The kindness trap: How pigeon feeding is posing a major public health crisis in Hyderabad

Public pigeon feeding in Hyderabad, though seen as kindness, can cause severe lung diseases. Experts warn that droppings and feathers release harmful spores, leading to allergies, irreversible lung damage, and infections, particularly affecting vulnerable groups like children, elderly, and the immunocompromised

Hyderabad: Sometimes, even kindness can have unintended negative consequences. Just like in Mumbai, people in Hyderabad have a soft corner for pigeons, a sentiment that has fueled numerous unofficial feeding spots across the city. However, the general public is largely unaware of the significant public health crisis that this open, widespread feeding could create.

The major reason for the recent decision by Mumbai High Court to intervene and put a stop to the practice of feeding pigeons in public spaces was a report by experts that presented scientific and medical evidence and raised public health concerns.

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The report provided evidence suggesting that pigeon droppings and feathers were causing irreversible damage to lungs, causing hypersensitivity pneumonitis, allergies that are leading to respiratory failures.

“Dry pigeon droppings and minute particles from their feathers are known to travel in the air for long distances. There is a need to create awareness on the irreversible damage to health that pigeon droppings, feathers and dried fecal dust cause,” says Dr Vyakaranam Nageshwar, senior immunologist and founder of World Allergy Foundation.

Pigeon droppings, when dried, release fungal spores such as Histoplasmosis, Candidiasis, and Cryptococcosis. These airborne spores enter the human body via inhalation, leading to a host of allergic conditions ranging from asthma and sinusitis to more severe complications like Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis (Pigeon Lung).

Prolonged exposure can result in permanent lung damage, often requiring extensive medical intervention, and in some cases, leading to life-threatening interstitial lung disease, Dr Vyakaranam said.

The most vulnerable pigeons are those with compromised immune systems, such as elderly, pregnant women, young children and persons who recently underwent transplantation or are suffering from chronic heart and kidney ailments.

The risk is not just from direct contact but also from inhaling the dust from dried droppings and feathers, making public feeding of pigeons hazardous.

Health ailments:

· Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis (Pigeon Lung/Bird Fancier’s Lung)

· Causes inflammation of lungs due to an allergic reaction

· Happens when we inhale proteins from pigeon droppings, feathers and dried faecal dust

· Long-term exposure causes chronic irreversible lung damage, fibrosis and respiratory failure

· Cryptococcosis infection causes severe pneumonia-like symptoms

· Leads to bacterial and fungal infections

· Pigeons vigorously outcompete other species

· Native bird species are pushed out where the pigeon population is high