# How dangerous would it be to catch and cook and eat a city pigeon? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 5, 2008, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-would-it-be-to-catch-and-cook-and-eat-a-city-pigeon/475918 "2008-12-05T21:23:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Bozuit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/edb3f5/32.png) [@Bozuit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bozuit)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2012, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-would-it-be-to-catch-and-cook-and-eat-a-city-pigeon/475918/41 "2012-02-17T18:05:19Z")
Catching a pigeon is extremely difficult and risky, as demonstrated in [this short documentary on the subject](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLSIU9BG41U). ---
**Author:** ![sitchensis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sitchensis/32/4892_2.png) [@sitchensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sitchensis)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2012, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-would-it-be-to-catch-and-cook-and-eat-a-city-pigeon/475918/42 "2012-02-17T18:10:28Z")
Ducks (and bears) that eat a lot of salmon eggs taste horrible, like rotten fish. Wild hares that live close to cities are noticeably different, and have a worse taste than wild hares with no human influence. ---
**Author:** ![Lukeinva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lukeinva/32/17872_2.png) [@Lukeinva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lukeinva)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2012, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-would-it-be-to-catch-and-cook-and-eat-a-city-pigeon/475918/43 "2012-02-17T18:21:42Z")
Hmm… the above posts have me thinking cows should be fed Montreal seasoning. ---
**Author:** ![Jake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2012, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-would-it-be-to-catch-and-cook-and-eat-a-city-pigeon/475918/44 "2012-02-17T18:39:06Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Probably a bit tough if roasted. More likely better in a stew. Mmmm… Squirrel Chili! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2012, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-would-it-be-to-catch-and-cook-and-eat-a-city-pigeon/475918/45 "2012-02-17T19:12:01Z")
Surely city pigeons are the same species as that which we raise and butcher and serve as squab. Squab is about my favorite meat in the whole world - it tastes a lot like foie gras. However, fattening the bird in captivity with grain and in clean conditions is a lot different than feral birds eating trash. I’m sure there’s a big taste difference. ---
**Author:** ![RetroVertigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@RetroVertigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RetroVertigo)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2012, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-would-it-be-to-catch-and-cook-and-eat-a-city-pigeon/475918/46 "2012-02-17T20:30:13Z")
When I was an undergrad, I worked for an environmental science firm that did inspections of abandoned buildings and property slated for redevelopment. In downtown St. Louis there are a plethora of these to walk, so I’ve seen my fair share. I can’t tell you how many squater fires we walked up on that had piles of pigeon carcasses laying around. Seriously, if I had to guess a number, a thousand wouldn’t be an exaggeration. So by my reasoning they couldn’t be that bad. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-would-it-be-to-catch-and-cook-and-eat-a-city-pigeon/475918.md?page=2)