Pigeons! They eat our leftover bagels, fly past our heads with no regard for personal space, and embody New York City’s tough, loud, and enduring character.
We asked a few New Yorkers how they feel about pigeons, and opinions are mixed.
“Pigeons are pretty courageous. They are very friendly winged New Yorkers that carry a lot of aggression with them. They are family oriented and perpetually hangry.”
-Alexander Scelso, lifelong Brooklynite
“If you like white doves but you don’t like pigeons, that’s kind of racist.”
-Abbey Watt, current Queens resident
“Pigeons are rats with wings.”
-Cassie Sykora, lifelong Staten Island resident
“I was pooped on the first day I moved to NYC. Someone told me it was good luck, and I had the best time of my life living there! I don’t think of them like flying rats as some do.”
-Rew Garner, former Harlem resident
Any New Yorker who has lived here for at least a year is sure to have a pigeon story, whether it is spotting Mother Pigeon surrounded by the little fellows in Washington Square Park or being chased by a flock of relentless birds in the Grand Central Terminal. Love them or begrudge them, there is much more to these iconic birds than meets the eye.
For example, did you know that pigeons are actually Rock Doves? The reason that they like living in New York City is because the buildings and skyscrapers are like rocky cliffs to them. Of course, the enormous amount of food available to birds in the city attracts them as well.
Also, did you know that pigeons can group things by numerical order, and can be trained to recognize thousands of images?
Check out this video, “Why Does Everyone Hate Pigeons”, shared with us by Molly Hastings and Chrissy Word of City Parks Foundation. It was created by Joe Hanson for PBS Digital Network’s science blog “It’s Okay to Be Smart“.