Urban Wildlife

Urban Pigeon Management: Welfare and Coexistence

Urban pigeons are among the most mismanaged urban wildlife species, with lethal control programs consistently failing while welfare-friendly approaches including contraception and exclusion demonstrate better outcomes.

Key Facts

Urban pigeon populations are self-regulating — culling simply creates space filled by immigration and breeding
OvoControl contraceptive bait effectively reduces populations by 50% over 2-3 years
Pigeons are highly social animals with pair bonds lasting for life
Pigeon spikes and netting exclude birds from buildings humanely without lethal control
Urban pigeons are the descendants of domesticated rock doves and are not classified as wild birds in most jurisdictions

Welfare Considerations

Lethal control programs for urban pigeons — including shooting, poisoning, and glue traps — cause unnecessary suffering without achieving sustained population reduction. Birds dying from poison ingestion experience prolonged suffering; glue traps cause extreme distress, injury, and slow death. Welfare-centered approaches achieve better population management outcomes without these harms.

What You Can Do

Support OvoControl contraceptive programs rather than lethal pigeon control
Advocate for city policies that use exclusion and contraception over lethal methods
Never use glue traps for pigeon control — they cause extreme suffering
Report glue trap use to local animal welfare authorities
Support wildlife-friendly building design that uses exclusion to prevent nesting without harm