No more feeding pigeons

[Widgy Lover]

We have new landlords where I live, and last week they told me I could no longer feed the flock of pigeons that I have been feeding for over 2 years. =( They said they are "a health hazard and pose a risk to the community." I love my sweet pigeons! And have taken care of them for so long. They even all have names and respond to them! They are not dirty, I change their bath water daily as well as put a sprinkler on that they love to lay under with one wing up and clean! I am so so heartbroken! =(( They are all still here, just sitting on my roof and porch looking at me with sad eyes. I am still filling their water and putting the sprinkler on for them though...stupid management didn't say I couldn't bathe them!!!!!!! How are they health hazards? They are all very healthy, all very shiny and clean with perfect shiny feathers, and not one even sneezes! I guess I have to do what they say, but I don't like this AT ALL! Maybe I should walk to the end of the empty field here and feed them discreetly from there. Although, 70+ pigeons are hard to be discreet with! My poor babies =(

[John_D]

Such a common problem that, sadly, we hear of or experience so often.

If you can feed your flock somewhere that no-one can claim they are a 'nuisance' that may be the answer.

There is very little illness that pigeons can cause in humans and only then if one is real up close and personal with a sick pigeon and doesn't take sensible precautions one should take with any possibly sick bird or animal - and if people don't like them, they ain't going to have anything to do with them. 90% of the stuff that's talked about them probably originates from pest control companies anyway, but people will pick up on something negative to complain about without ever questioning it. Like "Don't confuse me with facts!" It's the uninformed (and gullible) swallowing stuff shoved at them by the ignorant.

I've been feeding ferals for years (and give them plenty of baths ). I take in sick pigeons. I spend regular weekends cleaning up an aviary full of rescued pigeons. If I had pigeons in a closed environment for too long I could get problems from the feather dust and other particles, but that isn't going to happen outside in the fresh air to people who don't get close to pigeons.

As it is, I've never gotten sick from a pigeon - whether healthy or very ill pigeons.

John

[little bird]

I would lure them to the empty field for feeding. You will accomplish nothing by angering your landlord. He has the power to bring in exterminators on HIS property and you will be helpless to protect your flock. Perhaps the owner of the empty lot would not care if you feed and maybe he will never learn if he doesn't visit the property.I believe your flock is much safer away from a person ignorant enough to believe the pigeons will make humans sick.

[Charis]

John is right...we do hear this far too often. In fact, that's how I came to join this forum. I had also been told I could not feed the rehabbed pigeons that I had released from my own home. I understand how painful this is for you to deny the pigeons you have come to admire and love so much. In a way, they are your cherished family and denying them food and water is heartbreaking.
I'm really sorry and I understand.

[Jaye]

If, as littlebird suggests, you can find some adjacent off-property location and acclimate them to moving there, that might make the situation OK. They will catch on pretty fast.

[Ivor]

I had the same problem I was feeding my pigeons for over than 2 years, but my neighbors start complaining, I had problems with everybody, at the end I stopped but it was hard I was crying all the time, I still feed but only a few in my back yard, mostly small birds but I still miss the ones that were coming before, try to find another place if is possible, I hate when this things happen.

[SerendipityCA]

I don't have the same problem - YET - but something tells me that I could not continue what I'm doing for very long.

I live in a 3-story 24-unit apartment building. We have an apartment building on either side of us, and a big 1-story carport with a tarred over roof. Another apartment building on the other side of the block, faces over the carport roof.

I have been feeding pigeons by going down into the carport area and throwing seed up to the carport roof.

This morning when I went out, I looked up and saw 30 (yes, THIRTY) birds silently watching me from the edge of the roof of my building and the one next door.

I put the seed up (1 fistful for every 2 birds). The birds didn't fly down until I walked back down the driveway with my dog, then one brave guy swooped down, and carefully walked over and as soon as he started eating, all the others swooped in too.

