As a kid, I always loved feeding pigeons at the zoo or in the park. As I grew up, I absorbed and internalized my parents’ annoyance with them. “Rats with wings,” they said. The birding community reinforces this attitude as well.
But an awful lot of people like them, Mr Wren among them. He reminds me of their close relationship to doves, and encourages me to feed them when we are in London or Venice or any other city where this is the tourist thing to do. So I guess I’ve returned to my roots as a child that loved all animals without prejudice, and enjoyed feeding and interacting with them all.
In that spirit, I give you the pigeons of Paris.
Update, 12/19/2010: I’ve retrospectively added this post to a new series, Pigeons of the World.
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Science guy – I think the problem is the sheer number of them. In an urban area they have few if any predators, and can overwhelm by their number. Crows, starlings, vultures, and grackles also have a problem when they roost in large flocks around people or housing. I don’t know if it’s leftover Hitchcock effect, but a lot of birds of any kind in one place tends to freak people out.
Mary – Thanks! My favorite photo is the kids feeding them. They were having such a good time, both people and birds.
And very lovely pigeons they are! Your street scenes really capture the feel and mood of the place.
I really don’t understand why people don’t like these guys.
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