As the weather gets warmer, Christopher Tsalikis has been using public benches in Melbourne’s south-east to enjoy a meal with his family.
What the Carnegie resident does not enjoy is the bird droppings surrounding them as they eat.
“You sit on these benches and they’re covered in crap and you think it is a little bit disgusting,” he said.
“You do see families have a bit of food left over … and think it’s normal to throw some food on the floor than chuck their food in the bin,” Mr Tsalikis said.
“It’s gotten much worse. There are birds that will jump on [the] table … or jump and grab your food straight away.”
The common pigeons found in Melbourne are an introduced species. (ABC News: Gabriela Rahardja)
In neighbouring Glen Huntly, Vicky Gallagher sees pigeons roosting on the eaves of local shops and defecating onto footpaths.
“I went for a walk … and nearly got pooped on by a pigeon. If I was 30 centimetres more over to my right, I would have got hit,” she said.
“It’s been a long-term problem, and it’s not nice.”
The two residents want their council, the City of Glen Eira, to educate the local community about feeding feral birds to help control the pigeon population.
Wild pigeons often look for food near busy shopping strips. (ABC News: Gabriela Rahardja)
Signs against pigeon feeding at problem locations
In the Glen Eira council area, it is an offence to feed wild birds and the council urges residents to report bird feeders.
This year the council has received 66 reports of unlawful bird feeding compared to 39 reports in 2023.
Also this year, the council has issued one warning and one infringement for feeding birds on private land.
A council spokesperson said an education campaign has been launched “to discourage the feeding of pigeons”.
The campaign includes installing signs that prohibit pigeon feeding at problem locations where people are more likely to do it.
The City of Glen Eira has installed signs on footpaths that warn residents against feeding wild pigeons. (ABC News: Gabriela Rahardja)
The council also said public roads and footpaths were swept daily to ensure cleanliness in public spaces.
“We also have a scheduled program of regular footpath pressure washing, with additional washes as required in response to reports,” the spokesperson said.
“Feral pigeons are attracted to areas where they have consistent access to food such as shopping strips,” Glen Eira chief executive officer Rebecca McKenzie said.
Ms Gallagher said she was yet to see any signs against pigeon feeding around Glen Huntly.
“I know that not everybody’s going to follow the rules and regulations but it probably helps,” she said.
The council said a similar warning sign will be posted in the suburb in due course.
The common pigeon is resistant to the bird flu virus. (ABC News: Gabriela Rahardja)
Bird feeding laws vary in each local government area in Victoria.
According to the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action, 14 of the 31 municipalities in Greater Melbourne have laws regarding feeding wild birds.
Is it just a pigeon problem?
While grey pigeons are often singled out as the main perpetrators for scavenging human food, bird experts say that isn’t the case.
The common, or Indian myna can be spotted in built-up areas. (ABC News: Gabriela Rahardja)
Holly Parsons from Birdlife Australia said common pigeons (also known as rock doves) were just one type of introduced species that people should avoid feeding.
“[They are] birds that are not native to the country. It has arrived either intentionally or unintentionally to Australia and become established,” she said.
Holly Parsons says feeding wild pigeons in public spaces can encourage the species to be highly dependant on human food. (Supplied: Holly Parsons)
Other introduced species living on local lands include the common myna, spotted dove, house sparrows, common starling and Eurasian blackbird.
Dr Parsons said feeding them could increase the numbers of introduced species and create too much competition for native birds.
“We tend to feed the birds that do really well rather than the birds that are less common.
“[Wild birds] can become very used to people and very demanding … they can harass people for food. You can get potential problems with swooping and injuries.”
Is bird flu a risk with pigeons?
Bird flu has caused the death of millions of chickens in Victoria this year, but pigeons are not among the species at risk of contracting the disease.
While types of avian influenza can spread to wild birds in Australia, avian veterinarian Phil Sacks said they were resistant to the virus and had the ability to “neutralise” it.
Phil Sacks says the common pigeon is not a “species of concern” when it comes to avian influenza. (Supplied)
“Avian Influenza is more of a concern to poultry species and water birds,” he said.
“Humans can contract avian influenza, but it is considered unlikely to happen with the current strains found in Australia.
“If exposed to contaminated birds or faeces … it is always wise to practice good hygiene when handling birds to prevent contracting anything.”
Dr Sacks, who runs Bird Vet Melbourne in Burwood, said pigeons were “gentle birds” with a “peaceful aura”.
“They are more intelligent and capable of bonding to a human than you might think.”