Having worked in Manhattan for most of my working life, I learned that if you spend a lot of time walking outside in public areas such as parks, there’s a pretty good chance you will fall victim to pigeon poop in your hair or on your clothing at one time or another. They’re everywhere: waddling through the streets, on every statue or monument, windowsills, you name it, they are there.  I’ve heard them referred to as “flying rats.” Not very well liked and considered a nuisance.  

Pigeons and doves are part of a bird family called Columbidae. However, we feel differently when we think of doves compared with pigeons. Feral pigeons, also known as city doves, are the ones that are most adapted to urban life.

After moving to Florida and working in downtown Orlando, I often walked around Lake Eola at lunchtime, where you will find many different species of birds, including pigeons, of course. One day as I started my walk around the lake, I spotted a pigeon frantically walking back and forth. As I got closer, I saw that there was another pigeon lying on the ground presumably dead. The first pigeon was attempting to rouse the other one, unfortunately to no avail. It looked as if the live pigeon, more than likely the mate, was looking for help. I was surprised at the amount of empathy I felt for this … pigeon. It broke my heart, and I wished I could help somehow, but of course, I could not … so I continued my walk. After I completed the 9/10-mile circle, I saw that it was still there and continuing its same frenzied attempt at reviving its mate. Although this was about 10 years ago, it’s still a vivid memory, and it recently popped back into my mind.

Since then, I learned that pigeons are monogamous and mate for life. If one dies, however, the survivor will try to find another mate. They are also incredibly intelligent. They can problem solve, navigate complex routes and deliver messages. I have read that their level of intelligence is comparable to AI. The very thing that makes them such a nuisance to humans is that they use man-made structures as safe havens for roosting and making their nests, which also includes making a mess of things unfortunately. It’s as though we’re doing their work for them, and why not? After all, we used them for years delivering messages. During wartime, they were used as carrier pigeons delivering vital messages to commanders of the military, thereby saving many human lives.

When I was growing up in Brooklyn, my uncle raised pigeons and belonged to a pigeon club. How he loved his pigeons! It was a constant source of ridicule from his wife, who was sure his pigeons were more important to him than she was. His pigeons competed in races with others in the club, and the club had many activities, so it was very much the center of their lives. Many years later, I turned on my television at the exact moment that a story began. It started by showing hundreds of pigeons in flight and the newscaster saying, The Thoroughbreds of the Skies … and then talked about groups who bred pigeons and, at that time, they were a dying breed. Much to my surprise … there was my uncle! After being introduced, he proudly talked about his beloved pigeons for about 10 minutes. His pigeons had made appearances in movies and other televised programs, such as political events. One of the many funny stories about my uncle, which involved his pigeons, was that he had planned to release a bunch of his white doves for one of his grandchildren’s weddings. However, when he went back to the limousine with the pigeons, it had been stolen, along with the birds.

So, flying rats or not, like it or not, pigeons are a part of our lives and have been for many years, and it appears they have earned that right.