What Eats Pigeons? The Natural Predators of Pigeons and Their Eggs

Pigeons are eaten by birds of prey, mammals and some other birds. The main predators of adult pigeons are peregrine falcons, hawks such as the sparrowhawk, goshawk and Cooper’s hawk, large owls and cats. Rats, crows, magpies, raccoons and other nest raiders take eggs and squabs, and people hunt and cull pigeons too.

Please note: this article is general information and is not a substitute for advice from an avian vet or a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. If you have found an injured or sick bird, contact a vet or your local rescue (see our list of pigeon-friendly rescue centres).

Dark feral pigeon with red eyes and a glossy green and purple neck

Pigeon predators at a glance

Predator	Where	What it takes	How it hunts
Peregrine falcon	Worldwide; cities, cliffs and coasts	Adults in flight	Fast dive from a high perch
Sparrowhawk, Cooper’s hawk	Gardens, parks and woodland edges (Europe; North America)	Adults, mostly taken by the larger females	Surprise attack from cover
Goshawk	Woodland and farmland	Adults	Surprise attack, often near trees
Eagle owl and other large owls	Mainly Europe, Asia and North Africa (eagle owl)	Roosting adults	At night
Large gulls	Coasts and towns	Weak or young birds; dead pigeons	Grab on the ground
Crows and magpies	Almost everywhere	Eggs, squabs, sometimes juveniles	Raid nests
Cats	Towns and gardens	Adults on the ground, fledglings	Stalk and pounce
Foxes	Towns and countryside	Birds on the ground, lofts	Stalking, raiding lofts
Rats	Towns, farms and lofts	Eggs, squabs, sometimes roosting adults	At night, in nests and lofts
Weasels, raccoons, opossums	Weasels in Europe and North America; raccoons and opossums in the Americas	Nests and lofts	Climb or squeeze in
People	Worldwide	All ages	Hunting, trapping and culling

Sources: Drewitt and Dixon (2008); Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife; RSPB species pages; Wassink and Hingmann (2010); Keijl (2011).

Birds of prey

Peregrine falcons

The peregrine is the best-known pigeon hunter. It dives on flying birds from a high perch, and tall buildings in cities work as well for it as sea cliffs. Cornell Lab of Ornithology lists pigeons among typical peregrine prey, out of hundreds of bird species recorded.

In cities, pigeons are often the main food. A study of peregrines in Bristol, Bath and Exeter from 1998 to 2007 identified 5,275 prey items: feral pigeons made up 42% of them by number and 63% by weight. The same study found evidence that urban peregrines also hunt at night, using city lights. Pigeons are fast fliers (see how fast pigeons fly), but a stooping peregrine is faster.

Sparrowhawks, goshawks and Cooper’s hawks

Hawks of the genus Accipiter hunt by surprise, using hedges, trees and buildings as cover before darting out at their prey. The RSPB says sparrowhawks have adapted to urban green spaces, so gardens and parks suit them. Female sparrowhawks are much bigger than males, and it is mostly females that tackle pigeons; the RSPB’s species page shows a female on a woodpigeon kill.

The larger goshawk takes pigeons, crows, squirrels and rabbits, according to the RSPB. In North America the Cooper’s hawk is the main hawk in towns: in a survey of 367 members of the American Racing Pigeon Union, it was the raptor most often blamed for attacks on racing pigeons, and urban Cooper’s hawks also feed on feral pigeons.

Sparrowhawk-type hawk in flight, showing barred underwings and a long banded tail

Do buzzards eat pigeons?

Sometimes, but pigeons are not their usual prey. The RSPB says common buzzards eat mostly small mammals, birds and carrion, and even earthworms and large insects when other food is short. A buzzard is more likely to eat a pigeon it finds dead, or a sick bird, than to chase a healthy one. In North America, “buzzard” is often used for vultures, which eat only carrion.

Do kestrels eat pigeons?

Rarely. A kestrel weighs 156 to 252 g, according to the RSPB, which is less than a feral pigeon. Kestrels hover over grassland to catch voles and mice and also take small birds, worms and insects. An adult pigeon is too big for most kestrels, although a young or weak one may be taken.

Kestrel flying above two pigeons near a rooftop

Owls

Most owls eat small mammals, but the biggest species take pigeons at their roosts. A study of eagle owls in the Netherlands and western Germany from 2002 to 2009 identified 4,918 prey items: woodpigeons were the main prey, at 37% of the total and 81% in January, and homing pigeons replaced them in summer. Pigeons see poorly in the dark and sleep in exposed roosts (see how pigeons sleep), which makes them easier to catch at night.

Owl with mottled brown feathers peering out from behind a tree trunk

Other birds

Do seagulls eat pigeons?

