Captive and free-living urban pigeons (Columba livia) from Brazil as carriers of multidrug-resistant pathogenic Escherichia coli.

•Free-living and captive pigeons in Brazil carry multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli and virulence-associated genes (VAGs).•VAGs include those found in avian pathogenic E. coli (APEC) and human extra-intestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC).•The VAGs hlyF, tsh and sitA were present in some high and intermediate pathogenicity isolates of E. coli from pigeons.•Serotypes and sequence types detected in E. coli from pigeons included types found in poultry with colibacillosis.•Pigeons may act as reservoirs for pathogenic E. coli.