Pigeons are opportunistic feeders that can survive on a wide variety of foods. Both wild and domesticated pigeons eat whatever they can to sustain life and the two have a very similar diet, this diet includes small lizards, fruits, nuts, vegetables and, seeds.

If you own a pigeon or are interested in feeding your local pigeons something new you may be wondering ‘do pigeons eat fish’ this article explores the answer to this question 

Pigeons do eat fish, in fact, fish is quite healthy for pigeons. Fish contains good amounts of protein as well as good fats such as omega 3 fatty acids. When feeding fish to pigeons do not add seasoning to the meat and avoid frying it 

Do pigeons eat fish?

Pigeons will eat almost anything, from pigeon feed given by owners to leftover foods that have been thrown out. Wild pigeons usually live in coastal areas and forests. Thus they will eat what they can and what the environment offers. This includes fish if they have access to it 

Nutrients in fish that can benefit pigeons:

A pigeon’s diet demands good amounts of protein and fats to remain healthy.

Fish is an excellent source of protein, most types of fish offer 18-20 grams of protein for every 100 grams of fish. Protein is needed for the assembly of tissues and enzymes.

Fish is also rich in omega 3 fatty acids, vitamin D, and minerals such as potassium, magnesium, zinc, iodine, and iron which all benefit a birds body 

Fish does not contain overly high amounts of fats, rather, just enough to be helpful to the bird.

These fatty acids are able to help a bird respond to diseases and also precancerous conditions. These fatty acids are especially helpful to birds as they help with the prevention of atherosclerosis, which is the hardening of the arteries in birds.

Omega 3 inhibits inflammation of a bird’s blood vessels and removes plaque.

How to feed pigeons fish 

Fish is one of the foods that should not be left out as it can become rancid quickly. Fish left out for more than 1 or 2 hours, in an environment with temperatures over 90 degrees Fahrenheit, will start growing bacteria. This bacteria can cause illnesses in birds. 

You can hand-feed your birds fish or leave it out for them to eat, just make sure that you remove any leftover fish after it has been out for 1 or 2 hours

Feeding birds both raw or cooked fish is fine as long as there are no seasonings on the fish and as long as the fish has not been cooked in too much oil. Baking the fish is superior to frying it 

Do pigeons eat meat?

Yes, pigeons do eat meat if they need to.

The base of a pigeon’s diet in the wild normally consists of grains, seeds, fruits, vegetables and berries. These animals are generally herbivores but if push comes to shove they will eat meat such as worms, insects, snails and small lizards. 

Pigeons will also eat meats such as poultry, pork and beef. In fact, the processed meats that humans eat can also be eaten by pigeons.

Processing meat makes it very soft and tender, this enables pigeons to tear the meat and eat it easily, tearing meat in the wild is more difficult as it is raw and very tough. If a pigeon finds that it cannot digest a piece of meat the animal will simply throw it up 

Can other birds eat fish?

Many birds can and enjoy eating fish. Waterbirds, like seagulls, enjoy eating fresh fish and birds like parrots enjoy the cooked variety. Many types of birds can enjoy this food as it has good amounts of proteins and fats. Other fish-eating birds include the:

• Black skimmer 

• Atlantic puffin bald eagle 

• Black faced spoonbill 

• Anhinga

• Tufted puffin 

• Laughing gull

• Belted king fisher 

• Gray heron 

• African fish eagle 

• Black vulture 

• American dipper 

Conclusion 

In conclusion, yes, pigeons can and do eat fish. Fish is a great source of protein and good fats which a bird’s body can benefit from.

When feeding fish to pigeons remember to only leave the fish out for 1 or 2 hours to avoid illness-causing bacteria from growing on the fish. You can cook the fish or serve it raw, just make sure to avoid seasoning the fish or frying it.

If you enjoyed this article then you may also be interested in other pigeon related articles. Here are some articles that you may be interested in:  Do pigeons eat bananas?, Do pigeons eat acorns?, Do pigeons eat corn?, Do pigeons eat grass?, Do pigeons eat other birds eggs?, Do pigeons eat popcorn?, Do pigeons eat mice?