Pellets are considered to be the ideal pigeon food because they have nutrients like calcium that seeds lack. However, seed blends are fine if you can’t find pellets. When buying seed or pellet blends, check the label to make sure they are professionally-formulated and nutritionally-balanced.

Pigeon and dove diets are so similar that, in fact, some commercial blends are labeled as safe for both pigeons and doves. Dove food may be available in some pet stores.

You don’t need to cook the ingredients! A good blend doesn’t require a lot of preparation. Components like raw corn kernels and rice are perfectly safe and nutritious for pigeons. Each ingredient has a different amount of fat, protein and nutrients, so blending them creates a balanced food for pigeons. Corn and wheat, for instance, are nutritious but fatty, so blending them with foods like rice helps prevent your birds from getting too plump. [4] X Research source

If you give pigeons bread, try to choose an unbleached or unrefined whole wheat bread. Dampen it in water and crumble it up into tiny pieces.

A lot of microwavable popcorn has harmful artificial ingredients in it, so keep this in mind before heating up a bag. Check the ingredients on the label.

Most fruits and vegetables are safe for pigeons except for avocados, which may be toxic. [8] X Research source Try to provide a variety of foods for your pigeons to balance out their diet.

Be careful with fruits that contain small stones, such as cherries. Remove these stones first to prevent pigeons from swallowing them. They will also be easier to cut once the pits are gone.

At a minimum, pigeons should be given fresh fruits and vegetables 3 to 4 times a week. Like small children, pigeons may refuse to eat some foods, but keep trying. Eventually they will eat it. If you notice your pigeons have a favorite food, remove it and replace it with a food they don’t like as much.

You only need to mix a small amount of grit to the food, about 0. 15 oz (4. 3 g) or less per day. Some quality seed or pellet mixes have grit mixed in. You don’t need to provide additional grit or shells. Check the label first. Using grit may not be necessary. Many feeders believe their pigeons do well enough without grit.

Vitamins and supplements can be added to wet food but should not be applied to dry food like seed mixes. For example, egg-laying pigeons often benefit from calcium gluconate. This supplement replaces the calcium they lose in creating the eggs. [14] X Research source

For example, feeding pigeons is legal in New York City but illegal in San Francisco as of 2018. Feeding pigeons can attract more of them and make them dependent on humans. [15] X Research source Take care if you feed pigeons from a building, such as on a rooftop or from a hanging feeder. Their droppings can cause a mess which can also get you into trouble with the law. [16] X Research source

Less is more. If you can, spread out the food between different pigeons. This shouldn’t be much of a problem unless you try bringing a massive bag of seed to the park. Commercial grain or pellet blends are ideal foods due to their nutrition. Plain popcorn and rice are good, but bread isn’t and neither is processed junk food.

Feeding pigeons can become a ritual. It’s understandable, but try not to get too attached. Remember your surroundings. Parks and city streets are places where pigeons gather, but avoid crossing onto private property.

Preventing flocks of pigeons from gathering will keep you out of trouble, too.

If you don’t feed the pigeons every day, going to the same location at the same time of day won’t be as much of a problem. However, the begging faces may make you feel bad. Resist the temptation to feed them!

Provide the food in a clean bowl or plastic container.

This estimate is per pigeon. If you have multiple pigeons, each bird should get this amount of food. You can put it all in a single bowl.

Pigeons are pretty smart, so they have a tendency to pick out the tastiest parts of their food. They like high-fat components such as safflower seeds in their blends, but if they don’t eat the rest of the mix, they don’t get all the nutrients they need.

Offering fresh food avoids the risk of mold or other diseases creeping into the grain.

Continue lowering the amount of food every day until it is all gone. This will ensure your pigeons stay healthy without being overfed.