Do I possibly have gay pigeons?

[biophiliac]

Oof I look back on this thread and cringe. Why? Why did I do this?

 

[biophiliac]

It is not really a bad question.

 

[free range possum]

So my pigeons have had a nest for around three weeks now, and still no eggs. But when one gets in the nest, the other one tries to get in too. Is this normal, or are my pigeons gay? I’m still not too sure about genders so I thought it was a possibility...

hey, even experienced pigeon breeders sometimes have trouble sexing their birds! Have either ever been in another loft? It's possible if you are in the south that heat may be a factor. My Danzigs, the cock enters the box first and courts his lady from there after he has made several figure 8's around her and obviously does that to herd her towards the nest area he prefers. I don't recall a female doing this figure 8 hearding, and that is usually on the floor..so I'd look to see if one or the other is doing this. Again, never sure they are females till they lay! If the two are over 3 years old and long time loft mates, they could just be 2 cozy girls. Look at these eyes . The little lip/fold of lower lid seems consistent in blue or red bars (breeds not bred for Arial acrobatics or unusual physical traits for show. Hope that helps!

 

[free range possum]

ummm maybe?
Same-sex pairs are not uncommon in the bird world, most regularly in non-sexually dimorphic species (like pigeons!). While same-sex pairing has been recorded most commonly in gulls, penguins, and albatrosses it would not be impossible for it to occur in pigeons.
This being said, the explanations for the behaviors in your birds proposed by the commenters above seem to be more likely-but the only way to know is a DNA sexing test on both birds.
here's a review of same-sex pairing in birds if you are interested:
https://academic.oup.com/beheco/article/18/1/21/209396

It is documented that SOME female birds have actually appeared to change sex. A duck has drab feathers but in the absence of a drake in a group, the duck seemed to change colors to a drakes. Geese have been noted to do this. I have a mother and daughter that are very cozy. Both have brooder but it's very hot here and I guess they don't want male hassle. Pigeons are polygamous. .so she went home to mamma when he got with a younger girl.

 

[KiwiandPeachthePigeons]

hey, even experienced pigeon breeders sometimes have trouble sexing their birds! Have either ever been in another loft? It's possible if you are in the south that heat may be a factor. My Danzigs, the cock enters the box first and courts his lady from there after he has made several figure 8's around her and obviously does that to herd her towards the nest area he prefers. I don't recall a female doing this figure 8 hearding, and that is usually on the floor..so I'd look to see if one or the other is doing this. Again, never sure they are females till they lay! If the two are over 3 years old and long time loft mates, they could just be 2 cozy girls. Look at these eyes . The little lip/fold of lower lid seems consistent in blue or red bars (breeds not bred for Arial acrobatics or unusual physical traits for show. Hope that helps!

I have since found out that I have a male/female pair and they have had a squab. Thanks anyways!