Pigeon

> *"Pigeons, also known as doves, are a small flying bird found all over the world. They often live in cities, where they can be classed as pests. They eat mostly fruit and seeds, but will eat prey such as insects and worms."*
>
>

## Spawning

Pigeons spawn naturally in the overworld in groups of two to three. They can be found in a large majority of biomes where it can rain or snow.

## Drops

When an adult pigeon is killed, it drops:

* 0-2 feathers.
* 1 raw bird meat (1 cooked bird meat if killed while on fire).
* 1-3 XP when killed by a player or tamed wolf.

If the pigeon was tamed, it will drop any leather cap or pigeon backpack it was wearing too.

## Behaviour

Pigeons are able to fly and will flee when approached by a player. They do not take fall damage.

While in a loaded chunk, a pigeon will lay a pigeon egg every 5-10 minutes.

### Taming

A pigeon can be tamed by feeding it bread. Once tamed, a pigeon will not eat any more bread. The number of bread required is random – each one has a 1⁄3 chance of taming the pigeon. When the pigeon is tamed, hearts appear and it receives a red leg ring.

If the owner right-clicks a tamed pigeon, the pigeon will sit or stand. If the pigeon is sitting it won't follow its owner. Crouching and right-clicking a tamed pigeon will open the pigeon interface.

Tamed pigeons can wear leather caps, which an be assigned or removed via the pigeon interface.

Right-clicking a pigeon with a pigeon backpack will make the pigeon equip it. This will turn the pigeon into a messenger pigeon and unlock the pigeon post ability.

### Pigeon post

Pigeon post can be used to send items to a designated pigeon box, much like how messenger pigeons work in real-life. Only tamed pigeons wearing a pigeon backpack can send items.

To assign a pigeon box to a pigeon:

* In **1.20.1+**, catch a tamed pigeon in a birdcage, then right-click the pigeon box you wish to use. If this is successful, a message will appear saying 'Pigeon box set successfully'.
* In previous versions, attach a pigeon to a lead and then right-click the pigeon box you wish to use. If this is successful, a message will appear saying 'Pigeon box set'.

The pigeon post tab will appear once the pigeon has a box assigned *and* is wearing a backpack. Hovering over the pigeon box icon in the top right of the interface will provide information about the pigeon's assigned box, including the dimension and block coordinates. If the assigned pigeon box is full, already has a pigeon inside or has been destroyed, it will display that information too.

An item (or stack of items) can be placed in the post slot. When the send mail button is pressed, the pigeon will that item to its assigned box. If it cannot do so, the interface will close and a message will be displayed.

Pigeons can send mail across dimensions as long as their assigned box has space.

Pigeon post can be turned off in the mod config via the option `allowPigeonMail`.

### Breeding

If two adult pigeons are fed wheat seeds, melon seeds, pumpkin seeds, beetroot seeds or bread, a baby pigeon will spawn. The colour of the baby will depend on the parent; it has a 50% of being the same colour as its father, and a 50% chance of being the same as its mother.

Baby pigeons can also be spawned by hatching a pigeon egg. The colour of the baby will match its mother. An egg with a higher spawn rate will have a better chance of hatching successfully.