Hundreds of millions of feral pigeons live in urban environments worldwide, often subjected to cruel control methods that cause significant suffering.
Pigeons suffer disproportionately from human indifference and active persecution. Poisoning causes slow, painful deaths with seizures. Entanglement in discarded string and fishing line amputates toes and feet — a ubiquitous problem in urban pigeons. Spike installation traps and injures birds who land incorrectly. Yet pigeons are cognitively sophisticated, capable of recognizing individual human faces and navigating by landmarks. Humane management through fertility control and removing food sources is more effective and more ethical than lethal methods.