AND...my apartment looks out over the carport, almost at eye level, and I usually have my windows open (they have screens though) and I swear, those pigeons know my voice and they fly down to the carport roof when I'm on the phone!!!

It's a good thing I have screens on my windows or I think the pidgies would fly in the window all "Hey you! Where's our breakfast?"

I have not been caught feeding yet, it's only been about a month, but many apartments look out over the carport so it's only a matter of time, and then the management will tell me to stop, and if I don't they'll exterminate.

So I have to go to plan B.

We used to have a really REALLY loud alarm on the door to the roof, but last week I was looking for some pidgie babies I heard squeaking in the lightwell, so I went up and thought "I'm going to go through that door even if it sets off the alarm" and - it didn't! So I went out onto the roof. Woo hoo!

I think from now on, I'm going to feed on the roof, where people won't see me. Of course, my cats will miss watching the pidgies but...I think I will be able to get away with that for longer.

What do you think???

[Jay3]

I think I'd be careful. If the management finds out, they could poison them. And thirty soon turn into fifty.

[SerendipityCA]

OMG, seriously? Thirty will become fifty? I mean, I don't really know what to expect. I do know that there are more hanging around than there ever were. Is there some sort of pidgie secret sign where they all tell each other where the food is? How the freak do they know???

Funny thing is, out of all the birds I feed (in two locations now), I only recognize two! But about 40 birds recognize ME now. So who's smarter :-)

There's a bunch that hang around the gas station around the corner from my apartment...I think they're getting to know me too because I usually give them a nosh. In fact, that area is in the line of sight of the roof of my building, so it's possible that the ones I feed there are double-dipping. They're so cute, they flutter at shoulder height when I'm standing there.

I'm cool at the bakery where I feed, I've trained the birds away from it and down the hill around the corner on the blind side of a bank building. I look out for muggles and police before I feed, and it's not that easy to see me doing it.

Why is it so hard to be kind to animals? Doesn't seem fair.

[Teresa]

Originally Posted by SerendipityCA

OMG, seriously? Thirty will become fifty? I mean, I don't really know what to expect. I do know that there are more hanging around than there ever were. Is there some sort of pidgie secret sign where they all tell each other where the food is? How the freak do they know???

Funny thing is, out of all the birds I feed (in two locations now), I only recognize two! But about 40 birds recognize ME now. So who's smarter :-)

There's a bunch that hang around the gas station around the corner from my apartment...I think they're getting to know me too because I usually give them a nosh. In fact, that area is in the line of sight of the roof of my building, so it's possible that the ones I feed there are double-dipping. They're so cute, they flutter at shoulder height when I'm standing there.

I'm cool at the bakery where I feed, I've trained the birds away from it and down the hill around the corner on the blind side of a bank building. I look out for muggles and police before I feed, and it's not that easy to see me doing it.

Why is it so hard to be kind to animals? Doesn't seem fair.

I agree with you, it's very unfair. But Jay3 has a very good point -- well-fed pigeons will breed more often and multiply, and any flying overhead will see the unmistakable signs of a dinner table laid out, and will join the others. This will make them, and you, more visible.
You probably don't worry much about getting into trouble because of that, if you're anything like me, but we have to worry at what may happen to THEM! The management may poison them, and any that escape may, by then, have become so dependent on you that they will find it difficult to forage elsewhere. It's awful that trying to help any creature might result in a death sentence to them in the long run, but sometimes it's just what happens.
Is there a park or a safer place nearby where you could feed them?

[Ivor]

That was the problem that I had before, I was feeding at least 10 of them, but after were more than 50 and is when I had problems, I still feed pigeons, around Embarcadero area in Downtown where I work, I just try to be careful that people are not around, because many people don't like pigeons, but is funny one time I saw a couple pigeons and I sat waiting until was clear because a lot of people was walking around, and my surprise was that it was a woman coming in my way, and had some seeds in her bag and start feeding the pigeons in front of everybody, I can tell that she work in one of the buildings, but I think was cute that I'm not the only one feeding pigeons in downtown, I know is a risk, but I try to do it when nobody is around.

