Can I feed pigeons and wild animals?
Feeding pigeons and wild animals in the street, on squares, in parks or at ponds is forbidden in most Belgian towns and municipalities via the municipal police regulation (GAS). The reason: scattered food moulds and attracts rats and vermin, bread is bad for the animals, and it fuels overpopulation of pigeons, gulls and exotic species. In the regions' nature reserves and parks (including Brussels Environment) feeding wild animals is likewise forbidden. Feeding big game such as wild boar and deer is separately forbidden — in Wallonia a principle of no supplementary feeding applies, and giving kitchen scraps to wild boar is forbidden everywhere (African swine fever risk). What is allowed: feeding small garden birds on your own land, preferably in winter (roughly 1 November–1 April), with suitable food (no bread), small quantities and clean feeding spots, as long as you cause no nuisance or vermin.
📋 The rules
- On public land (street, square, park, pond), feeding is forbidden in most municipalities (GAS)
- In nature reserves and regional parks, feeding wild animals is forbidden
- Feeding big game (boar, deer) is separately forbidden; kitchen scraps to boar nowhere (swine fever)
- Feeding small garden birds on your land is allowed, preferably in winter, no bread
- Keep clean feeding spots and small quantities — no leftovers that attract rats
- Never feed foxes, feral cats or wild boar: they lose their shyness and cause nuisance
🔓 Exceptions
- Some municipalities allow an exception in freezing weather for garden birds — check the local regulations
- Recognised rescue centres and land managers may feed animals as part of animal care or site management
- Feeding small garden birds on your own land generally stays allowed, preferably in winter and with suitable feed (no bread)
⚠️ Penalties & fines
Feeding where it is banned earns a municipal administrative fine (up to 500 euros for adults, 175 euros for minors); cities such as Antwerp enforce this actively. If your feeding attracts rats or vermin, the municipality can also hold you responsible for the nuisance and pass on the cost of pest control. In Wallonia, breaches of the ban on feeding large game fall under hunting and nature law, with administrative or criminal sanctions. Giving kitchen waste to wild boar adds a swine fever file on top.
📎 Official sources
- City of Antwerp · feeding birds (GAS) →
- Brussels Environment · may we feed wild animals? →
- Wallonie · hunting and big-game feeding →
❓ Frequently asked
May I feed pigeons?
On public land usually not: most municipalities ban it through their administrative fine regulations, because scattered feed attracts rats and lets pigeons overpopulate. On your own land it is possible, but without causing nuisance.
May I feed garden birds in winter?
Yes, generally on your own land. Use suitable feed (seeds, fat balls without netting), no bread, in small quantities and at clean feeding spots; it is mostly useful during the cold months.
May I feed wild boar or deer?
No. Feeding large game is banned (in Wallonia as a matter of principle), and giving kitchen waste to wild boar is banned everywhere because of African swine fever. You also make the animals fearless and dangerous.
Is it allowed in a nature reserve or city park?
No, in nature reserves and regional parks (including those of Brussels Environment) feeding wild animals is banned. That applies just as much to the ducks and the gulls at an ordinary park pond.
What do I risk if I feed them anyway?
An administrative fine of up to 500 euros for adults (175 euros for minors). If you attract vermin, the municipality can also hold you liable for the nuisance and the cost of pest control.
🔎 Common searches
What people search to land here:
- “feeding pigeons banned belgium”
- “feeding wild animals fine”
- “feeding garden birds winter”
- “feeding wild boar ban”
- “feeding birds administrative fine”
- “feeding ducks at a pond legal”