Fear of pigeons (peristerophobia)

In towns and cities pigeons are hard to avoid, so peristerophobia, a fear of pigeons, can affect walks to work, eating outdoors or passing through busy squares and stations. Many people with this fear dread sudden flapping or a bird flying close to their face. The unpredictability of pigeons is often a big part of the problem.

About this phobia

The name comes from the Greek peristera, meaning pigeon. It is a type of animal phobia and sits under ornithophobia, the wider fear of birds. Concerns about dirt and disease from pigeons can add to the fear for some people.

What it feels like

• Flinching or freezing when pigeons take off or land nearby
• Taking longer routes to avoid squares, stations or bins where they gather
• Feeling unable to eat outside in case pigeons come close

Explore more unusual fears in the rare phobias A to Z, or browse the common phobias.

Common questions

Is a fear of pigeons the same as a fear of birds?

Peristerophobia is a narrower version of ornithophobia, which covers birds in general. Some people only fear pigeons because they are so common and unpredictable in cities, while being fine with other birds. For others, the fear spreads to birds of all kinds.

How can you help?

I use hypnotherapy and NLP to change how your mind responds to the thing you fear, so the old alarm stops going off. Sessions are one to one over Zoom, and you get a recording of the hypnosis to listen to afterwards.

How many sessions will I need?

Many clients notice a real difference after one 90 minute session. If the fear goes back a long way, three sessions gives us room to make the change stick.

Ready to start?

Book a £49 consultation call and we’ll talk through your fear, or take the free suitability test first.

See all session options and prices