Are there REALLY that many pigeons in Venice?
 

I'm watching Samantha Brown's Passport to Europe tonight and she's in St. Mark's Square just overcome with pigeons - they're everywhere! They're in people's hair, on their shoulders, just gives me the shudders. We were in Venice 5 years ago, and we never saw one! We went to St. Mark's in the evening, and then the next day in the rain. Could that be the reason? I am deathly afraid of birds, and if they came afluttering around me, I would be WALKING on the waters of those canals! Planning to go again next March, so any advice?

You can avoid them. The pigeons in St. Mark's Square are there because people like to feed them and some actually want the pigeons to land on them.

There are vendors in the square that sell food (which I learned was laced with birth control to somewhat control the population)so tourists can feed the birds.

If you stay away from the areas with the vendors and the people feeding the birds, you will be just fine. Its isolated to that particular area and that particular tourist activity.

I find it appalling as well by the way. I would fear getting plopped on by a bird and I have taken care of patients who were immuno-suppressed and developed a particular type of pneumonia from pigeon poop. It just "grosses me out."

There are that many in San Marco. It freaked me out.

Yes, there are many pigeons around in Venice.

Chicagolori, I was plopped on while in Venice a few weeks ago sitting in the courtyard of our hotel! It is not the first time that this has happened to me. The first two times, when I was very young many, many years ago, I was hit directly on my head. This time in Venice, I was hit on the back of my shirt. I simply went inside to my room, washed my back, changed my top and went back outside. The owner was very apologetic, but said that no one can control the pigeons of Venice! After what you said about the pneumonia, I would be more concerned about it now, but I wasn't then. I was always told it meant good luck for the "plopee"! I certainly hope so!

YES!

You can avoid them--I did (not my favorite animal to have all over me), but I caught a shot of a woman holding her baby as pigeons landed on both of them--and LOVING IT!

I walk on the side walk at St. Mark's square to avoid the pigeons. Then while I was in Nice last June walking and window shopping, a pigeon pooped right down my back. I didn't use that nice word when it happened.

Yes, thee ARE really that many pigeons in Venice.
And for the record, the type of pneumonia referenced above is an issue only for individuals with profound suppression of the immune system.

YES!

I do not remember as mny pigeons or that they were as aggressive. We were in Venice in April and this show must have been shot over the winter months as everyone was quite bundled up.
Maybe the birds are hungriere in the low-tourist season (well...lowER season where Venice is full as opposed to packed) when the pigeons don't get fed as much from outdoor cafes.

I thought that this show varied from previous seasons where Samantha was mostly showing pretty hotel rooms.

Hi H,

No. What you were seeing was SFX (special effects). They use a computer to multiple two pigeons into an entire flock.

((I))

Just to clarify - its rare to get pneumonia from bird droppings. Cryptococcal pneumonia is a risk only for people who are severely immuno-compromised (aids patients, chemo effects).

So, i didnt want to start some type of scare about that. Its still gross to me and sorry to hear about the dropping incidents.

It seems to me that pigeons are a semi protected species in San Marco but a pest elsewhere. I've been told that while you can feed them there, it's against the law to feed them anyplace else in Venice.

As for the droppings, didn't anybody see Under the Tuscan Sun?

Yes, there are really that many pigeons. It's rather disgusting (that coming from someone who enjoys bird and other wildlife). If you want to minimize contact with them, do not feed them, do not walk around eating or carrying food where there are pigeons around, do not eat at an outdoor table in Piazza San Marco.

http://ryancordell.com/venice%20pigeons.jpg

http://www.da*****traux.com/images/a...ce_pigeons.jpg

http://www.brynosaurus.com/album/200...scn2462-lg.jpg

http://www.bigfoto.com/europe/italy/...ons-venice.jpg

http://www.therandymon.com/italy/ima...ce_pigeons.jpg

http://www.jimtardio.com/italy/italy...e-pigeons.html

http://www.photo.net/photo/pcd0802/v...geons-34.4.jpg

http://photo.net/photo/pcd0802/venic...geons-35.4.jpg

http://www.nycevenice.com/venice-cit...mg/pigeons.jpg

http://www.defdesigns.com/09_06-PigeonsVenice.png

http://www.boriasax.com/Pigeons_Venice2%20001.jpg

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/skweb/sim...e/pidgeons.jpg

http://www.andrewracz.net/venice7pigeons.jpg

http://wso.williams.edu/~ebilgin/Eur...nice%20010.jpg

http://www.mehras.net/europe_pages/1...co_pigeons.JPG

There are too many pigeons *everywhere*. In teh UK we're seeing too many seagulls inland, too. They're nastier than the pigeons.

chicagolori -
thanks for the followup clarification. Not that pigeon poop is healthy for anyone, but I was a little concerned based on previous instances of overgeneralization in response to otherwise accurate info posted here.
Salud!

Seagulls - rats with wings.

BUT, when I grew up, it was considered "good luck" to be pooped upon

Pigeons land on whatever part of your body on which you've placed food. If you don't have pigeon food on your head, they don't land on your head. My youngest daughter could have fed the pigeons all day. I hated having them on me, so I didn't feed them. I did bring some anti-bacterial wipes with me; probably didn't do any good, but made me feel better.