Large gulls do kill pigeons, though not often. In 2011 the Dutch seabird journal Sula described a yellow-legged gull seizing a feral pigeon at a café in Cádiz, Spain; the author noted that gulls usually catch young, weak or small birds, with a few individuals specialising in larger prey. Gulls also eat dead pigeons. See pigeons vs seagulls for how the two birds compare.

Do crows and magpies kill pigeons?

Crows and magpies are nest raiders more than hunters. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife notes that crows sometimes eat juvenile pigeons, and both birds take eggs and squabs from open nests. Magpies also chase pigeons off food; see do magpies kill pigeons. A pigeon pair usually lays two eggs (see how many eggs a pigeon lays), so losing a clutch is common.

Mammals

Do cats eat pigeons?

Yes. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife names domestic cats as the main urban predators of pigeons. Cats stalk pigeons feeding on the ground and catch fledglings that cannot yet fly well. Pet cats often kill without eating their catch.

Even a small scratch from a cat can kill a bird: bacteria in cat saliva cause blood poisoning, so a pigeon caught by a cat needs antibiotics quickly, even if it looks unhurt (see below).

Long-haired cat sitting on bare ground outdoors

Foxes

Red foxes live in many towns as well as the countryside, and they eat almost anything, including birds caught on the ground and carrion. They also raid poorly secured pigeon lofts and dovecotes, as they do chicken coops.

Do rats eat pigeons?

Rats eat pigeon eggs and squabs and can kill adult birds roosting in a loft or a low nest at night. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife lists rats among the animals that eat pigeons when they can reach nests or catch adults. Rats in a loft also spoil feed, so pigeon keepers use mesh fine enough to keep them out.

Weasels, ferrets, raccoons and opossums

Weasels and their relatives, such as stoats, mink and feral ferrets, can squeeze through small gaps into lofts and nest sites. In the Americas, raccoons and opossums climb to nests on ledges and in roof spaces. All of these take eggs and squabs and will kill adult pigeons they can reach.

Humans

People have kept and eaten pigeons for thousands of years, and in some places they are still shot or trapped for food, sport or pest control. Hunting on a huge scale drove the North American passenger pigeon to extinction: the last known bird, Martha, died at Cincinnati Zoo in 1914, according to the Smithsonian. Town pigeons today are more often culled or trapped than eaten.

Do predators control pigeon numbers?

Not by much. Feral pigeons can raise four or five broods a year when food is plentiful, and wild pigeons seldom live more than three years, so populations replace losses quickly (see how long pigeons live). Research from Italy, summarised by Drewitt and Dixon, found that urban peregrines did not reduce local populations of feral pigeons, collared doves and other common birds. Food supply matters more: where people feed pigeons, numbers stay high. Read more about feral pigeons.

Found a pigeon attacked by a predator?

A pigeon that escapes a cat, hawk or fox may look fine and still be badly hurt. The Wildlife Trusts and the RSPCA advise:

If a cat caught it, act fast: cat bites and scratches cause septicaemia, and the bird needs antibiotics, ideally within 4 hours.
Put the bird in a cardboard box with air holes, lined with a towel or kitchen paper, and keep it somewhere dark, warm and quiet.
Do not give food or water unless a vet or rescue tells you to.
Contact a vet or wildlife rescue straight away. Call ahead, because not every vet treats wild birds. See what to do if you find an injured pigeon for more.
Wash your hands after handling the bird.

Protecting pigeons in a loft or aviary

Keepers lose most birds to hawks and to animals that get inside. In the American Racing Pigeon Union survey, lofts at the edge of woods suffered the most raptor attacks, and most fanciers said attacks happened at any time of day. Shut birds in before dusk, cover the aviary with a solid roof or mesh, and use mesh with openings no larger than about 1.25 cm to stop rats and weasels; see keeping pigeons as pets.

Frequently asked questions

What eats pigeons?

Peregrine falcons, hawks such as sparrowhawks, goshawks and Cooper’s hawks, large owls, cats, foxes and large gulls kill adult pigeons. Rats, crows, magpies, raccoons and weasels take eggs and squabs.

What is the main predator of pigeons in cities?

Cats and peregrine falcons. Wildlife agencies name domestic cats as the main urban predator, and in UK cities feral pigeons made up 42% of peregrine prey items in one long study.

Do hawks eat pigeons?

Yes. Sparrowhawks (mainly females), goshawks and, in North America, Cooper’s hawks all kill pigeons, usually by surprise attack from cover.

Do cats eat pigeons?

Yes. Cats catch pigeons feeding on the ground and fledglings. A pigeon caught by a cat needs antibiotics from a vet quickly, even if it looks unhurt.

Do owls eat pigeons?

Large owls do. In the Netherlands and western Germany, woodpigeons were the main prey of eagle owls, and homing pigeons were taken in summer.

Do rats eat pigeons?

Rats eat pigeon eggs and squabs and can kill adults roosting in a loft or low nest at night.

Sources

We checked each source on 3 November 2026.

Last updated 3 November 2026 · Hunting