More than 2,000 pigeons have been shot at railway stations and depots across the United Kingdom over a 16-month period, a BBC investigation has revealed. The data, obtained through Freedom of Information requests, highlights the scale of efforts by state-owned companies to manage bird populations in transport hubs, with critics raising concerns about the methods employed.
York Station emerged as a significant location for these culls, with 608 birds shot between January 2025 and April 2026. A particularly high number of 152 pigeons were culled on a single day, 26 January 2025, with another 97 on 21 February 2026. LNER, the train operator responsible for York Station, accounted for over 800 of the total birds shot, three-quarters of which were at the Yorkshire hub. The operator stated that higher totals on individual days were a result of longer intervals between culling operations.
Train operators and Network Rail assert that these measures are a last resort, implemented after other deterrents have failed, to address health and safety risks. Pigeon droppings can create slip hazards for passengers and staff, and are also associated with diseases such as psittacosis and salmonella. Network Rail, which manages key infrastructure, reported 600 pigeons killed across Bristol Temple Meads, London Euston, and Edinburgh Waverley stations. Other operators, including South Western Railway (250), Transport for London (147), and Northern (143), also carried out culls during the period.
While pest control professionals acknowledge the need to manage pigeon populations to prevent health hazards, some express reservations about shooting. Rick Pellen from Pest UK noted that shooting is typically a 'last resort' method, while Rob Loft of Yor-Pest Control admitted he tends to 'steer clear' of shooting but conceded it 'has got to be done' in tricky public health situations. Both experts classify pigeons as vermin due to their potential to spread disease, yet also expressed sympathy for the birds.
Conversely, Sue Joyce, director of the National Pigeon Advocacy Association, disputes the severity of health risks, arguing that the birds themselves do not carry diseases and receive a 'bad rap' due to their faeces. She points out that humans domesticated pigeons and that their prevalence in urban environments is a consequence of human activity, providing them with ideal nesting and perching spots. Joyce also raised concerns about the potential for inhumane deaths, suggesting some birds may not die instantly and could collide with structures after being startled.
In response to the scrutiny, some operators are altering their approaches. Northern, for instance, ceased culling at its stations by December 2025 and has since extended this to its depots. South Western Railway has also indicated it has not ordered any shootings since March 2026, suggesting a shift towards alternative methods such as egg removal.