Pigeon lays egg on stove in New Zealand

It was a normal Sunday afternoon at Pat Cowie's place. Until a pigeon laid an egg on the stovetop.

The pigeon popped in an open door at Pat's Evans Street home, climbed 14 stairs (leaving an incriminating trail of pigeon poo on the way), turned hard left at the top, wandered into the kitchen, and chose a smooth ceramic stove top as the ideal location for a spot of ovular action.

Pat was outside when the pigeon arrived and didn't know she had a bird burglar until she wandered into the kitchen. It took a moment to register the pigeon was there, let alone the fact it had laid an egg.



The pigeon then made herself at home on the benchtop, investigated the pot plants on the windowsill, and partook of a little post-egg preening.

But, after submitting to an intensive photo session, she became unsettled and began flying. Concerned she might hurt herself, the family opened doors and off she went, leaving the egg behind.

While pigeons can lay two eggs, often a day-and-a-half apart, this may have been her first and only. As for abandoning the egg, it's the cock bird's job to sit during the day. The hens take the night shift.