Yes, you can eat pigeon eggs. They are safe if they come from your own domestic pigeons or a food business and are cooked thoroughly. Each egg weighs about 18 g, roughly a third of a medium hen’s egg, and the white stays almost clear when cooked. In the UK it is illegal to take eggs from wild or feral pigeons.
Size and appearance
A rock dove egg, the wild ancestor of town and domestic pigeons, is pure white and measures about 39 by 29 mm. It weighs about 17.8 g (BTO (opens in new tab)). The shell is smooth and glossy, and thinner than a hen’s, so it cracks easily.
The white is what makes pigeon eggs different. In a study comparing the eggs of six domestic birds, cooked pigeon egg white stood out because it set almost transparent rather than opaque white. It was also the firmest gel of the six (Sun et al. 2019 (opens in new tab)). So a cooked pigeon egg has a clear, slightly jelly-like white around a pale yolk.
Egg weight compared
About three pigeon eggs weigh the same as one medium hen’s egg.
Are pigeon eggs safe to eat?
They are as safe as other eggs from non-chicken birds when handled and cooked properly. UK food safety guidance for caterers says eggs from species other than chickens carry a higher risk of Salmonella. It says they should not be used in raw or lightly cooked dishes and should always be cooked thoroughly (GOV.UK (opens in new tab)). That rules out runny yolks or soft-boiled pigeon eggs.
Where the egg comes from matters more. Feral pigeons feed on scraps and can carry Salmonella strains that infect people (Haesendonck et al. 2016 (opens in new tab)), and nobody knows what an egg from a town nest has been exposed to. Only eat eggs from healthy domestic birds you keep yourself, or ones sold by a registered food business. Wash your hands after handling eggs and nest material.
Is it legal to take pigeon eggs in the UK?
In Great Britain, all wild birds, their nests and eggs are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. It is an offence to take, damage or destroy a wild bird’s egg on purpose, or to have one in your possession (Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (opens in new tab)). Feral pigeons and wood pigeons count as wild birds (GOV.UK (opens in new tab)).
Natural England issues general licences, such as GL41, that let authorised people (usually the landowner or someone acting for them) take or destroy the eggs of some species, including feral pigeons, for reasons such as public health and safety (GOV.UK (opens in new tab)). Those licences are for pest control. They do not allow anyone to collect eggs to eat. The legal options are eggs from your own domestic pigeons or eggs bought from a food business. For the rules on the birds themselves, see is it legal to shoot pigeons.
Outside the UK, in the US feral pigeons (rock pigeons) and Eurasian collared doves are not protected by the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act, but native species such as mourning doves are, along with their nests and eggs. State and city rules and animal cruelty laws still apply. In Canada, the Migratory Birds Convention Act covers mourning doves but not rock pigeons, and provincial rules also apply. In Australia, feral pigeons are an introduced species, while native pigeons are protected under state law. In New Zealand, rock pigeons and Streptopelia doves are unprotected under the Wildlife Act 1953, but native birds such as the kererū are protected. In Ireland, wild birds are protected under the Wildlife Acts, and pigeons may only be controlled under the annual ministerial declarations published by the National Parks and Wildlife Service. Rules change and vary by region, so check with your local wildlife agency first.
Why pigeon eggs are hard to find
A pigeon lays a clutch of one or two eggs, usually two, and a pair can raise several broods a year (BTO (opens in new tab)). That is far fewer eggs than a laying hen produces, which is one reason pigeon eggs are expensive and rarely sold. More detail is in how many eggs a pigeon lays and how long pigeon eggs take to hatch.
Pigeons also notice when eggs go missing. A pair that loses its clutch usually lays again, so keepers who want to stop breeding swap real eggs for dummy ones rather than simply removing them. If you want to hatch eggs instead, see how to care for a pigeon egg. The thin shells break easily in transport too, which makes them a poor fit for commercial egg production.
How to cook pigeon eggs
You can boil, steam, poach or fry a pigeon egg, as long as the yolk ends up firm. The clear, firm white looks striking when the egg is peeled and halved, which is why chefs tend to serve them whole rather than using them in baking. For a recipe that calls for one medium hen’s egg, you would need about three pigeon eggs.
Pigeon eggs are best known in Chinese cooking, where they appear in soups and banquet dishes. Traditional Chinese medicine credits them with various health benefits, but there is no good scientific evidence for these claims.
Pigeons in the kitchen
In Europe, pigeons were kept for meat for centuries, and young birds (squabs) were prized for their tender flesh. Squab is still farmed today, mainly for restaurants, though on a far smaller scale than chicken. Eggs were rarely the point, because every egg eaten is one less squab. For more, see pigeon farming and which pigeons you can eat.
Pigeon egg FAQs
Can you eat pigeon eggs?
Yes, if they come from domestic pigeons or a food business and are cooked until the yolk is firm.
Why is a cooked pigeon egg white clear?
Its proteins set into a clear, firm gel. A 2019 comparison of six domestic birds found that pigeon egg white stood out by setting almost transparent.
How big is a pigeon egg?
About 39 by 29 mm and 18 g, roughly a third of the weight of a medium hen’s egg.
Can I take eggs from feral pigeons to eat?
Not in the UK. Feral pigeon eggs are protected by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, and general licences only allow egg removal for pest control.
Are pigeon eggs safe raw?
No. UK guidance says eggs from birds other than chickens should not be eaten raw or lightly cooked.
Sources
References used for this page:
- BTO BirdFacts: Rock Dove. (opens in new tab)
- Sun, C. et al. (2019). Egg quality and egg albumen property of domestic chicken, duck, goose, turkey, quail, and pigeon. Poultry Science 98(10): 4516-4521. (opens in new tab)
- Commission Regulation (EC) No 589/2008, Article 4: weight grading of eggs (legislation.gov.uk). (opens in new tab)
- GOV.UK: Advice on safe storage, handling and use of eggs for catering. (opens in new tab)
- Haesendonck, R. et al. (2016). Feral pigeons: a reservoir of zoonotic Salmonella Enteritidis strains? Veterinary Microbiology 195: 101-103. (opens in new tab)
- Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, section 1 (legislation.gov.uk). (opens in new tab)
- GOV.UK: Wild birds, protection and licences. (opens in new tab)
- GOV.UK: General licence GL41, public health or safety. (opens in new tab)
Last updated 10 November 2026 · Hunting