For decades, a gritty subculture has anchored its survival to the creatures most New Yorkers dismiss as pests. Pigeon Religion tracks a range of city dwellers who view the bird as an elite athlete, a creative muse, or a spiritual lifeline.

But this isn’t just about birds; it’s about the high-stakes friction of the auction floor, the extreme financial sacrifices, and the quiet defiance of finding beauty in what the world has labeled ‘trash.’