Costly pigeon droppings fuel nationwide push for feeding bans

A bird spike installed on an apartment balcony air conditioner unit in Nam District, Ulsan, June 27. Korea Times photo by Park Eun-kyung

By Hankookilbo

• Published Jul 8, 2025 1:00 AM KST

As feral pigeons increasingly make their homes in urban centers across Korea, local governments are moving to curb their population by banning residents from feeding them.

In Ulsan, a man in his 50s recently faced an unexpected financial burden — more than 400,000 won ($290) in air conditioner repair fees — after a malfunction was traced to acidic pigeon droppings corroding the unit’s outdoor condenser.

“At first I didn’t think much of the pigeons nesting on my balcony,” he said. “But now it’s a constant mess, and even after installing bird spikes, droppings are still falling from the neighbor’s unit above.”

As pigeons increasingly settle in city parks, apartment complexes and playgrounds, complaints from residents are on the rise. This has prompted a wave of new local ordinances outlawing the feeding of wild pigeons, supported by recent legal changes.

According to the Ministry of Environment, pigeons, specifically the urban-dwelling pigeons, have been designated as harmful wildlife since 2009. While they naturally breed twice a year in the wild, abundant food and a lack of predators in cities allow them to reproduce up to six times annually.

Government monitoring in regions with frequent complaints shows that the urban pigeon population rose by 23.8 percent in three years, from 27,589 in 2021 to 34,164 last year. Related civil complaints increased by 26.8 percent over the same period. Some experts estimate the total nationwide population could be as high as 1 million.

“Even if 1,000 female pigeons each breed just twice a year, the population could increase by 20,000 in five years,” said a city official in charge of wildlife management. “Once the offspring also begin breeding, the growth becomes exponential.”

This explosion in numbers has led to widespread damage: droppings and feathers covering apartment windows, solar panels and cars; contaminated playgrounds and sidewalks around kindergartens; and corroded cultural heritage sites.

One such site, the 10-story stone pagoda Wongaksa at Tapgol Park in central Seoul, is now encased in protective glass to protect from long-term exposure to acidic droppings.

Pigeons also pose serious health and safety risks. In 2021, subway service was disrupted at Nowon Station in Seoul when a cleaning tool used to scare off pigeons struck a power line.

The following year, a commuter at Sindorim Station, Seoul, sustained a head injury after trying to avoid a flying pigeon. Pigeon feathers and droppings are known carriers of parasites, bacteria and mold that can spread infectious diseases.

Faced with mounting damage, municipalities are no longer relying solely on scare tactics. The implementation of an amended Wildlife Protection and Management Act this year allows local governments to prohibit feeding of designated harmful species through their own ordinances.

In January, Seoul was the first to enact such a law, and it took effect in March. Districts in Daegu and Gwangju followed in June, with more cities including Busan, Incheon and Ulsan preparing similar legislation.

According to Seoul officials, anyone caught feeding pigeons after the grace period could face fines ranging from 200,000 to 1 million won ($146 to $731). “We won’t fine someone for dropping snack crumbs, but we urge the public to avoid any feeding activity in line with the law’s intent,” one official said.

Experts say that curbing human interaction is key to restoring balance in the ecosystem.

“While feeding may seem like a kind act, it disrupts the natural balance in densely populated cities and leads to conflict,” said Kim Sung-soo, a bird ecologist and former director of the Ulsan Migratory Bird Center. “We need rules of coexistence that prioritize both wildlife and public health.”

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, a sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.