And is true they recognize you, they can even recognize your car, I remember a store that I used to go and were pigeons there and they were coming to my car and were begging for food it was so cute to see those faces, they are so smart and can remember you for a long time even if you don't see them very often.

[Jay3]

Originally Posted by Ivor

And is true they recognize you, they can even recognize your car, I remember a store that I used to go and were pigeons there and they were coming to my car and were begging for food it was so cute to see those faces, they are so smart and can remember you for a long time even if you don't see them very often.

Yes Ivor, wouldn't it be wonderful if everyone could understand just how cute and amazingly smart these birds are. If everyone could appreciate them as we do? At one time, to me, pigeons were just pigeons. Just there, everywhere, you know? Then I kinda got stuck with 6 little orphans to raise. I didn't have to, but they would have died had I walked away from them. And I felt that every living creature should have a chance at life. Even a little fluffy pin feathered pigeon. Even if they did sit on my roof, filling my gutters with poop all year long, as they came for the seed I put out for the songbirds. Of course, it didn't take long before I felt bad and started throwing out seed for them too. Even rushing home from work in the winter time, because I knew that they retire earlier than some others, and wanted to make sure they had food in their bellies for the night. But raising them, gave me the opportunity to get to know them. Really know them, for the enchanting, funny, intelligent, pushy little characters that they are. I fell in love with them, and instead of building the much needed shed we had planned on this year, we built a loft and aviary. It is even becoming handicapped accessible for the little rescue I took in with a bad wing. Those other people who don't know them, don't have any idea of what they're missing. And you're right. They do know my car. As soon as I drive up in my driveway, they come flying in from where ever they were waiting. Yes, they're smart. Smart enough to train even us dumb humans, if just given the chance.

[auroraborealis]

Hello to all !

So, so sorry to here about this. I have the same problem here in Montreal. I started feeding one pigeon who was in a bad shape and was a loner. Now he's a very popular guy with the ladies and the leader of the pack! He tries to come alone early in the morning but he is usually followed by 8 to 10 pigeons. And yes, someone complained and we ended up with a warning from the inspector to change our feeders.
Here we cannot even feed pigeons in the park and you can also get a fine from doing this.

I have been feeding them for 2 years now well especially the little guy with no tail feathers who pecks on my toes and grunts at 6 am for his breakfast. and have been trying to fatten him up with vitamins and get those feathers growing back. This summer he came to me in a terrible shape and I think he got attacked by a cat again. He was too confident and started eating on the ground and even going looking for seeds under the pine tree!

Our idea is to catch him and try to get those feathers growing again, then release him and stop feeding the ferals.

I also think it's wiser to stop or do it very early in the morning. Some people are convinced pigeons carry contagious diseases and will not think twice before using poison.

Susan

[4zpigeons]

Be cautious of landlords and those neighbors that threaten harming these amazing creatures. I started with one and now have eighty-eight plus heads that peer from above... land on me to eat out of hand... They know my car, my schedule, my bedroom window, etc... I too have three in the 'infirmary'... and last night nearly adopted a young one that I later learned was too tired to fly 'home'... I am honored to have such an opportunity to share what I can with these flying creatures / however I watch for when to feed and clean-up as those uneducated will always throw a 'nasty' dart in the direction of our winged friends. ~ Also depending on where you live a 'bird of 'prey' may take to harming your flock... Some days its better to carry a little seed in hand and drop it when you can. They're smart - they'll find you. Good luck.
~ 4zp.

[SerendipityCA]

Oh boy, I don't think I thought it through.

