# We're Poisoning Pigeons... **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 13, 2006, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-poisoning-pigeons/372571 "2006-09-13T17:57:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2006, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-poisoning-pigeons/372571/21 "2006-09-14T13:20:56Z")
You can catch ringworm and probably other fungal diseases from birds, but the ‘disease’ element of feral pigeons is largely due to the fact that they shit abundantly on everything, and that a buildup of any kind of animal feces in places frequented by humans is generally considered a health hazard. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2006, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-poisoning-pigeons/372571/22 "2006-09-14T14:15:56Z")
I did a cursory search before calling them “disease-carrying vermin” (I know my audience here 🙂 ), and yup, they are disease-carrying vermin. And yes, it is mostly the feces everywhere. Those are some festive festivals there, **Tucker**. I can see the banners now. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2006, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-poisoning-pigeons/372571/23 "2006-09-14T14:37:12Z")
[QUOTE=Mangetout] the ‘disease’ element of feral pigeons is largely due to the fact that they shit abundantly on everything, and that a buildup of any kind of animal feces in places frequented by humans is generally considered a health hazard. [/QUOTE] Yeah, that is it. In places where large amounts of birds congregate, you get huge heaps of guano. I was the assistant manager of a mall that had a pigeon problem. Every three months a guy with a red tail hawk would come in and fly his bird. I went up on the roof with him once. It was cool, as soon a the hawk was in the air every bird as far as the eye could see were taking off and heading away. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2006, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-poisoning-pigeons/372571/24 "2006-09-14T16:11:49Z")
I don’t get this story at all. What kind of banker doesn’t _love_ a deposit? Sailboat ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2006, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-poisoning-pigeons/372571/25 "2006-09-14T16:18:28Z")
I work nights, and as a consequence I am for the killing of _all_ birds. Damn tweety bastards. Pigeons are pretty quiet, though. I’d have started with bluejays. ---
**Author:** ![Surly\_Chick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Surly\_Chick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surly_Chick)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2006, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-poisoning-pigeons/372571/26 "2006-09-14T17:38:35Z")
[QUOTE=featherlou] I did a cursory search before calling them “disease-carrying vermin” (I know my audience here 🙂 ), and yup, they are disease-carrying vermin. And yes, it is mostly the feces everywhere. [/QUOTE] So what I’m reading here is that it’s not the pigeons themselves, but rather their poop that’s the issue. So all the hatred stems from them living in urban areas and not cleaning up after themselves. They’re just a victim of circumstances! If, say, pretty, little robins suddenly multiplied and moved in downtown, would they be labled disease-carrying vermin? Stop the pigeon bashing, people! Can’t we all get along? ---
**Author:** ![Surly\_Chick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Surly\_Chick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surly_Chick)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2006, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-poisoning-pigeons/372571/27 "2006-09-14T21:15:17Z")
Hmmm, upon review, perhaps I should have added a smiley to that post so you guys don’t think I’m a _complete_ loon. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2006, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-poisoning-pigeons/372571/28 "2006-09-14T21:22:52Z")
[QUOTE=Civil Guy] I’ve reported this before. The City of Long Beach, California, has (or had at one time) pursuaded a pigeon hawk to nest at the top of City Hall. Didn’t eliminate all the bird poop, but cut down on it quite a bit. The all-natural solution to your excess pigeon issues. [/QUOTE] And then when there are too many pigeon hawks, we just import Pigeon Hawk Eating Monkeys from Africa! ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2006, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-poisoning-pigeons/372571/29 "2006-09-14T21:37:40Z")
Ah, you’ve missed the best lines: We’ve gained notoriety and caused much anxiety In the Audubon Society with our games. They call it impiety, and lack of propriety, And quite a variety of unpleasant names; But it’s not against any religion To want to dispose of a pigeon… ---
**Author:** ![Aunt\_Flow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed655f/32.png) [@Aunt\_Flow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aunt_Flow)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2006, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-poisoning-pigeons/372571/30 "2006-09-14T22:28:42Z")
Am I the only one who actually likes pigeons? I love feeding them and I have pictures of myself sitting down, covered in pigeons 🙂 And you know what? They’ve never pooed on me. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2006, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-poisoning-pigeons/372571/31 "2006-09-14T22:48:55Z")
[QUOTE=Aunt Flow] Am I the only one who actually likes pigeons? I love feeding them and I have pictures of myself sitting down, covered in pigeons 🙂 And you know what? They’ve never pooed on me. [/QUOTE] The only good pigeon is one that has been braised with red wine and shallots. I like birds, in general, but pigeons are just frigging insane; I tried to eat a sandwich in a park in Bournemouth once and about a hundrend of them landed all over me; on my head, my arms, my shoulders, half-hovering and clinging to my clothes at front and back - the sandwich was gone in a fraction of a second and \*they were still at me; clawing and pecking, and staring sideways at me with their freaky orange eyes. I called out for help, but when I opened my mouth, _they tried to eat my teeth_. ---
