Larry the Bird Man Talks About His Love for New York City Pigeons

As part of their 10 Questions You’ve Always Wanted to Ask series, Vice visited with Larry Reddick, who is most famously known around New York City as Larry the Bird Man. Larry spends his time with his “family” of ubiquitous pigeons in Washington Square Park.

Larry explained that he spent 20 years in prison for killing the men who murdered his wife and children in cold blood. When he got out, he came to New York City and found kinship with these greatly misunderstood birds.

After tragedy derailed Larry’s life, he hitchhiked to New York City, finding a new family in an unsuspecting group–the “disgusting” pigeons of Washington Square Park. We sit down with Larry and his flock to find out the answers to all the questions you’ve ever wanted to ask a real-life bird man.

Larry was very open to answering questions about his life, the pigeons, how people react to him and if he likes his role as a pigeon guy

Some people’s reaction are they like it …that guy walked by me earlier he goes ‘well you just gonna sit there and play with them nasty birds all day long?’ …The pigeons make me happy. don’t they make you happy yeah I didn’t think I’d get it into the pigeons like I am now the first time the pigeon landed on me I was shocked. I’ve always loved animals