Pigeons are everywhere and when we see them we would never think of them as a bird that would attack
They are more social, emotional and friendly birds
In fact, they are scared of us humans
But they’re not scared of cars because when I drive these pigeons don’t move away until the last second!
That is some bravery (I do slow down my car, stop and make sure they fly away before you think I try to run them over!)
Overall they are not aggressive at all
So an interesting question that is searched on the internet is – Do pigeons attack humans?
I’m sure every person would say – not a chance! They would never attack us
But here’s the thing
They could attack humans!
Surprised?
Carry on reading to discover all about the truths and facts
Do Pigeons Attack Humans?
Yes they can but very rarely
I mean pigeons love humans especially those that feed them
But in rare circumstances they would attack humans
They wouldn’t attack for no reason
If they do attack, they wouldn’t cause serious injury
Why?
Because they don’t have sharp beaks like crows or sharp talons
The worst they would do is hit you with their flapping wings
They may even peck and bite you
Good thing is if they do peck and bite you, it won’t cause serious injury
You may be thinking
Why would a pigeon attack a human?
Let’s find out
Why Do Pigeons Attack Humans?
Pigeons are usually afraid of humans
They maintain their distance from humans as you may have noticed if you have ever walked past them, they move away
They wouldn’t attack a human just for the sake of it
But in certain circumstances, they can become aggressive and attack humans
Let’s look at some possible reasons why pigeons attack humans
Food
A lot of people feed pigeons and they get used to being fed which leads to them coming back to your house and waiting for food!
Now if you stop feeding pigeons they can become aggressive and attack you
A single pigeon won’t attack but they usually attack in groups
Here’s another thing, they won’t attack adults
They would usually attack small children so do be careful if you have young ones with you around pigeons
Adolescent Pigeons
We all know how it is with human adolescent years and how difficult it can become
The same goes with pigeons too!
An adolescent pigeon may be more aggressive and violent than an adult pigeon
This can lead to attacks on humans
This aggression is triggered by the hormonal imbalance that they go through
Good news is, when they grow up they become calm, sweet and gentle again
Protecting their nest, eggs or territory
Any bird are territorial over their eggs, nest or territory and pigeons are no different
It’s their nature to be territorial especially when it comes to their nest, eggs
If they see a human coming close to their territories and see them as a threat, pigeons won’t hesitate to attack
Let alone humans, they would even attack other birds that are much larger than them
Recognize people who have shown aggression to them
Pigeons are really smart and they can actually recognize and remember humans
That is why feral pigeons would flock to a person who constantly feeds them
I’m sure you must have noticed some pigeons flocking on someones roof waiting for food
It goes without saying, if a person has shown aggression towards them, they would recognize them too and maybe would attack them!
What Happens If a Pigeon Attacks a Human?
As mentioned earlier, pigeons are not vicious like a hawk or an eagle
They are not predators but rather sweet and gentle
The most a pigeon would do is peck at you or flap their wings at you
This won’t cause any significant injury or anything
Do Pigeons Dive Bomb People?
Birds dive bomb people
Pigeons on the other don’t dive bomb
They’re not the type of birds to attack humans
If you’re interested, here’s 11 birds that dive bomb (Just so you can be cautious if you ever see a flock of them!)
- Mockingbirds
- Swallows
- Magpies
- American Crow
- Canada goose
- Gulls
- Owls
- Eagles
- Hawks
- Falcons
- Starlings
Is It Okay To Touch a Pigeon?
It shouldn’t be a problem to touch pigeon
Yes they do carry diseases but it’s very rare to catch a deadly disease just by touching them
Although, it would be difficult to touch a pigeon because the minute you go near them, they run away or would just fly away!
Wrapping Up
So do pigeons attack humans?
Not really
The only reason a pigeon would attack is if you go near their territory
If they do attack it wouldn’t hurt or cause any serious injury as pigeons are not made to attack or kill like a hawk or eagle
Just make sure you don’t go near their nest, eggs or territory or be prepared for an aggressive pigeon!
