Feral pigeons are among the most common urban wildlife, yet management approaches including culling, poisoning, and glue traps cause significant welfare harm to these often-overlooked birds.
Feral pigeons are often considered pests deserving no welfare consideration, but they are sentient birds capable of suffering. Lethal control methods — poisoning, shooting, trapping — cause significant welfare harm and are ecologically ineffective because territorial vacuums are filled rapidly by remaining birds. OvoControl contraceptive bait is both more humane and more effective at sustainably reducing pigeon populations. Glue traps, where used, cause severe suffering through struggling, self-injury, and hypothermia. Welfare-conscious urban pigeon management rejects lethal methods in favour of evidence-based contraceptive approaches.