Our recent feral pigeon conundrum has stirred up quite a few opinions within the local community.

As an avid pigeon lover it pains me to see such hatred thrown towards an innocent creature. For centuries the humble pigeon has been man’s best friend in communication, being domesticated over 5000 years ago and still used up until recent times to deliver messages.

One famous example of such use is the homing pigeon Cher Ami (French for “dear friend”) who helped deliver a vital message that saved many lives during World War I despite being injured multiple times in its flight.

Yet as technology developed to provide speedier communications, the pigeon was left behind to fend for itself, where it has spent the past 50-plus years trying its best to survive in our urban sprawls.

Nowadays, cities and their residents across the globe consider the rock dove a “rat with wings”, a carryover from 1966 New York where officials needed a scapegoat for the recent meningitis outbreak.

Despite what many would believe, pigeons are no more a disease carrier than any other bird.

But alas, their reputation as dirty pests have unfairly followed them until the present day, and you will see plenty of this misinformation being perpetuated on social media. Reading through recent comments on the rapid growth of Albany’s pigeon population, I noticed one saddening trend: a lack of empathy.

Some mentioned just shooting the pigeons, others joked about turning them into pigeon pie.

All of this hatred directed towards innocent birds making the best of their harsh lives.

I can guarantee you wouldn’t find these same people making comments like this if the animal in question was more societally acceptable like a dog or a cat.

With much of the modern world experiencing a “crisis” of division between people, I believe that the disgust thrown towards and lack of care for another living creature is a symptom of a much larger issue.

It is all too easy for people to find themselves in an echo chamber nowadays, especially with the prevalence of online spaces shunning those who are different or think differently than that space’s zeitgeist allows.

As a staunch supporter of human rights and the belief that no one person should be treated unfairly based on their sex, gender, age, race, sexuality, or other attributes they cannot control, I often find myself on the pointy end of the political pitchfork for the same reasons pigeons do: a lack of empathy.

It seems all too difficult in our current society for humans to care for one another, and I can’t help but feel (and know) that this is exactly as intended by the system.

After all, who can blame the billionaires destroying our planet and hoarding wealth if we are too busy blaming each other for things we didn’t cause? People love a good scapegoat for their issues. It’s how they help themselves cope with the struggles of everyday life.

But I would urge those who direct their anger towards others to sit and reflect on what the core of your issues are. Do others really deserve your hatred? There is definitely an issue at hand here, but we must treat these kind and sweet animals with care and respect.

I am glad the City of Albany is finding “humane” solutions (only if it doesn’t involve killing), and I hope others can educate themselves not just about pigeons but about their fellow man. The world has enough hate in it already. There is no need to add more.

Morgan Brenzi

Little Grove

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