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Feeding Pigeons in Public Spaces Has Become an Offense in Several Brazilian Cities, with Fines Reaching BRL 1 Thousand and Ever-Stricter Rules on Urban Health.
Feeding pigeons in squares, sidewalks, and other public spaces, an act associated with the emotional memories of many Brazilian families, has started to be treated as a sanitary offense in various cities across the country.
In municipalities in the ABC region of São Paulo, such as São Bernardo do Campo, the fine for those caught offering food to the birds can reach BRL 1 thousand, according to guidance from the Regional Council of Veterinary Medicine of São Paulo based on local legislation.
Other cities, such as São Paulo (the capital), Guarulhos, and Jales, have also approved specific laws that prohibit feeding the animals in public roads, squares, and even in private properties when the practice promotes the proliferation of the birds.
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São Paulo Tightens Rules and Creates Obligations for Property Owners
In the capital of São Paulo, Municipal Law No. 16,914, from 2018, established the prohibition of feeding urban pigeons of the species Columba livia throughout the municipality.
The text also prevents the sale of food for the birds on public roads and requires property owners where infestation exists to install nets or other obstacles to prevent the landing and nesting of the animals.
Failure to comply with the rules may result in warnings and fines ranging from BRL 200 to BRL 400 in cases of repeated offenses, according to information from the city hall itself and media outlets that covered the law’s enactment.
Cities in the ABC and Inland Create Their Own Rules
In the ABCD region, the tightening began even before the capital.
A report published by CRMV-SP in 2010 already warned that feeding pigeons on the street could lead to fines based on municipal sanitary codes.
In São Caetano do Sul, Law No. 4,181, from 2003, prohibits the provision of food to pigeons and animals considered harmful to health in public roads, squares, buildings, and other locations accessible to the public.
According to the same text from the council, a resident caught feeding the birds in São Caetano can be fined up to BRL 500, while in São Bernardo do Campo, the maximum reported value reaches BRL 1 thousand, as per the city’s sanitary code.
Other smaller cities are following the same path.
In Jales (SP), the City Council approved a bill in 2023 that prohibits feeding domestic pigeons in public roads, squares, private residences, or any environment that attracts free-roaming birds.
Enforcement will be the responsibility of the Municipal Health Surveillance, and offenders are subject to a fine of BRL 447.20, a value that can be tripled in the case of repeated offenses, according to the City Council itself.
In Guarulhos, in the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo, legislation enacted in 2015 also stipulates a specific fine for those who offer food to pigeons in public areas, currently set at BRL 397, according to official announcements.
New Cities Adhere to Control and Create Progressive Sanctions
More recently, smaller municipalities have started to detail these prohibitions in their own laws.
In 2025, Cedral (SP) enacted Law No. 2,806, which prohibits offering food to pigeons in the entire municipality, including public roads, squares, public and private properties.
The text states that the offense results in a warning on the first infraction and a fine in Municipal Tax Units in case of repeat offenses, with the possibility of applying double fines for new violations, up to a maximum of four times the initial value.
Although the amount in reais depends on the UFM’s exchange rate, the regulation follows the same logic as other cities: linking the habit of “throwing food” to animals to a direct financial sanction.
Sanitary Risks and Diseases Associated with Urban Pigeons
The justification for this type of legislation is sanitary.
The Ministry of Health, in informational material about urban pigeons, classifies these birds as a public health problem when they reproduce excessively in densely populated areas.
Among the diseases associated with feces and nests are cryptococcosis, histoplasmosis, salmonellosis, and ornithosis, all zoonoses with potential impact on the respiratory system and other human organs.
Municipal health departments also warn about the presence of parasites such as mites, ticks, and the pigeon fly, as well as the structural damage caused by acidic feces on roofs, gutters, and monuments.
Universities and research bodies reinforce this discourse.
In a report from the University of São Paulo, public health and veterinary experts explain that feeding pigeons increases the availability of food, promotes the formation of large flocks, and consequently raises the load of feces accumulated in one place.
This scenario, according to the technicians consulted, creates ideal conditions for the development of fungi and bacteria that can be inhaled or come into contact with foods consumed by humans.
Conflicts Between Neighbors and Low Enforcement of Fines
Even with technical backing, the change is sensitive in urban daily life.
Reports published in regional media in the ABCD area indicate that many complaints originate from residents annoyed with neighbors, usually elderly individuals, who maintain the habit of offering corn, bran, or bread to the birds in front of their homes or in neighborhood squares.
In some cases, churches and old buildings also become focal points of tension, as they house large colonies on roofs and eaves, leading parishes and condominiums to invest in nets and spikes to ward off the birds, while trying to meet the legal requirement of not encouraging the animals’ permanence.
In the legal sphere, municipal rules complement guidance from federal environmental agencies.
Normative instructions from the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources classify the urban pigeon as a synanthropic pest, aligning its control with the treatment given to rodents.
Local laws, such as those in São Paulo, São Caetano, Guarulhos, Cedral, and Jales, incorporate this view by establishing that artificial feeding in public spaces is a determining factor for maintaining colonies and, therefore, a behavior to be suppressed.
Despite the legal framework, available data indicate that the application of fines is still limited in many municipalities.
A survey published about cities in the Greater ABC showed that city halls such as Santo André, São Bernardo, and São Caetano had legislation providing for penalties, but did not record effective fines, preferring guidance and prior notification of offenders.
A similar situation was reported in Guarulhos after the approval of local law: there was a formal prohibition on feeding pigeons, but the first official information pointed to an absence of fines applied.
There are no consolidated national data among the consulted sources indicating the total volume of fines for this type of behavior.
While educational campaigns urge the population to “never feed the pigeons” and municipal laws link the act to sanitary risk and fines that can reach BRL 1 thousand, old habits remain present in squares and sidewalks across the country.
In light of this scenario, what does feeding pigeons in the square still mean: an affectionate custom or a behavior that tends to disappear from Brazilian cities?
Não consegui ler a matéria por causa dos excessos de propagandas.
Já que se trata de um hospedeiro de doenças respiratórias e que trazem tantos prejuízos à saúde e às cidades, porque então não se elimina esse mal de um só vez? É só fazer arapucas, aprisioná-los e exterminá-los. Mais simples do que criar mais impostos através de multas desnecessárias.
O eterno problema do Brasil não são as leis propriamente, mas a ausência total de fiscalização e a fraca capacidade de forçar o seu cumprimento.