Social Distancing
door Namitha Tresa Joppan
Everyone is familiar with the usual scenes on Dam square in Amsterdam with its crowds and large numbers of pigeons. However, with so many people staying at home during this pandemic there were far fewer pigeons to be seen on Dam square since they lost their main source of food. But birds are adaptable and will soon learn new behaviours for getting some food. One of these behaviours was taught by a woman who is a frequent visitor to the Dam. This woman taught the pigeons to come and sit on your hand or your shoulder when you feed them so they are now getting even closer than usual, in the hope that they’ll get some food. Since there is so little food for them at the moment, you will see hundreds of pigeons flying towards one bit of food. This woman taught the birds this little trick as a way of earning a bit of money. She sells passers-by pigeon food in exchange for a euro , and people will happily pay this to get the pigeons to eat from their hand.