Looks like Pigeon for dinner! Can Peregrine Falcons impact Adelaide’s Pigeon problem?

The simple answer is no! Peregrine Falcons feed on Pigeon, Doves, Starlings, Duck etc. and feed once a day if they’re lucky. Falcons live in and around Adelaide and predate on the local Pigeon population on a routine basis. So trying to deal with Pigeons with a Falcon is a little like holding the tide back with a teaspoon. At best they move the pigeons on for a short period of time.

Raptors cannot be trained to kill only the target species, and when they do catch a bird, the resultant spectacle of the raptor tearing the prey to pieces is not what we would call a humane kill (reference) . Even if a Peregrine Falcon was to kill your pigeons, it should only be considered a deterrent similar to Spikes and Nets etc, they move Pigeon populations for a short period of time, not get rid of them.

In other words using Falcons as a means to deal with Pigeons is really just a sales pitch. It sounds good to use as a method that feels green, but it doesn’t really work!