Mumbai’s relationship with its pigeons has become a real flashpoint. On Saturday, the city corporation (BMC) fenced off a popular pigeon feeding spot in Dadar, saying it was following state orders. By Sunday morning, protesters were on the march.
A crowd, with members of the Jain community at its heart, streamed from a Colaba temple toward the Gateway of India—a landmark where the pigeons are as much a fixture as the stone itself.
Their signs asked the city a simple question: why destroy the birds’ home? They argued that the pigeons aren’t a nuisance, but a harmless, living piece of Mumbai’s history.
This isn’t just on the streets, either; some activists are now taking the city to court to protect these feeding stations.
But public health experts warn that the city’s swelling pigeon population is not just an aesthetic concern. Studies have linked exposure to pigeon droppings and feathers to respiratory illnesses and fungal infections. In a recent Maharashtra legislative council session, a lawmaker cited a family member’s death from a lung disease associated with pigeon exposure.
In response, the state government is telling city officials to get tougher. Police have now filed a formal complaint against one person just for feeding pigeons, hitting them with public nuisance charges and for disobeying a public order.That’s not a small thing—a conviction could land them in jail for up to a year.
This whole fight just highlights a classic problem in our growing cities: where do you draw the line between caring for animals and protecting people’s health?
Pigeons have thrived in India’s cities. The 2023 State of India’s Birds report notes that the species has “successfully adapted to live in human habitation to nest on human structures, and to feed on whatever humans provide.”
For some, that adaptation now feels like an invasion. For others, it is a reminder of a cultural and spiritual bond with urban wildlife. The debate over Mumbai’s pigeons is unlikely to settle soon, as city authorities weigh health risks against heritage and sentiment.
