Why Do Pigeons Make Noise When They Fly? Feathers That Whistle

Pigeons make noise when they fly because part of one wing feather vibrates in the airflow. In rock pigeons, a patch of barbs on the outermost wing feather flutters during each downstroke at take-off and gives a whistling tone of about 700 Hz. In some pigeons and doves the whistle also works as an alarm.

This is what a group of pigeons sounds like as it takes off:

Which feather makes the whistle?

In a study of rock pigeons, the same species as town pigeons and most racing pigeons, the tone came from the outermost primary feather, known as P10. A small region of long, curved barbs on the inner side of this feather flutters in the airflow and produces a tone of about 700 Hz during the latter two-thirds of each downstroke (Niese and Tobalske 2016 (opens in new tab)).

The researchers showed this in two ways. When they stiffened that part of the feather on live birds, the tone stopped. When they spun a single P10 feather at the speed a wing reaches at the peak of the downstroke, it made the same sound; the ninth and first primaries never did (Niese and Tobalske 2016 (opens in new tab)). Producing the tone costs the feather some aerodynamic force, which suggests the sound is not just an accident of flight and may be used for communication.

Is the wing noise an alarm?

Crested pigeon with an upright black crest standing on grass

The clearest evidence comes from the Australian crested pigeon (see crested pigeon). Its eighth primary feather, P8, is very narrow and produces a distinct note on each downstroke. Birds fleeing danger beat their wings faster, so the whistle has a faster tempo. In playback experiments, other crested pigeons treated the sound of escape flight as a warning only if the P8 feather was present (Murray and colleagues 2017 (opens in new tab)).

An earlier study found that crested pigeons fly off after hearing recordings of alarmed take-offs, but not routine ones. Making the recordings louder or quieter showed that the birds respond to the structure of the sound, such as its tempo, rather than just its volume (Hingee and Magrath 2009 (opens in new tab)).

Mourning doves react in a similar way. When researchers played the wing whistles of startled doves, mourning doves, northern cardinals and house sparrows all startled, watched for longer and were slower to go back to feeding. Whether doves make the sound on purpose is still not known (Coleman 2008 (opens in new tab)).

Do town pigeons use the sound as a warning?

That has not been tested as directly. The rock pigeon study shows that the P10 feather has features that seem built for sound, and the authors suggest the tone may work as a signal (Niese and Tobalske 2016 (opens in new tab)). Whether other pigeons in a flock react to it in the same way as crested pigeons do is still an open question. A sudden take-off by the whole flock is a common response to predators such as hawks and falcons (see natural predators of pigeons).

Why do pigeons clap their wings?

A separate noise comes from display. In the male’s courtship flight he claps his wings together and then glides with the wings held in a deep V (US National Park Service (opens in new tab)). You can see this display, and other reasons pigeons wheel overhead, in why pigeons fly in circles.

Pigeons also make vocal sounds, such as cooing and grunts, which are covered in what sound a pigeon makes.

Pigeon wing noise FAQs

Why do pigeons whistle when they fly?

Part of the outermost wing feather vibrates in the airflow on each downstroke and produces a tone of about 700 Hz. It is loudest at take-off, when the wings beat hardest.

Why are pigeons so noisy when they take off?

At take-off the wings beat hard and fast, so the feathers whistle and the wings clatter. In crested pigeons a faster, more urgent whistle warns other birds of danger.

Do doves make noise with their wings?

Yes. Many doves have wing whistles. In the 2008 playback tests, mourning doves and other birds startled on hearing the wing whistles of alarmed doves.

Is the noise on purpose?

In crested pigeons the modified P8 feather works as a reliable alarm signal. In rock pigeons and mourning doves it is not yet known whether the birds make the sound deliberately.

Why do pigeons clap their wings?

Males clap their wings together in a display flight, then glide with the wings raised in a V. The clap is part of courtship.

Sources

References used for this page:

Last updated 9 November 2026 · Facts