**Author:** ![Surly\_Chick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Surly\_Chick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surly_Chick)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2006, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-poisoning-pigeons/372571/32 "2006-09-15T07:47:10Z")
[QUOTE=Mangetout] The only good pigeon is one that has been braised with red wine and shallots. I like birds, in general, but pigeons are just frigging insane; I tried to eat a sandwich in a park in Bournemouth once and about a hundrend of them landed all over me; on my head, my arms, my shoulders, half-hovering and clinging to my clothes at front and back - the sandwich was gone in a fraction of a second and \*they were still at me; clawing and pecking, and staring sideways at me with their freaky orange eyes. I called out for help, but when I opened my mouth, _they tried to eat my teeth_. [/QUOTE] It’s obvious to me that the poor things were half starved and there you were, blithely stuffing your face and not offering assist said pigeons in their hour of need. Sharing is caring, my pigeon-bashing friend. The entire, no doubt misrepresented, incident was - clearly - brought about by your selfishness and easily could have been prevented by a small charitable action on your part. Regards, Surly Chick Chairman, P.A.P.S. (People Against Pigeon Slander) ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2006, 10:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-poisoning-pigeons/372571/33 "2006-09-15T10:10:41Z")
[QUOTE=Surly Chick] Hmmm, upon review, perhaps I should have added a smiley to that post so you guys don’t think I’m a _complete_ loon. [/QUOTE] Too late.😛 ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2006, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-poisoning-pigeons/372571/34 "2006-09-15T10:34:35Z")
Our Pakistanis catch and eat the things. I try not to let the parrot see it. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slip\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f475e1/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slip\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slip_1)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2006, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-poisoning-pigeons/372571/35 "2006-09-15T10:58:50Z")
[QUOTE=Aunt Flow] Am I the only one who actually likes pigeons? I love feeding them and I have pictures of myself sitting down, covered in pigeons 🙂 And you know what? They’ve never pooed on me. [/QUOTE] I actually like pigeons too (but then again, I don’t have to live around them). I have a picture of me doing my statue in the “midnight in the garden of good and evil” stance, with pigeons all over me. The partner Slip (who took the picture) was squicked out by it, but hey, I washed up afterwards! (not poop, just where they were on my bare skin). The picture on my office wall is one of four pigeons outside the Galleria in Milan. It’s one of the best pictures I’ve ever taken, hands-down. Guess it’s one of my idiosyncrasies … I go on vacation and take pictures of flying rats 😃 ---
**Author:** ![betenoir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2006, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-poisoning-pigeons/372571/36 "2006-09-15T11:02:22Z")
[QUOTE=Aunt Flow] Am I the only one who actually likes pigeons? I love feeding them and I have pictures of myself sitting down, covered in pigeons 🙂 And you know what? They’ve never pooed on me. [/QUOTE] No you’re not. The main reason they’re disease ridden vermin is they hang out to much with us (the other disease ridden vermin). If it wern’t for them the cities would be even more berefit of wildlife. We should be grateful they put up with us. I remember many times walking in NYC and looking up to see flocks of pigeons flying in circles over the street, the sun catching their wings over and over …beautiful. You don’t see rats doing that. (And I’m sorry to be waxing lyrical in your black humor thread…hell, I love Tom Lehrer. 😃 ) ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2006, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-poisoning-pigeons/372571/37 "2006-09-15T12:07:07Z")
[QUOTE=Surly Chick] It’s obvious to me that the poor things were half starved and there you were, blithely stuffing your face and not offering assist said pigeons in their hour of need. Sharing is caring, my pigeon-bashing friend. The entire, no doubt misrepresented, incident was - clearly - brought about by your selfishness and easily could have been prevented by a small charitable action on your part. Regards, Surly Chick Chairman, P.A.P.S. (People Against Pigeon Slander) [/QUOTE] Truth in advertising~~ Her Board Name is **Surly Chick**. **Surly Chick**! **Surly Chick** is..a _Bird!_ She is…_a Pigeon Fellow Traveller_! A Spy in the ointment! Sieze her! ---
**Author:** ![slaphead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9bcb4/32.png) [@slaphead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slaphead)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2006, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-poisoning-pigeons/372571/38 "2006-09-15T12:25:16Z")
Huh. The average London pigeon makes rats look sleek, well-groomed and hygenic. Most of them are missing toes and/or complete feet (I think this is due to infected foot abrasions from walking on concrete), they are usually covered in oil and rancid grease from walking under cars and crawling over discarded food refuse, they eat everything from discarded fried chicken to old soggy chips to homeless person faeces and the remains of other pigeons squashed by traffic, and they shit uncontrollably over everything, most particularly pavements and buildings underneath their roosts. One of my early experiences of London was walking across Trafalgar Square on a summer evening when there had been some light drizzle after a prolonged dry spell. My boots were sticking to the pavement due to the layer of baked-on guano that was slowly liquefying in the rain. Nice. The one upside to a bird flu outbreak would be a mass extermination campaign against the damn things. ---
**Author:** ![Surly\_Chick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Surly\_Chick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surly_Chick)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2006, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-poisoning-pigeons/372571/39 "2006-09-15T13:54:38Z")
[QUOTE=Bosda Di’Chi of Tricor] Truth in advertising~~ Her Board Name is **Surly Chick**. **Surly Chick**! **Surly Chick** is..a _Bird!_ She is…_a Pigeon Fellow Traveller_! A Spy in the ointment! Sieze her! [/QUOTE] Only if you can fly!! Mwahahahahahahahahaha!!! I really need to get out more. ---
**Author:** ![Surly\_Chick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Surly\_Chick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surly_Chick)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2006, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-poisoning-pigeons/372571/40 "2006-09-15T13:57:50Z")
[QUOTE=slaphead] Most of them are missing toes and/or complete feet (I think this is due to infected foot abrasions from walking on concrete), they are usually covered in oil and rancid grease from walking under cars and crawling over discarded food refuse, they eat everything from discarded fried chicken to old soggy chips to homeless person faeces and the remains of other pigeons squashed by traffic… \ [/QUOTE] Once again, pigeons are being blamed for things the human race inflicts upon them. Will the injustice never end??? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-poisoning-pigeons/372571.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-poisoning-pigeons/372571.md?page=3)