Two Philadelphia residents have launched a walking tour focused entirely on the city's pigeon population. Hannah Michelle Brower and Aspen Simone established Philly Pigeon Tours to guide visitors through areas of the city where the birds frequently congregate.
The initiative began after Brower encountered a sick pigeon four years ago. After nursing the bird back to health, she reported that her perspective on the animals changed. That bird, named Primrose, is now domesticated and lives with the couple in their apartment.
The 90-minute tour has grown in visibility, currently holding a ranking as the third most popular tour in Philadelphia on the travel site TripAdvisor. During the walks, the guides provide biological and behavioral facts, such as explaining that pigeons face into the wind to keep their feathers streamlined.
Brower stated that the goal of the business is to encourage participants to practice curiosity regarding common urban elements they might otherwise ignore. The tour includes visits to various neighborhoods to observe the birds in their natural city environment.
For the average participant, the concrete change is a 90-minute shift in how they interact with urban wildlife. Instead of viewing pigeons as a nuisance, attendees are taught to observe specific traits, such as feather patterns and wind-facing behaviors. The cost of admission was not specified in the report, but the activity introduces a niche service industry within the local economy based on urban ecology rather than historical architecture.
The success of such a specific niche tour may influence how other cities market their common urban wildlife to travelers. It sets a precedent for small-business owners to monetize aspects of city life that are typically viewed as mundane or undesirable. Further details regarding seasonal schedules or expansion plans were not reported.