Rock doves, known as pigeons, arrived in New York with European immigrants in the 1600s; they escaped captivity and adapted to city life.

New York city's rapidly changing environment has always been unfriendly to wildlife but just like early New Yorkers, pigeons found innovative ways to survive.

For New Yorkers, pigeons are a part of the cityscape, yet for certain individuals who are homeless or on the fringes of society, pigeons are more than just companions. These birds provide a bond with another living being in todays world that, for many, is too expensive and complex to understand.

Pigeons, in contrast to humans, are never divided by class, status, or wealth. They inhabit neighborhoods with ease, settling on rooftops of both penthouses and tenements.

For some people, bonding with pigeons is the way to meet the moment of despair. These ancient rock doves from 4500 bc, much like the individuals who feed them, exist as outcasts within the urban landscape—often ignored, yet remarkably resilient—bonded together by surviving in places where they are not wanted or accepted.