Feeling peckish?

A legal guide to pigeon poaching

Wood pigeons do live in British cities, but more familiar is the feral pigeon. Derived from domestic pigeons – which are descended from rock doves – it is not wise to eat feral pigeons as they carry disease.

All wild birds are protected under the 1981 Wildlife and Countryside Act. It is technically legal to eat some species if killed under licence or found dead but, with the exception of wood pigeon, they cannot be sold for human consumption.