# British feral pigeons vs American feral pigeons- any difference?



## TitanicWreck (Jun 12, 2003)

Does anyone know offhand if the feral pigeons one would see in New York or Boston would be exactly the same as pigeons accross the pond in London or Glasgow? I hope to visit the UK next year, and when in London, plan on studying the pigeons, to see if they differ in any way from the local pigeons here in Boston...


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## kittypaws (Sep 18, 2005)

*The same*

They are the same am I sure. I once saw pigeons on a programme about Tibet where they were actively fed by the buddhist monks so they are everywhere and they all very similar - although colours etc and sizes will differ, plus if any fancy breeds may be interbred into them too.

There are plenty of pigeons in London so you'll have loads to study. 

Tania


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Tania has said it in one.

Mentioning Glasgow, though ... west of there are the islands called the Inner Hebrides, and one of them (Islay) hosts the true wild Rock Dove (or Rock Pigeon).

John


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

I have seen Dutch pigeons, and they are pretty much the same.

They all seem to speak the same language too!


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## LondonPigeon (May 10, 2005)

maybe only thier diets are a bit differnet?

the pigeons in London would eat more soggy chips than the ones in New York, and the pigeons in New York would eat more bagels


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

LondonPigeon said:


> maybe only thier diets are a bit differnet?
> 
> the pigeons in London would eat more soggy chips than the ones in New York, and the pigeons in New York would eat more bagels


Hi LP,

They will eat whatever is available, which is not the best food sometimes. Thank God for those good people here who feed their flocks the healthy standard pigeon mix.


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## LondonPigeon (May 10, 2005)

Trees Gray said:


> Hi LP,
> 
> They will eat whatever is available, which is not the best food sometimes. Thank God for those good people here who feed their flocks the healthy standard pigeon mix.


the bread and crisps might not have nutrients, but it will feed them and they wont starve 

I want to give them some sunflower seeds and washed peanuts on my balcony but they rarely come,


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## kittypaws (Sep 18, 2005)

LondonPigeon said:


> the bread and crisps might not have nutrients, but it will feed them and they wont starve
> 
> I want to give them some sunflower seeds and washed peanuts on my balcony but they rarely come,


LP - That's too sad  - I know you love pidgies and have an ambition to feel how soft and lovely they are - although those that may come onto the balcony may not let you - but keep putting the seeds and nuts out - once one knows there's food - another, and another may follow. 

Tania


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## LondonPigeon (May 10, 2005)

kittypaws said:


> LP - That's too sad  - I know you love pidgies and have an ambition to feel how soft and lovely they are - although those that may come onto the balcony may not let you - but keep putting the seeds and nuts out - once one knows there's food - another, and another may follow.
> 
> Tania


I wouldn't want to touch the wild feral pigeons as they aren't clean at all, you just have to look at most of them to see they are blackened by dirt , and they might have other things like mites

but the ones i would hold are the clean pets

the other problem is sometimes they leave their waste on our balcony and it makes a right mess, and you cant clean it


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## kittypaws (Sep 18, 2005)

*I'm sorry*

*


LondonPigeon said:



I wouldn't want to touch the wild feral pigeons as they aren't clean at all, you just have to look at most of them to see they are blackened by dirt , and they might have other things like mites

Click to expand...

*


LondonPigeon said:


> I'm sorry LP that you feel that way - most of the pigeons I see are clean and healthy looking ( and I live in London too) - I have never come across pigeons with mites although I know they can get them. I know some pigeons that live in busy towns and cities can get a bit dirty, but unless they don't have access to water ( Phil - I saw a few "sooty" ones in Vegas - which of course is in the desert and so not a lot of natural water around! ) they keep themselves clean, by bathing and preening. Pigeons and birds in are so lovely to watch when bathing. They will preen in the rain too - just like having a shower!
> 
> 
> I hope LP, that one day you will meet a "clean" pigeon that doesn't worry you and you can feel how wonderful it is to hold such a lovely bird.
> ...


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## LondonPigeon (May 10, 2005)

I seen some pigeons preen themselves, but also wash themselves, once I saw one having a shower in the fountain, and the bird raised its wing like it had an armpit 

it's good that the pigeons want to saty clean


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## TitanicWreck (Jun 12, 2003)

Sadly some US cities try to kill feral pigeons- sometimes natural means are used, such as introducing predatory birds. We have a few falcons in Boston that feast on pigeons.
How are the pigeons treated accross the pond in the UK? Are pigeons protected in the UK, or do the local British town governments try to thin thier numbers?Trafalgar Square must be a very popular social spot for pigeons.


