Was the Pigeon Attack in Home Alone 2 Real?

The Famous Christmas Movie Scene

It just wouldn't be Christmas without settling in front of the TV to watch a Home Alone movie marathon. The second film sees young Kevin McCallister lost in New York where he meets the Pigeon Lady, who helps him fight off two robbers with a little help from her bird friends.

The Real Deal

The birds used to film this scene were all real and were trained pigeons. Representatives of American Humane were present for both training and filming with the pigeons. Around 500 birds were booked to film scenes in Home Alone 2, and they were swapped in and out so that they could rest.

Behind the Scenes

Two stuntmen were used as doubles for the two robbers, and the filming took place on a sound stage, not in Central Park. The famous scene was shot over four days, with pigeons being released from four different locations. Actress Brenda Fricker played the Pigeon Lady in the movie.

Brenda Fricker's Career

Irish actress Brenda Fricker, who played the Pigeon Lady, has had a career spanning over six decades on stage and screen. She won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar in 1989 for her role in My Left Foot and continues to act, starring in the Channel 5 drama The Catch in 2023.