At least 655 pigeons have been shot and killed during organised culling operations carried out by Transport for London (TfL) across Tube stations. The shootings took place between March 2024 and March 2026, with at least 123 shoots conducted to remove birds nesting on ledges or trapped behind netting.
Photographs from the operations show workers in hi-vis vests aiming air rifles at stations, and one image at Stanmore Station shows a worker with their boot on a bleeding bird. In total, 655 pigeons were killed, 17 active nests were removed and at least seven chicks were killed or removed.
Campaigners file crime report
Campaigners say the operations inflicted unnecessary suffering on the pigeons and have filed a crime report with British Transport Police. Manchester Pigeon Rehab, which collected the data, alleges TfL did not take reasonable steps to mitigate suffering or explore non-lethal alternatives. This includes fledglings being left without parents or killed using 'humane bird dispatchers' that snap their necks when pressure is applied.
Natural England recommends avoiding lethal control during the breeding season, but shoots went ahead anyway. Some birds were shot but not instantly killed, with others escaping with serious injuries.
Incidents documented
At Arnos Grove in December, a report recorded 20 shots fired but only 16 pigeons culled. TfL confirmed through a Freedom of Information request that this was because four shots hit one bird but did not result in an instant kill. At Ruislip Depot, a worker wrote in an August report: 'One pigeon flew [out] the open doors [after] being shot, despite best efforts it couldn’t be located to be able to remove.'
Manchester Pigeon Rehab told Metro: 'Pigeons are intelligent and highly social animals. They are capable of forming long term bonds, share the responsibility of raising young, and can solve complex problems. Modern feral pigeons descended from birds that were once domesticated by humans where they carried our messages and fought in our wars. We believe Transport for London should immediately end lethal control in favour of habitat modification, humane deterrents and other non-lethal management measures. In some circumstances this may also mean accepting that wildlife will continue to exist in shared urban spaces.'
Licence and contractor
According to the FoIs, pest control services are contracted out to AGS One. The shooting operations used a GL41 licence, which has a number of conditions, including taking reasonable precautions to minimise suffering and, until the end of last year, exploring non-lethal alternatives first. Birds are often shot after becoming trapped behind netting instead of being released.
TfL response
Transport for London said: 'Our approach is focused on prevention, and the avoidance of animal cruelty is taken very seriously. We continue to invest in preventative measures as our primary approach, exhausting all appropriate non-lethal methods, and have significantly increased our mitigations on stations and in depots as part of this work. Unfortunately, in a few small number of cases, preventative measures are not always successful or effective, creating an unsafe environment. When this is the case, we work with our suppliers to ensure that the removal of pigeons, or their nests, is undertaken with consideration and only ever as a last resort when other deterrents have failed. Ultimately, we have a duty of care to customers, staff, contractors and other third parties to maintain a safe, clean environment for those using or working on our property. Pigeon waste carries risks of bacteria and insects, while nesting and waste material creates fire hazards and structural damage.'
Metro has contacted British Transport Police and AGS One for comment.
