Wood pigeon

Today's the day ................... to gen up

An unremarkable day when not a lot happened - so here are 10 little-known facts about wood pigeons.

 1. Though they have been recorded breeding in every month of the year, the peak month for fledging is August.
2. The majority of young birds are likely to die within their first 12 months, but the record age for a ringed wild bird is over 16.
3. It takes 17 days for an egg to hatch, and a further 30 to 34 days for the chick to fledge.
4. Squabs (little ones) are fed by both parents on a liquid known as crop or pigeon milk.
5. A female woody never lays more than two eggs in a clutch, but she may lay as many as six repeat clutches in a year if she loses her eggs.
6. Oilseed rape is a favourite winter food, and partly explains why these birds are thriving in the modern countryside.
7. The capacity of the crop is remarkable: it can hold as many as 150 acorns, 1,000 grains of wheat or 200 beans.
8. The woody is almost exclusively vegetarian, in winter stuffing its crop to capacity, then digesting the food overnight.
9. This bird is considered to be a major agricultural pest, causing at least £3 million worth of damage to crops annually in the UK.
10. It is by far the most numerous large wild bird in Britain, with a population estimated at around 2.5 million pairs.

Right then - so now you're ready for that pub quiz ...................