Pigeons have been spotted flying south for the winter, confusing many who believed they stay in large flocks year round.

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“I just thought pigeons were there all year,” said local man Henry Preston. “But then I saw one fly by on its way to the southern states.”

Despite being mistaken for a common pigeon, a mangy bird flying south for the winter is a rare sight.

Local ornithologist, Frank Laney, speculated the bird may have been forced out of its territory by an interloper.

“I’m not surprised,” said Laney in his thick southern accent. “Pigeons are very territorial birds and I wouldn’t be surprised if one was seen flying south to escape trouble.”

So how do pigeons behave in winter?

Are they just as social as in the summer? Recent research has shown that pigeons engage in a feeding frenzy during the winter. It’s no surprise to see a starving pigeon going after food–a behavior typically observed during the breeding season.”

Another possibility is that birds who go south for the winter are extremely healthy. In fact, a study done by ornithologist Robert Paxton shows that for most birds, migrating north or south is a way of boosting their health and survival rate. “In this day and age, with high rates of cancer and heart disease, not all animals can afford to put themselves at risk,” said Paxton from his office in Chicago. “Animals need to be able to adapt quickly or else they’ll die out.”

“What’s the big deal about migrating, anyway?” asked Paxton. “The instinct to migrate is ingrained in all animals.”

So what does this say for the debate on climate change? One might think that if pigeons are migrating south for winter (when food sources are at their lowest), it means global warming is affecting our environment.