Pigeons do not eat rats. The common rock pigeon, or feral pigeon (Columba livia), is not a predator and lacks the necessary physical and behavioral traits to hunt, kill, and consume a rodent as large and robust as a rat. The perception that they might stems from a misunderstanding of their diet and their shared urban habitat.
What Pigeons Actually Eat
Pigeons are granivorous birds, meaning their diet is based primarily on seeds and grains. In their natural habitat, they forage on the ground for seeds from grasses, weeds, and cultivated crops like corn and wheat. Their digestive system, including a crop for food storage and a gizzard for grinding, is optimized for processing this plant matter.
In urban settings, the pigeon’s diet shifts to reflect available resources, making them opportunistic omnivores. They consume spilled human food, discarded snacks, and bread scraps, which are primarily carbohydrate-based. Pigeons occasionally ingest small invertebrates, such as worms or insect larvae, to supplement protein, particularly during the breeding season. This behavior is scavenging, not active predation.
Pigeon Physical Limits and Predatory Behavior
The pigeon’s anatomy is adapted for a diet of seeds and grains, not for hunting prey. Birds of prey, such as hawks and falcons, possess hooked beaks for tearing flesh and powerful talons for grasping and killing. In contrast, the pigeon has a short, blunt, and soft beak, designed only for pecking and swallowing small food items whole.
Their feet are structured with three toes forward and one toe back, suitable for perching and walking. They lack the strong, curved claws required to capture and hold struggling prey like a rat. Furthermore, an adult rat is comparable in size and weight to a pigeon and is a formidable fighter with a powerful bite. A pigeon does not possess the instinct, size, or weaponry to engage in conflict with a rat.
Why Pigeons and Rats Coexist in Cities
Pigeons and rats share a relationship in cities as direct competitors, not as predator and prey. Both species are highly successful generalist scavengers, classified as synanthropic, meaning they thrive in habitats created or altered by humans. They are drawn to the same abundant, easily accessible resources.
The factor enabling their coexistence is the constant presence of human-generated food waste, such as overflowing trash cans and discarded litter. This shared food source allows both populations to flourish in close proximity, often foraging side-by-side in alleys, parks, and subway systems. Any interaction between the two species is usually competitive, involving simple avoidance to access the same patch of food.