The domestication of birds is a fascinating topic that has captivated historians and archaeologists alike. Birds have been an integral part of human civilization for thousands of years, providing food, feathers, and companionship. But when did this close relationship between birds and humans first develop? When were birds first domesticated?
The First Steps Towards Bird Domestication
The domestication of birds likely began over 10,000 years ago during the Neolithic period, when human societies first transitioned from hunter-gatherer lifestyles to settled agriculture. This major change in human subsistence patterns created new opportunities for animal domestication. As humans cultivated cereal grains, they created predictable food sources that wild birds could exploit. Gradually, some wild bird populations grew dependent on these human food sources and became accustomed to living around human settlements. This commensal relationship between birds and humans was the first step toward domestication.
Archaeological evidence indicates that chickens were domesticated from red junglefowl in Southeast Asia by 6000 BCE. Remains of domesticated chickens dating to around 5400 BCE have been found at the Chishan site in Hebei province, China. Chickens were originally domesticated for their meat and eggs, as well as for cockfighting. They were also valued for their feathers and chicken bone tools. Chickens were introduced to the New World by Europeans in the 16th century CE and are now the most widespread domesticated bird species in the world.
The Rise of Bird Keeping in Ancient Societies
As human civilization flourished, the keeping of pet birds for companionship, entertainment, and ritual purposes became increasingly popular. Caged birds were status symbols among the elite in ancient Egypt, China, Greece, and Rome. Archaeological remains show that a variety of bird species were kept as pets, including raptors, cranes, parrots, and songbirds.
The earliest evidence of bird keeping comes from ancient Egypt, where cage birds first appeared during the Middle Kingdom period (2050-1650 BCE). Egyptians kept native species like quail and cranes as well as exotic imports. Egyptian pictorial sources depict a variety of aviary practices, indicating sophisticated husbandry of pet birds.
Songbirds were popular pets in ancient Greece and Rome. Small finches and larks were often kept in cages. There is evidence that doves were bred selectively in captivity as pets going as far back as the 5th century BCE in Greece. Raising birds for competitions also became common in the Roman Empire – Pliny the Elder wrote about finch and quail breeders in the 1st century CE. Keeping cage birds was an elite pastime that demonstrated wealth, sophistication, and exotic tastes.
Pigeon Breeding and Dovecotes
The earliest domesticated bird is widely believed to be the rock pigeon. Archaeological evidence indicates that rock pigeons were likely domesticated around 10,000 years ago in the Mediterranean region, derived from wild rock doves that nested on cliffs. People captured wild rock doves and eventually began intentionally breeding them for food.
Rock pigeons were one of the earliest birds to be domesticated due to several key characteristics:
– They nest in cavities, which allowed them to be housed easily.
– They are social birds that breed well in captivity.
– Their natural cliff habitat was easy to mimic with artificial housing.
The dovecote is the traditional housing structure for domesticated pigeons and doves. Dovecotes were generally tall circular or square structures with nesting boxes or pottery jars built into the interior walls. Some ancient dovecotes could house over 1,000 birds.
Pigeons and doves provided a reliable source of meat and eggs for many human cultures across Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. However, over time, they became more valued for producing guano fertilizer from their droppings. Selective breeding of pigeons as messenger birds and for ornamental traits became popular in the 1800s CE.
Today, rock pigeons are bred as racing homers and fancy breeds, no longer for their meat. However, some dove breeds are still raised on farms for their meat and in laboratories for medical research. The long history of pigeon domestication provides insight into the animal husbandry practices of ancient human societies.
Waterfowl Domestication
Several waterfowl species were domesticated at least 3000 years ago, especially to produce feathers and meat. The greylag goose is one of the oldest domesticated waterfowl. Remains of greylag geese have been found in Egyptian tombs dating from 2500 BCE. In ancient Rome, geese were fattened up with dried figs to produce the fatty liver delicacy known as foie gras.
The mute swan was domesticated in ancient Greece and the Near East around 1000 BCE. Mute swan remains have been found in Iron Age archaeological sites across Europe. However, it appears swans were initially domesticated as exotics for royalty rather than food. It was not until the medieval period that swan meat became a luxury food at banquets among the aristocracy.
