Superdove
How the Pigeon took Manhattan ... and the World
1st Edition
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Word Count
49,000 words, Guess
Page Count
196 pages
Identifiers
- Internet Archivesuperdovehowpige0000hump
- Internet Archivesuperdovehowpige0000hump_a1s2
- ISBN-139780061259166
- ISBN-100061259160
- LibraryThing8007024
and 5 more
- Goodreads3335602
- Library of Congress Control Number2008013386
- OCLC Control Number214285938
- Better World Books9780061259166
- Open LibraryOL18534418M
Classifications
- DDC598.6/5
- LCCQL696.C63 H86 2008
- LCCQL696.C63H86 2008
Description
Why do we see pigeons as lowly urban pests and how did they become such common city dwellers? Courtney Humphries traces the natural history of the pigeon, recounting how these shy birds that once made their homes on the sparse cliffs of sea coasts came to dominate our urban public spaces. While detailing this evolution, Humphries introduces us to synanthropy: The concept that animals can become dependent on humans without ceasing to be wild; they can adapt to the cityscape as if it were a field or a forest. Superdove simultaneously explores the pigeon's cultural transformation, from its life in the dovecotes of ancient Egypt to its service in the trenches of World War I, to its feats within the pigeon-racing societies of today. While the dove is traditionally recognized as a symbol of peace, the pigeon has long inspired a different sort of fetishistic devotion from breeders, eaters, and artists—and from those who recognized and exploited the pigeon's astounding abilities. Because of their fecundity, pigeons were symbols of fertility associated with Aphrodite, while their keen ability to find their way home made them ideal messengers and even pilots. Their usefulness largely forgotten, today's pigeons have become as ubiquitous and reviled as rats. But Superdove reveals something more surprising: By using pigeons for our own purposes, we humans have changed their evolution. And in doing so, we have helped make pigeons the ideal city dwellers they are today. In the tradition of Rats, the book that made its namesake rodents famous, Superdove is the fascinating story of the pigeon's journey from the wild to the city—the home they'll never leave.
Subjects
Topics
People
Genres
- Anecdotes
Other Editions
- Superdove: How the Pigeon took Manhattan ... and the World
Show 3 more editions
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