Londoners told City News they found the animals to be "unhygienic" and "flea-ridden."
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The RSPB says there is “no evidence” to support the idea that pigeons carry disease, despite Londoners’ negative perceptions of the ever-present birds.
The UK recently prepared five million doses of a bird flu vaccine in the case of a pandemic, sparking fears about feral pigeons spreading the disease to humans.
Londoners told City News they found the animals to be “unhygienic” and “flea-ridden”, with one lamenting the fact he was forced to vacate his apartment after pigeons made their home in his walls, attracting bugs and insects.
But are they diseased as people think?
Sian Denney from the RSPB told City News that confirmed cases of avian flu in pigeons are so limited that “they’re not really a species that we would say are a risk to people.”
Her advice to the public is “not to handle any live or dead wild bird” – the same she’d give for any wild animal.
An estimated 3 million pigeons live alongside us in London. CREDIT: AP PHOTO/ALBERTO PEZZALI.
Pigeon rescuer and enthusiast Ruhee Farook says the estimated 3 million pigeons that live alongside us in London don’t deserve their bad reputation.
She laments the way they are “vilified” and even abused. “We had a pigeon who was – poor thing – kicked by teenagers, almost to death,” she claims.
“People really don’t like them [pigeons] at all – they’ve got this really bad reputation which is so unfair.”
Ruhee Farook, Starlight Trust
Ruhee works as a volunteer for the Starlight Trust, who are now shifting their aim towards educating the populace on the truth about pigeons and dispelling myths about disease.
“Pigeons are semi-domesticated,” Ruhee says. “They were tamed by humans. Originally they used to live on cliffs – that’s why their scientific name is ‘rock doves’.”
“I think humans are very disconnected with the natural world. England is one of the most nature depleted countries in the world.”
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HeadlineLondoners wrong about ‘unhygienic’ pigeons, says RSPB
Short HeadlineRSPB: Londoners wrong about 'unhygienic' pigeons
StandfirstWith the UK preparing for a bird flu pandemic, the RSPB says there's "no evidence" that pigeons carry diseases.
The RSPB says there is “no evidence” to support the idea that pigeons carry disease, despite Londoners’ negative perceptions of the ever-present birds.
The UK recently prepared five million doses of a bird flu vaccine in the case of a pandemic, sparking fears about feral pigeons spreading the disease to humans.
Londoners told City News they found the animals to be “unhygienic” and “flea-ridden”, with one lamenting the fact he was forced to vacate his apartment after pigeons made their home in his walls, attracting bugs and insects.
But are they diseased as people think?
Sian Denney from the RSPB told City News that confirmed cases of avian flu in pigeons are so limited that “they’re not really a species that we would say are a risk to people.”
Her advice to the public is “not to handle any live or dead wild bird” – the same she’d give for any wild animal.
An estimated 3 million pigeons live alongside us in London. CREDIT: AP PHOTO/ALBERTO PEZZALI.
Pigeon rescuer and enthusiast Ruhee Farook says the estimated 3 million pigeons that live alongside us in London don’t deserve their bad reputation.
She laments the way they are “vilified” and even abused. “We had a pigeon who was – poor thing – kicked by teenagers, almost to death,” she claims.
“People really don’t like them [pigeons] at all – they’ve got this really bad reputation which is so unfair.”
Ruhee Farook, Starlight Trust
Ruhee works as a volunteer for the Starlight Trust, who are now shifting their aim towards educating the populace on the truth about pigeons and dispelling myths about disease.
“Pigeons are semi-domesticated,” Ruhee says. “They were tamed by humans. Originally they used to live on cliffs – that’s why their scientific name is ‘rock doves’.”
“I think humans are very disconnected with the natural world. England is one of the most nature depleted countries in the world.”
