National Pigeon Day in New York
An Event to Educate People About Pigeons and Doves
Apr 13, 2009 Rosemary Drisdelle
The New York Bird Club has declared June 13 National Pigeon Day to showcase the city pigeon and its relatives, and to remember the contributions that pigeons and doves have made to human societies in the past. The club wants governments to make the day official.
Why National Pigeon Day?
Pigeons are often not spoken of with kindness. People refer them as flying rats, curse them for the droppings they leave on buildings and other structures, accuse them of spreading disease and collapsing bridges, and go to great, sometimes violent, lengths to get rid of them. National Pigeon Day is an attempt to set the record straight—an opportunity for public education. Supporters aim to improve the reputation of the city pigeon.
June 13, the day chosen as National Pigeon Day is the anniversary of the death of Cher Ami, a famous homing pigeon who received medals for his flights in France during World War I.
Why Do Pigeons Live in Cities?
Urban pigeons are descendants of the Rock Dove, a species that has adapted well to both domestication and life with humans. Humans brought Rock Doves into captivity, raised them for food, for pets, as homing and racing pigeons, and for show. Birds that were released or escaped became feral city pigeons. They’re happy to live with us, and many people are happy to have them around. They are a rarity—a pleasant and relatively harmless species of wildlife consistently found in human communities.
The Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology is now studying common pigeons to learn why they still come in so many colours after many generations in the wild. (The colour range was also created by humans who selectively bred the birds in captivity.)
Do Pigeons Carry Disease?
It’s true that pigeons can carry diseases and potentially pass them on to people, but so can cats, dogs, pet birds, even aquarium fish, and any other animal kept by humans or living close by. The Association of Pigeon Veterinarians has stated that keeping pigeons poses no greater health risk than keeping other animals or pets—having fleeting contact with them in the city is obviously even less hazardous.
There are three main diseases associated with pigeons: histoplasmosis, a fungal infection that poses a small risk to people who come in contact with pigeon droppings; cryptococcosis, a fungal infection of importance mainly to people with compromised immune systems; and psittacosis, a rare bacterial disease that is easily treated with antibiotics.
Why do so many people believe that pigeons are flying packages of disease? Probably because pest control companies have claimed repeatedly over the years that this is so.
The Problem with Pigeon Droppings
Pigeon droppings can discolour building facades if the birds are able to roost and nest on ledges. Droppings are corrosive, causing rust on steel structures, and it has been suggested that pigeons are responsible for bridge collapses. It’s usually possible, however, to deter them from landing where they’re not wanted by nonlethal means. And routine bridge maintenance—necessary in any case—should prevent or repair this type of corrosion along with all other structural damage to bridges long before it causes a collapse.
Pigeons are gentle birds, pretty to look at, fun to feed, and lovely to listen to. On National Pigeon Day, consider how much plainer the city would be without them.
Sources:
"Facts About Pigeon-related Diseases." New York City Department of Mental Health and Hygiene. nyc.gov
Firefly Encyclopedia of Birds. Perrins, Christopher ed. Buffalo: Firefly Books, 2003
"Pigeons in Combat" Pigeonsincombat.com
Canadian Pigeon Fancier’s Association. pigeonfanciers.ca
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