"Flying rat" the French call a bird who is known to all as "a bird of the world". It is about a pigeon. The name it the inhabitant of a huge number of the cities on the planet was given not for similarity to a rodent, and for a way of life. Of course, not those pigeons which are bred by admirers of these birds, and individuals who inhabit streets mean.
Reasons of an unusual nickname
Occasions to call pigeons "flying rats" a little. For example, habitats of a large number of pigeons are not so much city streets how many a dump and the place of a congestion of garbage. Of course, it is simpler to large packs to find food among waste, streets periodically clean up janitors, and places where pigeons are fed up by inhabitants not so much.
Eating on dumps, pigeons become carriers of a set of infections. Experts note that the most "harmless" disease which can be infected by a pigeon is an allergy. In some cases also such serious diseases as ornithosis are recorded. Such factor is the main reason for the nickname "flying rat". Rodents, as we know, are very strongly subject to various epidemics. Rats the real champions on the probability of infection of the person with infections, including deadly. Rodents move underground, take to the streets mainly at night. Meetings with them take place quite seldom. Pigeons not only carry infections, but at the same time also fly, thereby increasing the territory of potential infection several times more, than rats. These birds inhabit city parks, squares and streets.
The pigeon pollutes the environmentThe pigeon as any living being, leaves behind a dung. In places of a congestion of pigeons there are real mountains of natural "consequences". And it is not only about windowsills, asphalt, shops, but also roofs of houses and monuments of architecture. For cleaning of architectural objects even special crews and special equipment are employed. Cleaning of one monument sometimes lasts several days or even weeks.
The pigeon dung is considered one of the best fertilizers for the soil. On farms he is brought together especially for soil processing.
Experts note that the dung of a pigeon is not only garbage, but also very hazardous substance. It contains the high content of uric acid which is capable to corrode metals and to cause corrosion. Because of a pigeon dung at many people the allergy begins. It is caused by the fact that the dung after drying turns into dust which is promptly carried on city streets. The maintenance of a set of hazardous substances becomes the reason of burning of mucous membranes.
"Flying rat" or "world symbol"?The name "flying rat" completely contradicts the standard expression that the pigeon is "a world symbol". However these birds have much more merits, than shortcomings.
The attitude of the French to pigeons is very contradictory. On the one hand they call this bird "a flying rat", and with another – "dude".
The pigeon accompanies the person since the most ancient times. These birds are mentioned in mythology, chronicles and represented by the best artists of the world in the pictures. The pigeon is considered the messenger of the good news, this bird notified Nov on a water convergence from Earth. Changes of a civilization and outlook of people led to the fact that sacred qualities of pigeons began to be forgotten. The French expression "a flying rat" more often meets at characteristic of these birds.