Photo by Monkeyc.net/Flickr
Pigeons aren’t in line to win many popularity contests. Dismissed as drab pests with few redeeming qualities, the ubiquitous birds have earned the nasty nickname “rats with wings.”
Not fair, says Courtney Humphries, author of the new book, “Superdove.”
Pigeons, she says, were the first bird to be domesticated. They brought Noah the good news, inspired Charles Darwin, and have served bravely in war. What’s more, we humans have made them what they are today.
This hour, a new book reassesses the humble pigeon.
- Jane Clayson, guest host
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Guests:
Joining us in our studio is Courtney Humphries, author of “Superdove: How the Pigeon Took Manhattan… and the World.” She’s also a science writer who has written for numerous publications, including Newsweek, Harvard Magazine, and Technology Review.
Joining us from Gilroy, California is John Heppner, president of the National Pigeon Association. He has been breeding pigeons for over fifty years and has won “Master Breeder” awards for six breeds of pigeon
Joining us from Bella Vista, Arkansas is Laura Dodson, president of the Argyle Civic Association in Hollywood, California. She has led the effort to control the pigeon population in Hollywood through the use of birth control.
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Read an excerpt from “Superdove: How the Pigeon Took Manhattan … And the World.”
Tags: doves, evolution, pigeons
My young pigeons just returned to RI from a training release in northern New York. It took them 3 hours and 8 minutes to fly approximately 110 miles.
Posted by Dan Wheelan, on August 13th, 2008 at 11:28 am EDTCongratulations, Courtney! Can’t wait to read your book.
Posted by Anne Rhodes, on August 13th, 2008 at 1:10 pm EDTi really enjoyed your interview with Courtney Humphries… i found this conversation to be fascinating…
Posted by Invisibile White Guy, on August 13th, 2008 at 1:12 pm EDTI just finished Superdove. It’s an engaging read. Ms. Humphries is an accomplished storyteller, a serious historian, and a thoughtful naturalist. Entertaining and vastly informative, this book is a fine entry into the field of nature writing. Blending good science with warm and personable writing, she takes a respectable place with the likes of Lewis Thomas and Edward Wilson. Kudos.
Posted by Ken Thompson, on January 6th, 2009 at 11:08 am EST