How does the composition of pigeon milk differ from cow’s milk or other animal milks?
Pigeon milk, or crop milk, is not true milk. Both parent pigeons make it in the crop under the hormone prolactin. It is a semi-solid, cottage-cheese-like mass of fat- and protein-rich cells, higher in protein and fat than cow's milk and with little or no carbohydrate (no lactose). Reported figures vary by source and stage, so there is no single set of numbers.
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In this article
What is pigeon milk made of?
Crop milk is a secretion of the crop lining. During breeding the crop wall thickens and cells filled with fat droplets detach into the crop, where they form a pale yellow, semi-solid mass somewhat like cottage cheese. Cow’s milk, by contrast, is a liquid emulsion of fat droplets in water.
How does pigeon milk differ from cow’s milk?
| Feature | Pigeon crop milk | Cow’s milk |
|---|---|---|
| How made | Holocrine: whole cells shed from the crop lining | Apocrine secretion from the udder |
| Form | Semi-solid, suspension of cells | Liquid emulsion |
| Protein | Much higher (published figures vary, roughly 9 to 19 percent) | About 3 to 4 percent |
| Fat | Higher (published figures vary, roughly 4 to 13 percent) | About 3.5 percent in whole milk |
| Carbohydrate / lactose | None or only trace amounts reported | About 4.5 percent lactose |
The pigeon figures come from several sources that disagree, and composition changes over the first days of feeding. Cow’s milk values are typical textbook figures. Treat the numbers as approximate.
Who makes it, and how is it controlled?
Both male and female pigeons produce crop milk. Prolactin, the same hormone that drives lactation in mammals, controls the thickening of the crop. Doves and flamingos also feed young this way, and in emperor penguins only males do.
Is pigeon milk used as food or medicine for people?
No. It is food for young birds. We found no reliable evidence that humans use it, and the claims that it treats colds, asthma or arthritis, or boosts immunity, are not supported. Do not collect or eat it.
How long are chicks fed it?
Young pigeons are fed crop milk early on, with other food added later. Exact timing varies by species, so we give no fixed number.
How does it compare with other animal milks?
The big differences are structural: it has little or no lactose and is not a liquid. Mammal milks all contain lactose, with proportions of fat and protein that vary by species.
People also ask
Is pigeon milk real milk?
Not in the mammal sense. It is a crop secretion made of shed cells, though it is controlled by the same hormone, prolactin.
Does pigeon milk have more protein than cow's milk?
Yes, reported figures are several times higher, but they vary by source and stage.
Can humans drink pigeon milk?
It is not a human food and there is no evidence for health claims. Do not try to collect or consume it.
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