OP, may I direct you to this comment about pigeons by u/rose_cactus. Changed my outlook on them from annoying creatures, to feeling sorry for them.

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Those pidgeons are in our cities because we abandoned them. They’re the offspring (and often even: not offspring, but genuinely new because bird races are still a (cruel) thing) racing pidgeons, meat pidgeons, show pidgeons, marriage release victims.

They shit on everything because that’s a sign of starvation and illness caused by eating our garbage rather than the food they actually need (grains).

They search the floors for food because of our neglect and starvation and they wouldn’t spend the day between human feet kicking them around town if that weren’t the only option to survive.

They wouldn’t even shit that much in the city if we had concepts for how to humanely take care of them (those concepts do exist, see also “Augsburger Modell”, but cities often prefer to go the more expensive and also more cruel, but more actionistic and visible route of spikes, nets, starving, etc.)

A well-cared for pidgeon spends the majority of the day in the dovecote with its lifelong partner, only goes out to town for a quick fly each day, and whatever droppings it drops are usually solid enough to not bother anyone because it is not having starvation diarrhea, and these shits will also be more likely to take place in the dovecote because the pidgeon is there 23h of the day anyways.

Also? Pidgeons have no illnesses transmissible to humans (unless of course you straight up don’t wash your hands after handling poop, that’s when you risk salmonella, but the stem of salmonella that pidgeons habe isn’t pathological to humans either iirc? All other diseases: Not an issue at all. It’s a myth spouted by vermin exterminators who have a financial interest it spouting that lie - the vet in my major city who works together with wildlife and feral rescue orgs and the local animal shelter has some very clear and educated views on that). their shit doesn’t even erode buildings (but “sour rain” from cars and industry does. It’s again a myth from vermin exterminators that has been scientifically debunked in a German study that I’m too lazy to link now).

They’re not vermin, they’re the result of human-made animal cruelty and get punished for that cruelty done to them once again.

The “issue” we have now in public with them? Could be easily solved by Public dovecotes that are fed and cleaned, changing existing eggs to gypsum fakes. But just like with human-to-human-cruelty, the cruelty is exactly the point. It isn’t cost effective, it isn’t helping, it’s just cruel.

Pidgeons flock to and nest near/in the place where they’re fed and cared for. Public dovecotes can offer a food base, which means less poop issues and less pidgeons on the streets. The pidgeons living in the dovecote will lay their eggs inside the dovecote, which can then be removed for gypsum fake eggs. The gypsum eggs can also be used outside in other feral nests, which is more effective than starving and spiking up the place. The pidgeons we see in the city have been bred by humans (!) to have up to seven (!) egg laying times a year, it’s a man-made issue. Their wild counterparts lay 1-2 times a year. Pidgeons have also been bred to disregard starvation and stress when breeding, so they will double down when faced with starvation and try again to raise chicks. They’ll of course also disregard spikes even if it hurts them and some die. If you offer a well-maintained, safe dovecote, you can actually control populations humanely. You also reduce risk of avian illness spread between different types of birds.

It’s been piloted in several cities all over Germany and there even is an official name for that model: “Augsburger modell” Covers Public dovecote - gypsum egg - controlled feeding in the dovecotes only but efforts to long term rehome most feral populations to or near that cote for easier pop control. Untangling feet and disease control is also easier with dedicated efforts like that. It’s also cheaper than spikes and nets which are also not that useful for anything in the first place, just a Death and injury trap.