Indian cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle took to his social media account to urge people to stop feeding pigeons. Alongside, he flagged the health hazards related to “inhaling pigeon droppings” with the help of an Indian Express article. The article mentions that a woman lost her life to lung fibrosis caused by pigeon droppings. 

“On my way to the ground in Delhi, and my heart sank when I saw people feeding a whole army of pigeons,” he wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter). 

He added, “Doctors have been shouting from the rooftops about the dangers of inhaling pigeon droppings and the severe lung disease it could lead to,” before urging people to “stop feeding pigeons”.

This is not the first time Harsha Bhogle has urged people to stop feeding pigeons. In 2024, he quoted a social media user’s post, which said, “Please stop feeding pigeons. You are quite literally sponsoring respiratory diseases to yourself and people around,” and said, “Absolutely. Please, please, stop feeding pigeons. They are a menace to health.”

About pigeon-borne infection

Health experts warn that pigeon droppings and feathers are linked to various respiratory diseases. Pigeons can also transmit severe and debilitating conditions such as hypertension and pneumonitis, which may lead to interstitial lung disease (ILD) or fibrotic lung disease, FinancialExpress.com previously reported. 

FE.com further reported that hypersensitivity pneumonitis is among the most serious illnesses caused by pigeon exposure. This is a type of interstitial lung disease that can result in lung fibrosis or shrinkage. Pigeon excreta can carry bacteria, fungi, and viruses. When droppings dry out, they turn into dust that can become airborne and can be inhaled, thereby posing a risk to health.