Dream About Pigeons

Ordinary pigeons are among the birds that eat the bird seed I lay out every morning behind my house. I have become a critical link in the neighborhood's pigeon support network.

Pigeons are messy, but I still like them. They are pretty. They are silly.

Traveling in New Zealand last December, I marveled at the New Zealand Pigeon, amongst the largest birds in New Zealand. Apparently this forest bird is the only seed disperser on the islands, making it a keystone species for the entire forest ecosystem. The New Zealand Pigeon is indispensable!

People have only nice things to say about the New Zealand Pigeon:

They seem totally unafraid of man which is much to their detriment. They are entirely vegetarian not even feeding insects to their young as do the honey eaters. Harmless as a dove is an old adage, and like the dove the symbol of purity and peace, they are faithful to their mates, defenseless, gentle and innocent of sin.

Yet, for being a forest bird, the bird seems much too large to fit comfortably in a forest. Walking along Paparoa National Park's Truman Track, several of us awestruck hikers watched two of the pigeons flopping and blundering their way through the tree canopy, crashing into branches, and threatening their own health. I wondered why they did it. Like white doves embody Peace, New Zealand Pigeons seemed to embody Absurdity.

In any event, last night, I dreamt I owned a Very Large Pigeon. Since dreams employ symbolism to make their point, I'm sure I must have been dreaming about the absurd....