Is it legal for me to trap a pigeon?
The legality of trapping pigeons is a question that is best answered by your state Department of Environmental Control, or Fish and Wildlife. As with so many things in the United States, each state determines its own law as far as dealing with problem, or pest species is concerned. There doesn’t appear to be a Federal law against trapping pigeons.
The truth is that the common pigeon is a very common bird. It was introduced to the Americas by early European settlers and has found this a perfect place to live. Although these birds have been man’s friend, carrying messages through the air in times of war, and have become a plentiful food source for many creatures, they can be a problem. Cities are ideal sites for them, since food water and nesting sites are plentiful. They have been added to many state’s lists of pest species and so it is not illegal to kill or trap them. Trapping them, to better dispose of them humanly is one of the kinder options.
However, you have to be sure that you’re catching the right bird, and not another species that may look very similar and might be on your state’s endangered species list. Pigeons of all kinds generally look similar and will be attracted to the same resources. So correctly identifying the birds is a very good start to making sure that you’re on the side of the law. Traps can also entice other species of seed eating birds and so have to be checked very regularly to make sure that you don’t accidentally catch the wrong bird. Causing distress or suffering is something that humane societies take very seriously, and they have been known to take legal action in severe cases. So make sure you know what you’re doing before embarking on any trapping yourself.
Another way to make sure you’re safe legally, if your bird knowledge isn’t all that hot, is to get a professional to come in and help you out with your trapping. They can correctly identify species and so don’t run the risk of accidentally trapping an endangered or protected species. It’s always safer to ask a professional rather than guess.
To determine exactly where you stand with the law in this regard, we recommend checking out your state’s website or your state’s Department of Environmental Control website.