We killed off the native passenger pigeons on this continent. Please read the wikipedia page to get an idea of the vast numbers and clouds of these birds that we killed for no reason. (People used to laugh when they winged one and his/her partner would desperately try to help him/her fly. Damn homo sapiens ruin everything.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passenger_pigeon

Given that there were at an estimated 5 billion of our native pigeons, perhaps these introduced feral cousins are just filling the niche left void by our wanton senseless destruction of the birds that once filled our skies. Perhaps we should welcome them and ignore the droppings. Perhaps we don't need to be the only species on the planet allowed to breed out of control. Just a thought.

Typical of PETA to suggest solutions that are expensive and protect the lives of birds that are, at best, slightly ecologically damaging. I suppose there is no way PETA would support a simpler solution that would help a species in greater need of help: facilitating the reintroduction of predatory birds. It has worked in other cities, particularly England, though AR activists object because seeing a hawk rip apart a pigeon is "barbaric."

Melissa, I do not support PETA, unless it's this version

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People_eating_tasty_animals

However, I would like to know what people think is ecologically damaging about pigeons. They're mostly just cleaning up our messes, as are cockroaches.

Perhaps if we'd stop dropping our food on the ground, they wouldn't be so numerous. However, given that their close relatives were far more numerous in the past, what do you see as the damaging ecological effect? Guano makes good fertilizer. The fact that we find it unpleasant is NOT a damaging ecological effect. It is merely personal taste, or distaste, as the case may be.

These rats with wings are not native to America. This is a good example on how to handle all invaders.

Funny thing Jackson, humans are only native to Africa. Normally however, I'd agree that invasive species must be removed. However, this is somewhat of a special case in that they are very similar to a species we exterminated.