So, as to the idea of feeding in the park, yes there is a very large (6 square blocks) park kitty-korner from my house here in San Francisco, but it is heavily used. A junior high school is on two of those six blocks, then two kids' playgrounds, a field house, and four softball fields and a tennis and basketball court. The one grassy area is used by the dog people (of which I am one) and also by people who rent it for picnics, birthday parties, etc. It's also right alongside a chainlink fence by the street. There isn't a single part of that park where I could feed without being seen sooner rather than later, by a LOT more people than see me now.

So, some bad news.

I posted on another thread that a month ago (exactly, July 29th) I was coming back from my own mother's memorial service with her ashes in the trunk of my car when I saw a dead pigeon in the driveway and stopped so I wouldn't run over it. That's the driveway that runs the length of my building back to the carport area where 22 cars park. My apartment overlooks the carport. The dead bird, I think, was one of the parents of some babies that were born on the 1st floor fire escape overlooking the driveway. So I picked him up and then took him (or her) and gave him a nice burial in the Presidio Pet Cemetery. I'm going to put a grave marker.

Anyway, I had been throwing some seed into the recess below the fire escape, not directly ON the driveway, but close, and I think I might have caused him to be hanging out there on the ground more, and contributed to his death. So I totally stopped putting food there, and started throwing it up onto the roof of the freestanding carport, which is about 10 feet high.

Every day when I walked down the driveway I'd see this bird looking down at me from the fire escape, and I'd say hi, but I couldn't throw food up to him because the owners have put mesh all over, and the fire escape has metal slats, so the food would just fall through and he couldn't get to it. I had the impression that it might be a baby. I heard baby squeaking noises over the last couple of months, and even went up to the roof to look down and see if I could see the babies but I couldn't. Anyway, his beak had a bump on it and he looked small, so I think he was a fledgling. I'm guessing one of his parents still fed him there because he didn't starve to death. I wish I had taken more of an interest in him though because come to think of it if no one had been feeding him he would have starved right under my nose. I just realized that as I'm typing this - why didn't I think of it???

Anyway there is a studio apartment RIGHT THERE, he's 2' outside their main window so I don't know - maybe the person in that apartment never opens his window, or doesn't mind pigeons.

So, getting to the point. Today I looked out my window and saw a small pigeon standing on the ground in the carport area (in front of the killer truck that had killed the other one). My flock almost NEVER goes down onto the ground, except in search of seeds I might have dropped, but they eat fast and leave. So, I went out to investigate, and it was the fledgling, and he had a big wound on the back of his neck. Right where the neck hits the shoulders, I could see it was red and raw. So I got a box and a towel. When I approached him he just sort of stood there, and I sort of lay on the ground and inched closer to him and got really close and he just closed his eyes. I used the towel to pick him up but I don't think I needed it, though he fought a bit when I put him in the box.

I took him up to WildCare in Marin and they said he'd been attacked by SOMETHING - the gash is really nasty and they weren't sure whether they were going to close it surgically, or put him down. They said that someone was there who could evaluate him, but a surgical team leader would be in tomorrow and would look at him then. I gave them a $100 donation and said he's a baby whose parent was killed, and I really want him to live, so I can release him back to the flock. They said they won't let him suffer so if he's in huge pain they'll put him down. I said, well a little pain might be worth it if he gets to live a long life though, right?

I called today and they didn't call me back so I'll call tomorrow and see.

Please think good thoughts!!!

And if/when I do get him back, I don't think he knows how to fly yet. But I'll post then, asking for advice.

By the way, somebody up thread talked about predators, and in fact I did go up to the roof and put seed out there, hoping to be more discreet, but I actually have to go to the third floor and walk up, and the building manager lives on the third floor and I think it wouldn't be long before he caught me going up to the roof or coming down. I could say I was just going up there to read a book but I think we're really not allowed up there. So if I trained them all to go on the roof, then I had to stop, that wouldn't be good.

While I was up there, I saw two crows hopping around. Do they prey on pigeons? Could they have been the ones who attacked the fledgling?

OK, I'm rambling on as usual...