I'm seeing more and more roof-top cages with pigeons who will fly in formation and then return. I was on the elevated subway, and I could see one closer than I ever had. The pigeons, and there had to be at least 3 or 4 dozen, went into cages that had no insulation, nothing. Is this common and I know there are no laws protecting pigeons in NYC. Are these pigeons OK or are they being abused. I don't have any knowledge and would like to know. Thanks.
Kate

I would think the birds were ok. If they fly in a group - and return to the cages they must be being taken care of in my opinion. I suspect they'd leave if they were being abused. I'd be curious to see if any sort of wind break or shelter was provided when the weather turns colder.

Hugh

Hi Kate,

I think a lot of people in New york raise and breed pigeons and do so on rooftops. These would likely be homing pigeons or maybe roller pigeons. I don't think the birds are being abused, because generally people who raise pigeons want them to be healthy and they provide them with good food daily, unlike the wild/feral pigeons who have a much harder life. Now I'm not saying that everyone treats their birds the same or as best as they could/should be treated, there are always some who either can't afford to look after their birds the right way or simply don't know how to. Most pigeon fanciers are good people who know how to take care of their pigeons.

So, the bottom line I guess is it's really hard to say and without seeing how these birds are living for ourselves. I would still bet that the wild/feral pigeons have it much, much harder and especially now that winter is coming.

Kate, what you are seeing is probably the ''loft screen area'' and the birds have a real enclosed ''coop'' for the night roosting.
My friend Sal had one of the last roof coops in ''LittleItaly'' here in Manhattan and he had a real fight with the Health Dep't
about it cause the landlord changed with the sale of the building and the new landlord wanted to get rid of the coop. Sal
was from ''the old school'' ....he kept every rent receipt since the days he was a child & his Mother paid the rent. When
he produced a paper in Housing Court that proved he signed an agreement with the old landlord when he was a teen-ager
to pay and extra $5.00 per month rent to have the coop ......the judge found in his favor and he had the coop & his beloved
''flights'' until the day he died at age 82.

Believe me, these guys dearly love their birds.........many in the Bronx & Long Island & Brooklyn have racers & compete regularly.

Brad wrote:Hi Kate,

I think a lot of people in New york raise and breed pigeons and do so on rooftops. These would likely be homing pigeons or maybe roller pigeons. I don't think the birds are being abused, because generally people who raise pigeons want them to be healthy and they provide them with good food daily, unlike the wild/feral pigeons who have a much harder life. Now I'm not saying that everyone treats their birds the same or as best as they could/should be treated, there are always some who either can't afford to look after their birds the right way or simply don't know how to. Most pigeon fanciers are good people who know how to take care of their pigeons.

So, the bottom line I guess is it's really hard to say and without seeing how these birds are living for ourselves. I would still bet that the wild/feral pigeons have it much, much harder and especially now that winter is coming.

Thanks Brad. That makes me feel better. While I often see rooftop set-ups from a distance, the elevated subway train passed closer and my concern was that the cages have no covering but I guess the pigeons are OK or they would fly away.

Kate

Mariah wrote:Kate, what you are seeing is probably the ''loft screen area'' and the birds have a real enclosed ''coop'' for the night roosting.
My friend Sal had one of the last roof coops in ''LittleItaly'' here in Manhattan and he had a real fight with the Health Dep't
about it cause the landlord changed with the sale of the building and the new landlord wanted to get rid of the coop. Sal
was from ''the old school'' ....he kept every rent receipt since the days he was a child & his Mother paid the rent. When
he produced a paper in Housing Court that proved he signed an agreement with the old landlord when he was a teen-ager
to pay and extra $5.00 per month rent to have the coop ......the judge found in his favor and he had the coop & his beloved
''flights'' until the day he died at age 82.

Believe me, these guys dearly love their birds.........many in the Bronx & Long Island & Brooklyn have racers & compete regularly.

Thanks Mariah. Your friend Sal was a great guy. He certainly did love his birds. The area that the elevated subway line was going thru was Brooklyn. You've given me a good education on a loft screen area and night time coop.
So, I am worrying needlessly
Kate