Exotic Animals - Minor Pests

Feral Pigeon

Family: Columidae

Scienitific names: Columba livia

Other common names: Rock dove, homing pigeon

Background

Feral pigeons are widespread throughout the world, having originated from Europe. Pigeons are currently located in all major cities within Australia, except Darwin. Feral pigeons thrive in human disturbed conditions, as they utilise buildings as nesting sites and consume scraps and other unwanted foodstuff.

Feeding

Pigeons are primarily seed-eaters, but they will eat scraps and other foods that they locate.

Breeding

In Australia, pigeons breed throughout the year. A mating pair can produce up to fifteen young per year, and may live for up to 15 years.

Impacts

Pigeons are not considered to have a significant impact on biodiversity, however they are known to compete with native birds for food. Nevertheless, pigeons are considered to be a public nuisance for a number of reasons:

• They will often nest in buildings where they make noise.
• They flock in areas where food is available, causing extensive mess and droppings.
• They have been associated with the spread of disease and parasites.
• On occasion, they may become an agricultural nuisance, although this is not common.

What You Can Do

If you have a problem with pigeons around your house, you might consider the following options:

• Avoid feeding your pets outside, as this attracts pigeons into your yard, where they are provided with a free meal.
• Always cover chicken pens to prevent access to pigeons. This discourages them from coming into your yard.

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