We applaud those who show compassion towards the fat, feathered, bike-lane blocking disease bags that call our city home, be it the NYPD or a St. Francis stand-in. But saving a wounded pigeon is a Sisyphean effort: there's a good chance it will be euthanized, and there is no shortage of pigeons. "I think it's very nice that someone is willing to take care of these sick animals in the city," Dr. Charles Welcott, a former director of the Cornell Lab of Orinthology tells the Times. "But as a nasty biologist I think it probably doesn't make a difference in the big scheme." more ›

NYPD officers assigned to the World Trade Center site have been warned to stay away from "Fred," a brown and orange pigeon who reportedly has been dive-bombing officers. The Post quotes a supervisor at the First Precinct scolding his charges: "Your appearance in public has to be professional. We're receiving complaints about police officers' demeanor regarding a bird." Maybe Fred just wanted to dance? more ›

A self-confessed pigeon murderer has taken to the Brooklynian message board to chastise the "sinners" who feed the pigeons in JJ Byrne Park. Oh and also, he's slowly murdering the pigeons, claiming it is "for the greater good." FIPS aptly describes this man as the Dexter of the avian world. Here's his proclamation: more ›

After some anticipation, Mike Tyson's pigeon racing show finally premiered on Animal Planet this week. The former boxing champion's six-part series, "Taking on Tyson," has brought new attention to pigeon racing: the News takes a look at some old school "pigeon junkies" who keep birds on rooftops in Bed-Stuy. "People don't realize pigeons are just like dogs and cats. They think they're the same as the birds pooping all over their property," said Anthony Martire, who breeds and races homing pigeons. But not everyone is thrilled with the sport. more ›

PETA's latest public enemy #1, Mike Tyson, will be on the small screen this year with his pigeon show finally airing on Animal Planet starting in March. The show was filmed in Brooklyn, and documents Tyson's passion of pigeon racing. According to the Daily News, he has said "this show is all about the pigeons. I didn't even go to school, because I was bullied. That's when I discovered the birds." more ›

In more terrifying animal news (as if Rat Bite Fever weren't enough!): this article about an injured hawk in Stuyvesant Square Park features some fun urban wildlife facts. For example, did you know that pigeons have a parasite in their body that they can survive with, but will kill "anything that eats them"? This is mostly bad news for hawks and Mike Tyson, but mostly hawks, which prey on pigeons and rats (the recently injured one was first believed to have eaten a poisoned rat). Maybe everyone should just stick to barbeque chicken scraps. Or not, circle of life, etc. more ›

What does pigeon racing look like up close and personal? Well, we already sort of know, but now Brooklynite photographer Aaron Wojack has documented the subculture in still photographs. Check out all of his pictures here, and Animal offers up this amazing quote from pigeon-racer Mike Tyson: more ›

Feeding pigeons isn't illegal in the city—at least outside of the parks (and even inside the law is not often enforced). However, a Coney Island woman—59-year-old Sabina Mickiewicz—is now on the verge of losing her home after her neighbors and landlord have had it with her giving the birds breadcrumbs. more ›

Forget pigeon racing... we've got bigger pigeon worries now! According to the New York City Bar, there's a big pigeon-napping problem—allegedly they're getting trapped in nets, tossed in vans and either used in some voodoo ceremonies, served up as food in a restaurant near you, or most commonly, they're used as targets at shooting ranges. What's worse, pigeons that are shot at the ranges often land on neighboring roofs (see video below). more ›

Mike Tyson (that dude seriously loves pigeons) was PETA's last target in their war against pigeon racing, and now the organization is taking their campaign to the district attorney and police chief of each county where races occur. Their hope is that an investigation will occur and organizers will be forced to cancel future races. more ›

Last year Fort Lee, NJ Health Officer Steven Wielkotz turned to the chemical Avitrol to rid the area around town hall of pigeons. Avitrol "kills the pigeons by first causing them to suffer seizures and then cardiac arrest." Not exactly the best way to go, especially for Wielkotz, who actually ended up killing a slew of grackles instead. The Humane Society of the United States is now touting an alternative to curbing the pigeon population: pigeon birth control. more ›

