Urban pigeons are among the world's most abundant city birds, yet face significant welfare challenges from population control methods, disease, and the human-wildlife conflict they frequently generate.
Urban pigeons occupy a complex position as urban wildlife simultaneously cherished and persecuted. Lethal control methods are often ineffective and cause unnecessary suffering. Evidence-based population management using contraceptive bait and managed dovecotes, combined with public education about feeding practices, represents a more humane and effective approach. Individual pigeons show strong site fidelity and pair bonding, suggesting capacity for suffering from social disruption.