Does rice really make pigeons explode?

Answer 1

Yes! As most of those who have been honest with you have said. In 1989 or 1990 (I can't recall exactly) the City of New York passed a law banning rice being thrown at all weddings in the city of New York because of this very reason of the pigeons eating it and internally hemorrhaging and littering the streets with dead birds. It became a serious health issue very quickly because of the large populations of pigeons throughout the city.

In addition, this technique is used in South American and European cities to keep the pigeon populations in check because of tourism. San Jose, Costa Rica is one such city where they would rather pick up the dead birds than to lose money in the tourism trade.

Another problem existing for other types of local wild birds is certain dog foods left outside in bowls for their pets. This also has the same effect for small birds that occupy the countrysides.

Answer 2

Where DO these myths arrive. In point of fact, paddy rice is actually fed to thousands of pigeons yearly in the east. Here in the states, we often use rice as a small addition to the diet.

NO, it doesn't cause birds to explode. Personally, I think the whole myth started when churches didn't want folks tossing rice at wedding couples so they wouldn't have to clean up afterward.

Pigeons are grain eaters. The food they swallow goes into their crop, then into their gizzard, where it is ground fine, and then it is passed on into the intestines where it's digested.

Answer 3

Of course not. Many birds depend on the rice they steal from rice paddies especially in winter.. In fact a Bobolink steals so much rice its nickname is the Rice bird and is considered a pest.If you really thought about it, do you really think a birds tummy is really smaller than a fe grains of rice? Ive seen Cardinals sit at my feeders and eat so many sunflower seeds I wonder how they can fly off. Yes yes rice swells, and birds eat it, and they just don't die.

Answer 4

The rice is small and dry, so pigeons gobble as much of it up as they can. Once it is inside their stomach, the rice reacts with the stomach acid and fluids and causes the rice to dramatically expand. They don't explode in a puff of feathers, but their internal organs burst. It's quite sad.

Answer 5

since I'm a pigeon white rice has me ready to explode

Answer 6

How many exploded pigeons have you seen lying in the street?

Answer 7

actually its not just that bird its all birds go get some rice and stick it in a bowl leave it there for about 5 weeks water in rice in a bowl watch how freakin big it gets and you tell me you would not explode with tat in you!

Answer 8

I've never seen a pigeon explode, and I've seen them eat rice plenty of times, so no.

Answer 9

No. That was a tale started by the maintenance staff who found cleaning up the rice a chore

Answer 10

No.. that's a really big exaggeration. When the rice comes into contact with the water they drink after they've ingested the rice, it does cause it to expand though.