PETA is urging New York City prosecutors to investigate Mike Tyson's reality television show about pigeon racing. (Also, Mike Tyson has a reality television show about pigeon racing). more ›

At first glance these new accessories line for men looked pretty cool... until we realized they were made from pigeons and rats! Avant-garde artist Reid Peppard uses "taxidermy crafted from road kill and pest controlled vermin," according to Boing Boing. Prices aren't listed on her site, but we're guessing that Rat Bowtie will cost you a pretty penny—its eyes were replaced with Swarovski crystals. more ›

Like jaywalking on city streets, it seems that the anti-bird feeding rules in city parks aren't enforced. According to the NY Post, the people who are supposed to enforce park rules only gave out five $50 tickets last year for bird feeding... out of 18,876 summonses and violations issued in total. And the Parks Department allegedly told the paper, "It's OK to feed the pigeons as long as there are no signs saying you can't." more ›

It was NY parks commissioner Thomas P. F. Hoving who dubbed pigeons "rats with wings," a term that fourteen years later was popularized by Woody Allen in his 1980 flick “Stardust Memories.” So surely there's some blood on their hands in the war on the pigeon community in New York (only recently was a National Pigeon Day established to combat the haters). more ›

The website Revel in New York hosts a series of pretty great original videos introducing you to some of the city's more interesting and quirky characters... like the Pigeon Lady! more ›

The pigeon gangs of Greenpoint are still at it! After one baby falcon was rescued from a bird-on-bird attack, our photographer Katie Sokoler informs us the violence is still going on. She tells us, "I came out of my apartment this morning and saw a baby falcon sitting on the railing of my stoop. It was so adorable but then suddenly a group of pigeons came down and started attacking it! I spent the whole morning kicking pigeon ass and finally captured the hurt falcon. But as I was walking back to my apartment, a woman ran up to me and told me that she saw a grown falcon down the street at McGorlick Park and it must be one of her babies. The falcon got frightened and jumped out of my hands and hid in some bushes by a church and now I can find the hurt lil' guy." Greenpoint, it's time to start a pigeon task force. more ›

Sunday may be Father's Day, but today is reserved especially for what Woody Allen dubbed "rats with wings" (the New York Bird Club is still demanding an apology from him). more ›

Pigeon keeping and racing has been a part of the city for a while, and finally someone has poured over all the ink that has been somewhat-recently spilled on this other American Pastime. Bed-Stuy Banana's rundown finishes with a link to Overlooked New York, which features profiles on some of the top pigeon keepers in the city. All 40 or older, they each seem to have a long, quirky history with pigeons (not street pigeons, mind you, which they refer to as "rats").

"I’ve had pigeons since I was a kid, but we didn’t have a coop on the roof back then; my mother wouldn’t let us up on the roof. So my brother came home one day with two milk crates, and he manufactured this thing and he put it on the window, and that was our pigeon coop." - Orlando more ›

A Queens man is suing the city for harassment after receiving $500 in fines for being “a public nuisance” by feeding pigeons in his back yard. 65-year-old Cecil Pitts lives off Social Security in the South Ozone Park house where he was raised as a boy. Now, since the death of his mother, his only companions are two elderly dogs and whatever pigeons descend for his twice-daily feedings. Got a box of tissues ready? Pitts tells the Times, “They are my whole life, because all my relatives are gone.” more ›

The MTA has been making an effort to warn commuters to watch their step going up and down the subway stairs, but it’s not just because they care so much about your safety – it’s because they can be held liable for your nasty falls. A former doorman has been awarded $7.67 million in damages resulting from a spill he took on the stairs of a Bronx subway station back in 1998. In this case the cause of the tumble wasn’t haste but rather a nice slimy pile of pigeon droppings. more ›

Citing the unsightly damage that pigeon poop does to the city, City Council Member Simcha Felder announced a bill proposal to fine people $1000 for feeding pigeons. Some of Felder's key remarks and findings: "Stop feeding pigeons!" "If people like pigeons... feed [them] in your house and let them crap all over the place in your living room." A pigeon creates about 25 pounds of poop annually. "[The pigeons] may go elsewhere. Let them... more ›