Pigeons. (Credit: jans canon/ Flickr/ Creative Commons)
Many Brick residents might not even notice pigeons poking their heads around a parking lot or relaxing in a tree, but to others, they are pets and members of the family.
Though not the most common pets, keeping pigeons in coops is a long-standing practice that has grown in popularity in recent years. In Brick, the township code is silent on the species (and those like it), which could conceivably lead to confusion as to whether it is legal to keep the birds on one’s property. A new ordinance section introduced this week – which would be added to the code if it is formally adopted – would confirm that it is legal to keep pigeons, and set simple guidelines for pigeon coops in residential yards.
The ordinance, introduced unanimously by the council, sets forth regulations for the keeping and housing of birds of the species Columbiformes, which encompasses the common pigeon as well as several sub-species. Pigeons and similar birds kept as pets are required to be corralled for shelter in a coop or similar enclosure. Pigeon coops cannot be kept within 25-feet or less from a residential dwelling.
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The coops must be enclosed with a covering and be of a size “adequate for the number of animals contained.” No more than 25 pigeons can be kept on a property at once, and they are not to be kept for the purposes of raising them for human consumption.
The practice of keeping pigeon coops may not be common in the typical American suburb, however it is one that has a long history and is growing in popularity. Some owners keep “homing pigeons” that compete in races and competitions for fun, while others keep them because they are considered friendly birds that have unique personalities and are divided into several “breeds” including “rollers” which can perform tricks in flight and “tumblers” that perform similar motions on the ground. Many pet stores sell pigeon feed, including boxed “pellets” which often contain crushed oyster shells for calcium and crushed granite as a digestion aid.
The ordinance revision addressing the species will be subject to a public hearing and second vote before the provisions are adopted into the code. That hearing is scheduled for the Dec. 27, 2024 council meeting.
