The Mongolians have a mainly nomadic culture and, consequently, the animals that you most often encounter in the countryside are horses (either in herds or solitary and in this case frequently with horsemen), camels (usually in herds and more rarely with riders) and, to a lesser extent, dogs, used for guarding and herding purposes. Pigeons (and other types of birds) are often found in the Buddhist monasteries and other buildings, while flights of birds can be seen in the skies over the great open spaces (eagles have not been included in our list).