pigeon coloring pages.