Pigeons mate through a process called the "cloacal kiss," where the male and female birds touch their cloacas-an opening used for both reproduction and waste elimination. The male pigeon mounts the female from behind, and their cloacas briefly touch, allowing sperm transfer from the male to the female. This copulation is very brief, lasting only a few seconds
. Before mating, male pigeons prepare by producing more sperm, causing their cloacas to swell. Female pigeons get ready by crouching down to align their cloaca with the male's. The male often performs courtship displays such as cooing, puffing up feathers, walking fast-paced to attract the female, and sometimes feeding her by regurgitation as part of courtship
. Pigeons typically mate multiple times within a week to increase the chances of successful fertilization. After mating, the female lays eggs, which both parents incubate and care for. Pigeons are usually monogamous, mating for life and sharing nesting and parenting duties
