To Feed or Not to Feed: Urban India’s Growing Pigeon Dilemma and Its Impact on Health, Heritage, and Habits
To Feed or Not to Feed: Urban India’s Growing Pigeon Dilemma and Its Impact on Health, Heritage, and Habits
Once revered for their service and symbolism, pigeons now pose growing urban challenges, from health risks to heritage damage.
Pigeons dominate urban environments not by chance but due to evolutionary luck: their cliff-dwelling ancestors found city buildings to be perfect nesting grounds. Add to that the abundant food waste and water, and these birds have turned our cities into breeding havens, laying eggs up to six times a year. Cities like Jaipur, Delhi, Mumbai, and Ahmedabad are seeing a pigeon boom that affects daily life, public health, and historic architecture.
While once celebrated, even decorated with medals during World War II for carrying vital messages, pigeons have become a double-edged symbol in Indian cities. The Albert Hall Museum in Jaipur, for instance, had to battle pigeon stains and structural damage, trying everything from falcons to nets. Municipal corporations across India are cracking down too: Delhi has mulled over banning feeding spots, Thane fines violators, and Pune levied penalties against open-space feeders.
Why the boom? Pigeons are resilient. They feed anywhere, nest on nearly anything, and even produce a nutrient-rich “crop milk” for their chicks, giving them an edge over other birds. They’ve outcompeted sparrows and mynas in places like Bengaluru. Yet their acidic droppings corrode infrastructure, block gutters, and create slip hazards.
Public health concerns are mounting. The droppings can trigger bird fancier’s lung, histoplasmosis, cryptococcosis, and psittacosis, all infections that can affect the lungs and, occasionally, the brain. While current infection rates are low, experts caution against complacency due to the increasing pigeon population.
The challenge is tangled in culture and faith, pigeon feeding is a revered act in many communities. But as experts warn, the unchecked growth is leading not just to nuisance but to long-term threats to both human health and urban heritage.
