The Facial Anatomy of Pigeons

In certain ways -- birds are like mammals -- but in others, they are quite different. Birds have several unique adaptations, such as a beak, which is in place of a mammal's teeth and lips. A pigeon's head is divided into three regions, which are collectively known as the pileum. These sections are the crown, forehead and back of the head.

  1. Nostrils, Nares and Sinuses

    • The beak is known in anatomical terms as the rostrum. Pigeons have a fleshy band at the top of their beak that contains the nares -- or nostrils. This fleshy band of tissue is called the cere, which is a sensitive and swollen area. The sinuses are located within the skull. These hollow spaces become clogged with liquid, mucus and abscess during infection. Pigeons with a respiratory infection therefore typically develop discharge from their eyes.

    Mouth Parts

    • The pigeon's palate, tongue, glottis, choana, esophagus and salivary glands are located in its mouth. The tongue has a bone which the pigeon uses for manipulating and swallowing food. The glottis opens into the trachea -- or windpipe. The choana is slit on the roof of the pigeon's mouth, which connects to the nostrils. The glottis fits into the choanal slit when the bird closes its mouth and connects the nostrils to the windpipe. A smaller slit, which opens to the pigeon's middle ear, sits behind the choanal slit. This helps equalize pressure in the pigeon's middle ear, when it flies at high altitudes.

    Eyes and Ears

    • The orbital region on the forehead is a narrow zone around the eyes and eyelids. Pigeon's are highly visual creatures; and their eyes are large in proportion to their head. The pigeon's large eyes project a large image on the bird's retina, which is important when the pigeon is orienting itself during long flights. These birds are able to see an entire landscape in great detail. Pigeons are able to see color and light in the ultraviolet range. The ear region surrounds the ear openings, which are covered by soft feathers. This ear region is located just behind and below the level of the pigeon's eye.

    Beak

    • The upper jaw of the pigeon is movable, unlike that of other animals. The beak is made up of dermis and epidermis and resembles skin under a microscope. This epidermis is very thick and contains both keratin and calcium, which gives the beak its strength and hardness. The tips of both the upper and lower beaks are very sensitive. Pigeons use their beaks to distinguish between food and other particles.