The common duck is another early domesticate, though its origins are still debated. Genetic evidence suggests mallards were domesticated in southeast Asia as early as 4000 years ago before spreading across the world. Duck bones found in Iron Age sites in Europe indicate they were raised for both eggs and meat by Celtic tribes. Ancient Egyptians were also raising domesticated ducks by 2000 BCE.
Overall, waterfowl proved excellent candidates for domestication because of their hearty nature, fast maturation, and tendency to imprint on their caretakers. Their meat, eggs, and feathers were valuable commodities across many ancient societies.
Geese in Ancient Egypt
Among ancient Egyptian animal domesticates, geese held special significance. Beginning in the Old Kingdom period (circa 2575-2150 BCE), Egyptians kept domesticated geese primarily for their meat and eggs. However, geese also had symbolic meaning and were associated with the god Amon. Geese with ornate plumage were sometimes mummified as offerings.
Egyptian farmers pioneered techniques for force-feeding geese to fatten their livers. A wall painting from 2500 BCE depicts this practice, which was likely used to produce early foie gras. Fattened goose liver was a luxury food reserved for pharaohs and elites. Later in the Middle Kingdom, Egyptians wore linens made from goose down.
The greylag goose is believed to be the main species that the ancient Egyptians domesticated from the wild Nile goose. It was ideal for domestication because of its large size and tendency to imprint on humans. Egyptian farmers kept flocks of geese that grazed on the stubble of harvested wheat fields. Goosekeepers would even ferry their flocks across the Nile in small boats.
Overall, geese were an integral part of Egypt’s agricultural economy and culture for thousands of years. From foie gras to feathered linens, geese provided essential food and textile goods that supported trade and hierarchy in ancient Egyptian civilization.
Ancient Rome: Finches, Quail, and More
In ancient Rome, domesticated birds filled a variety of roles, from entertainment to food production:
– Finches, canaries, and parrots were popular as pets among Roman elites. They were often kept in ornate cages as companions or status symbols. Some sources wrote about bonding with pet birds and teaching them to mimic human speech.
– Quail were raised in large aviaries for food. Their eggs and meat were considered delicacies. Quail fighting, like cockfighting, was a popular form of entertainment. Quail were also force-fed to produce fatty enlarged livers.
– Peacocks were imported from India as exotics to grace the gardens of the wealthy with their colorful plumage. Specially bred mute swans were kept in ponds and pools as decorative animals.
– Chickens provided eggs and meat. Roman agricultural manuals recommended optimal practices for housing, feeding, and breeding chickens on country estates.
– Geese and ducks were raised both for food and as guard animals. Romans force-fed geese to fatten their livers just as Egyptians had done.
– Pigeons were kept in dovecotes and bred as messenger birds. Pigeons delivered results from distant chariot races back to Rome.
– Ostriches, brought from Africa, were displayed in menageries and raced in arenas for spectacle. Ostrich eggs and feathers were also popular luxury goods.
Birds thus occupied many functional and ceremonial roles in ancient Roman culture, demonstrating the civilization’s extravagance, engineering, and control over nature.
Feathers in Ancient Societies
Birds were first domesticated for meat and eggs, but over time their feathers became equally prized resources in many societies:
– In ancient Egypt, feathers from local waterbirds and ostriches were used to make writing quills, fans, and ornaments. Feathers symbolized truth and justice and were worn by pharaohs and priests.
– Elaborate featherwork was a hallmark of ancient Mesoamerican civilizations. The Aztecs and Mayans sourced feathers from scarlet macaws, quetzals, turkeys, and local waterbirds for headdresses, cloaks, and shields.
– Hawaiian featherworkers crafted capes, helmets, and standards using vivid feathers from over 250 native species. These feathers were so prized that accessory birds were raised specifically for their plumage.
– In the Andes, the Inca reserved the feathers of the sapphire-tinted hummingbird for royalty. These tiny feathers were woven into dazzling tunics, headdresses, and jewelry.
– During the Renaissance, European nobility wore hats and clothing decorated with ostrich plumes and rare egret feathers. Feathers denoted wealth, status, and panache at royal courts.
