Think about what cities would be like without the help of feral pigeons. These birds are flying street cleaners. They gobble up tons of bread, popcorn, and other human leftovers each year. And pigeons have become part of the urban landscape around the world. They provide many city dwellers with beauty and companionship.
Pigeons have a bad reputation in cities.
Some people think they're dirty and harbor diseases. But city birds know how to keep clean. You can often see them taking baths. Pigeon droppings can create problems on buildings or statues if allowed to accumulate in large amounts. The droppings also can harbor diseases unless they are regularly washed away.