Trapping a New York City pigeon in a cage is a very effective way to make sure that you can dispose of it humanly. Causing suffering, and creating a potential hazard for other species is not a good way to go about disposing of a pest species. Also keeping a wild bird in a cage is cruel and high maintenance. So you should never trap a New York pigeon, unless you plan to kill it.

There are many companies who offer relocation services for New York City pigeons. This could be a kinder option. But won’t ultimately solve your pigeon problem. Getting rid of one pesky bird isn’t going to stop other pesky birds from moving in. Of course if you want to trap them and then have them relocated, you can. Often New York wildlife rehabilitators will find another place for the birds. However, if the birds are given to falconers they will be used to feed the raptors.

But none of that will ultimately solve your problem. Simply taking them to another location will only create a similar problem there. New York City pigeons can find their way back to ideal nesting areas over hundreds of miles. It’s one of the reasons they were used to carry messages for so many years. It is generally better to make it difficult, unpleasant or impossible for the birds to roost in the problem area. If you take away their food source, water and nesting opportunities the birds will move on, on their own. Then no trapping them in a cage will be necessary.

You also won’t have to kill them then. There are many ways to dissuade New York birds from nesting in your home. There are many products on the market to help with this, from wire netting blocking off potential nesting sites, to better means of garbage containment and disposal. If you still intend to trap them, and then make sure you kill them in the most humane way possible, and dispose of them safely. Poison is not a good option. Most poisons are still active in the corpse of the bird and can kill any scavengers who eat the New York City bird’s remains. Also most poisons available to kill pigeons have the most horrible effects on them, causing them to convulse terribly. It can be very disturbing for children or people to witness this. Many people believe that it is best to shoot New York pigeons. This is not recommended in urban areas though.

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