– In imperial China, civil servants wore ceremonial hats with pheasant tail or peacock feathers that denoted rank. Rare black crane feathers were so valued they were stored in golden boxes.
Whether as writing implements, art media, status markers, or sacred symbols, bird feathers have held both practical and symbolic significance for humans across cultures and history.
Raptors and Falconry
Falconry, the sport of hunting with trained raptors, arose in Central Asia over 4,000 years ago before spreading rapidly. Saker and peregrine falcons were the most prized birds for hunting small game and waterfowl. Falconry became a status symbol among aristocracy worldwide:
– Nomads on the Asian steppe depended on falconry for subsistence and supplied breeding raptors to neighboring civilizations.
– In ancient China, royal families practiced falconry and traded peregrine falcons as diplomatic gifts. Chinese falconry employed specialized bird abatement techniques.
– Persian nobles trained Lammergeier vultures to hunt gazelles in the 6th century BCE. Saker falcons often represented royalty in ancient Persian art.
– Arab falconers pioneered specialized raptor breeding and training techniques that spread through medieval Europe. The Normans brought falconry to Britain from France in the 11th century.
– Native American tribes like the Cheyenne practiced falconry using local birds of prey such as the prairie falcon and red-tailed hawk.
Falconry training techniques demanded specialized knowledge passed between generations. Raptor breeding also facilitated early innovations in avian medicine and husbandry. Over centuries, the sport of falconry relied on the domestication of wild raptors to create uniquely skilled human-bird hunting partnerships around the world.
War Pigeons
Beyond transporting messages, pigeons have also played unexpected roles in warfare throughout history:
– During the Siege of Paris in 1871, Parisians used messenger pigeons to get mail past the Prussian blockade. The Prussians employed hawks to hunt the pigeons.
– Julius Caesar used pigeon messengers during his conquest of Gaul in the 1st century BCE. He sent results of the Siege of Modena back to Rome via pigeon post.
– By World War I, all major powers had pigeon units attached to their armies. Pigeons carried vital information from the front lines with high success rates.
– WWII anti-aircraft units and submarine crews released pigeons to report their position if under attack. The pigeon Cher Ami saved 200 American lives by delivering a message despite lethal injuries.
– The United States maintained 54 pigeon breeding lofts with 60,000 birds during WWII for coastal patrol and message transmission.
– Both American and Soviet Union spy agencies employed camera-equipped pigeons during the Cold War to gather intelligence on each other.
Thanks to their homing ability, speed, and altitude range, pigeons have seen surprisingly widespread use as feathered information operatives during wartime. TheySaved countless lives by maintaining vital communication channels when other options failed.
Cormorants for Fishing
The domestication of cormorants for fishing provides one of the oldest known examples of avian aquaculture. River cormorants were historically trained for fishing in China, Japan, and other parts of East Asia:
– Archaeological evidence dates cormorant fishing in China and Japan back over 1,300 years. Traditional Chinese paintings depict the practice as early as the Song Dynasty (960 – 1279 CE).
– Fishermen would attach a snare around the neck of a cormorant, preventing it from swallowing larger fish. The bird would then be released to hunt and return with the catch.
– Ancient Japanese texts refer to specialized breeds of cormorants called umiu developed for docility and fishing ability. Umiu were property of nobility during feudal Japan.
– At their peak in the Edo period, over 26,000 Japanese fishermen worked with cormorants, hauling in substantial catches from rivers and lakes.
– Cormorant fishing continued into the 20th century before declining. Today it persists as a cultural tradition and tourist attraction in just a few Japanese and Chinese villages.
The cormorant’s skill as an aquatic hunter was honed over centuries into an effective human-avian, fishing partnership unique to Eastern Asian traditions.
Conclusion
Bird domestication was a global phenomenon that transformed human society. The intertwined history of birds and humans can be traced back over 10,000 years and continues to evolve today. Though initially reared for food, birds became vital contributors to communication, warfare, status displays, clothing, and more as civilizations developed. At the root of this relationship was a growing mastery of avian husbandry, medicine, and training techniques. Birds provided an essential bridge between humankind’s earthly existence and the independence symbolized by flight. With over 10,000 species on Earth, birds will continue to entrance us with their beauty, companionship, and usefulness for ages to come.