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## LondonPigeon (May 10, 2005)

TitanicWreck said:


> Sadly some US cities try to kill feral pigeons- sometimes natural means are used, such as introducing predatory birds. We have a few falcons in Boston that feast on pigeons.
> How are the pigeons treated accross the pond in the UK? Are pigeons protected in the UK, or do the local British town governments try to thin thier numbers?Trafalgar Square must be a very popular social spot for pigeons.


where I live there are some controls from authorites to keep pigeons down, some guy with a hawk (i read) comes every so and so so the hawk can eat wild ferals

theres also some nest near by highup ona building of birds of prey 

and in traflgar square its illegal to feed them, the man who sold the pigeon feed that used to be there is no longer allowed


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## Rooster2312 (Mar 8, 2006)

I'm from the east coast of Scotland and not aware of any culling methods used to control our feral flocks. There are signs up in the city centre warning not to feed the pigeons, and during the summer months, when there are more people outdoors sharing their lunch with them, a loud 'boom' can occaisionally be heard to scare them off. The sea gulls here are seen as more of a pest problem than the pigeons (that I'm aware of). I have read reports that there is an egg culling scheme used to keep the numbers down. I personally like the gulls as I love all birds, but when the refuse is out in the city centre for collection, they really do make a mess by ripping the bags open.

Lindi


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## kittypaws (Sep 18, 2005)

TitanicWreck said:


> Sadly some US cities try to kill feral pigeons- sometimes natural means are used, such as introducing predatory birds. We have a few falcons in Boston that feast on pigeons.
> How are the pigeons treated accross the pond in the UK? Are pigeons protected in the UK, or do the local British town governments try to thin thier numbers?Trafalgar Square must be a very popular social spot for pigeons.


London Pigeon is right - The Mayor of London - Len Livingstone ( Boo hiss) made it illegal to feed pigeons in Trafalgar Square, but there is a small group of volunteers that do feed them everyday near the square which is not covered by the feeding ban. 

Regarding cities and councils - well some have lethal control and some don't. Where I live, the council have a non-destruction policy for all animals - but homeowners if they wish, if the animals are infringing on their property may use methods to control - but at the same time this must be underatken either by licenced pest controllers or if done by themselves by a non-lethal way. However we do hear stories about pest controllers not always being the most humane. 

I do know that pigeons are shot sometimes ( at night) to control numbers - haven't seen any poisoned ones luckily and not sure if that is actually allowed now. 

However not to put you off, over all the towns and cities in the UK - you will find pigeons - you shouldn't have to witness any kind of control as generally I think that is a last resort - some people do employ hawks but they say its just for scaring them and not for eating them!!!

Pigeons aren't protected as such except that it is against the law to remove eggs and nests of birds unless you have a licence and that includes pigeons (many building firms hold licences) but of course like any other any animal they are supposed to be protected under this act of Parliament
*
"that wild birds are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 which, makes it an offence to kill or injure a wild bird and it is also an offence under the protection of Animal Act 1911 to cause unnecessary suffering to a animal" *

So it gets a bit confusing, but people can be prosecuted for being cruel to a pigeon though if it ever got to court - I don't think I would quite believe it.

You'll have a great time here - we are known as a nation of animal lovers and I think the majority of us are so - there is often outrage and media publicity if an animal is badly treated.

Tania


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## seren (Apr 4, 2006)

am not sure if our town ( mid wales ) has any specific pigeon control but at the moment we have a problem with pigeons in the back alley of our office my boss tells me that rentokil are comming next week to sort them out and i have threatened to resign if any pigeons are hurt because of this .. my boss has now had to tell the people that we want the pigeons moved and not hurt or poisioned ... its a good job that i am so good at my job


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## kittypaws (Sep 18, 2005)

*Good for you*

Seren for standing up to your boss - I wonder what Rentokil will do - some of the stuff they do is just put up anti-perching spikes, or wire or sometimes netting. 

If they put up netting - make sure that it is regularly checked in case any pigeons get tangled up. That normally only happens when the netting gets torn so new should be Ok for a while. I think Rentokil, having the reputation they do, are slightly better than some pest control companies, although some methods they use are lethal - but hopefully that won't happen. 

Just make it your business to see what they do - hopefully it will just be anti-perching spikes and they are generally OK.

Tania


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