The Bank of England has announced that future UK banknotes will move away from historical figures and instead celebrate nature and wildlife from across the United Kingdom. A public consultation will take place later this year, giving people the chance to help decide which species could appear on the next generation of notes.

This creates a rare opportunity to recognise the animals that are truly part of everyday life in Britain.

And there is one candidate that represents modern British life better than almost any other.

The pigeon.

For centuries pigeons have lived alongside people across the UK. They were once highly valued as messenger birds, carrying important communications across the country and even during wartime. Over time they became a constant presence in our towns and cities, adapting to urban life and quietly sharing our streets, parks and railway stations.

Today they are one of the most recognisable birds in the country. Whether sitting on rooftops, wandering through city squares or appearing the moment someone opens a bag of chips, pigeons have become part of the everyday rhythm of British life.

Love them or roll your eyes at them, they are undeniably woven into the character of our cities.

In many ways the pigeon is an overlooked national treasure. Resilient, resourceful and always nearby, it has been part of Britain’s urban landscape for generations.

As the Bank of England prepares to celebrate British wildlife on future banknotes, this is the perfect moment to recognise a bird that has been living among us for hundreds of years.

This petition calls on the Bank to include a pigeon on the future £20 banknote.

A tribute to one of the country’s most familiar and quietly enduring residents.

They might not always get the credit they deserve, but pigeons have earned their place in British culture.

Now it’s time to give this unexpected national treasure the recognition it deserves.

Let’s put the pigeon on the £20.

Sign the petition and help make it happen. 🐦💸