Bird lovers in Brooklyn concerned about poaching as pigeons go missing
In the heart of Bushwick, a community of bird lovers is raising concerns after dozens of pigeons vanished from Maria Hernandez Park earlier this month.
Residents believe the birds are being illegally netted and sold across state lines for live pigeon shoots.
Witness saw man netting pigeons in park
Tina Piña, a local resident affectionately known as "Mother Pigeon," is often seen feeding the birds each morning. She's built a bond with her flock of feathered friends, many of which were rehabilitated and released into the park.
"The connection that you can have with nature is right here in front of you," Piña said.
Early in April, when the birds went missing, she began asking around the park and made a disturbing discovery.
"I found an eyewitness, and he told me everything," Piña said. "That he saw the van pulls up, the guy gets out with a net, he puts the net down. He put seed on top. And then he grabs the pigeons."
Piña's husband, Jason Trachtenburg says the scale of the disappearance was impossible to ignore.
"When 150 pigeons disappear, it's hard not to notice," he said. "Her flock was generally 300. And then all of a sudden, one morning it's 150."
According to New York City law, it is legal to own pigeons, but trapping them in public spaces, including parks, is considered animal abuse. The city encourages residents who witness such activity to report it by calling 311.
The NYPD confirmed it is investigating the allegations, but Piña said she's frustrated by the lack of enforcement.
"The animal cruelty unit, they know who is doing it. They know everything," she said. "They decided it's not an issue that they care about."
"They should be treated with respect"
Animal advocates say this isn't an isolated incident. They allege the birds are being captured and transported to Pennsylvania, where they are used in live pigeon shooting contests — a seasonal and highly criticized sport.
"This isn't new. This has been happening for decades," said Bushwick resident Shayne Christiansen. "It's something we're all aware of."
Christiansen brings his rescued pet pigeon, Cricket, to the park often.
"They're really incredibly, incredibly intelligent," he said. "And they have really insane memories."
Parkgoers Samuel Drake Jones and Marisa Thompson said the wildlife at Maria Hernandez Park was one of the reasons they chose to live across the street. The couple says they, too, noticed a recent change in the park's bird population.
"They're a part of, you know, the environment and the ecosystem here," Jones said. "And you don't get to do that. You don't get to just come here and claim this is yours, right? You don't get to come here and pick all the flowers for yourself."
"They should be treated with respect, and they have lives," Thompson said. "They shouldn't be taken from the park for sport and for money."
For many in this corner of Brooklyn, the birds are more than just park fixtures — they're part of neighbors' connections to nature. And now, residents are calling on the city to do more to protect the creatures that make this park feel like home.
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