From Save the Trafalgar Square Pigeons

[pigifan]

I wonder if anyone is interested in emailing Boris Johnson who is very likely to be the next Mayor.
I have done so and placed priority on a taxpayer waste/value angle of the idea because I think his party is more interested in this than the animal rights.
However if we have as many people possible stressing both issues I think it could be useful.
I think it will have more weight if it happens before 1 May (election day).

This is what I wrote:

"One of (many) areas of waste of taxpayer's money by Mr. Livingstone is in contracting Van Vynck Avian Solutions in order to control the pigeon population in Trafalgar Square. A single hawk with its handler costs over £100,000 a year. This is a classic case of Livingstone giving his cronies an excessively profitable contract.
In addition, although his press officers deny it, the hawk is catching and killing pigeons in front of members of the public (including children) causing distress and complaints. The Mayor's office deny it because the hawk is not supposed to feed on the pigeons - it is there only to deter them, that's why there is a professional handler at a considerable cost.
Furthermore looking at the owner of the company and his criminal record you can't help but thinking he has everything that's needed to be a "Livingstone crony" in receipt of public money.

I think the deployment of this company is totally unnecessary/counterproductive.
Thank you "

You can use the link http://www.backboris.com/contact.php and write a comment under policy suggestion.

[amyable]

Thanks for flagging that idea up. I have now sent an email to Boris with regard to his policy.

[george simon]

..._ V for VICTORY Ken the Pigeon Hater has been KICK OUT .GEORGE

[vouteman]

I have been to Trafalgar Square several times. The last time was after the feeding ban was put into place. I have to agree to part of the ban. The pigeons that were there looking to feed were oily and dirty. There were all starving. There was poops everywhere. There was not one clean square inch of pavement or bench in the whole square. I am not sure what the cure is. I have been reading about some towns are putting up dove cotes for the pigeons to nest in. they collect the eggs and give them wood eggs to sit on. They monitor the birds and are able to slow down the population explosion. I do know that Trafalgar Square is a much cleaner place now than it was before the ban. Green pigeon poop doesn't make for a nice souvenir photo.

The thing I wonder about and maybe some of our English friends can help with this. When I have been out sight seeing in the countryside about 75% of the pigeons are white or white splashed. Am I correct in assuming that most of the pigeons that I see in the countryside are free lofted for squabbing purposes? That is the only reason I could see that such a large percentage of pigeons being self white or nearly so. The pigeons at Trafalgar Square were mostly blue bars, blue checks, with a very few reds and a few blue grizzles. Out of thousands of pigeons in Trafalgar there were no more than a dozen reds and maybe that many blue grizzles. Just curious.

[amyable]

Hi Vouteman,

I am not an expert on pigeons colours but can only answer with regard to my own area in the West Midlands, UK.
I was born in London and have obviously seen the Trafalgar pigeons over the years, but there are more knowledgable people from the London area on here who possibly can answer regarding the colours there now.

In the rural areas around where I live now, we only really find Wood Pigeons, much larger and with the white band around their neck and on the tips of their wings. Ferals here are still only to be found around the towns and the city.
I do have one mainly white flock near here that is about to lose their home due to demolition and development. They are mostly pure white with a couple of blue bars and a red amongst them. Also there are a couple of banded birds that have decided to join the flock. This has now produced the odd speckled white, and Blue bar with pure white tail and back.

In the other direction, in Birmingham city centre, the ferals are very much the same colours as you find in Trafalgar Square.

On the other hand, in another town nearby, Walsall, and surrounding areas, there is a very large feral population. This was always a very industrial area in the past, and is the home to a large Pigeon racing fraternity. Now in the ferals here you'll find there is a complete mixture of blue bars, checks and red, and a small minority of white mixes but not really pure white. So in answer to your question, as far as my area goes anyway, the more unusual colours of the feral pigeons could well be geared to the pigeons that have been freed into the community and interbred from there.

Very interesting to see in three quite close areas the colours vary quite considerably.

What areas have you been to where you've seen the white pigeons?

It will be interesting to hear about colour variations other areas in the UK.

Janet

[Becca199212]

Here in Tyne and Wear- the majority of the pigeons in the town centre are blue bars but theres a small minority of reds and very few all white pigeons.

The shopping centre up the road has a huge feral flock which I think used to belong to the pub owner (since they all roost on his roof) but are now mostly feral, in that flock there are only 2 pure white birds and one brown, the rest are blue. The pigeons at this particular place are extremely tame and very well fed- it is the centre sport between 3 senior schools and every dinner time the place is choker with kids dropping their lunches. The pet shop there also empties what their birds don't eat out back and the pigeons eat that as well.

I don't think there is a flock of wood pigeons here, more alot of single pairs living nearby. The same with ring-neck doves, we had 2 which visited out garden throughout the day, this increased to four but now theres only the two again. I assume that ring-necks and wood pigeons prefer to just live with their mate- which is how I explain the other two disappeared. Or maybe they just go through the day in pairs and sleep as a flock overnight- I could be seeing lots of different pairs that look similar.

[Niel]

Did anyone get a specific reply from Boris on the use of hawks? His advisors were saying prior to his election that he opposed their use but he has now confirmed he intends to continue with them. If at any time he put his name toa policy of getting rid of the hawks this would be most useful. Thanks.

[tuxedobaby]

Originally Posted by Becca199212

Here in Tyne and Wear- the majority of the pigeons in the town centre are blue bars but theres a small minority of reds and very few all white pigeons.

The shopping centre up the road has a huge feral flock which I think used to belong to the pub owner (since they all roost on his roof) but are now mostly feral, in that flock there are only 2 pure white birds and one brown, the rest are blue. The pigeons at this particular place are extremely tame and very well fed- it is the centre sport between 3 senior schools and every dinner time the place is choker with kids dropping their lunches. The pet shop there also empties what their birds don't eat out back and the pigeons eat that as well.

I don't think there is a flock of wood pigeons here, more alot of single pairs living nearby. The same with ring-neck doves, we had 2 which visited out garden throughout the day, this increased to four but now theres only the two again. I assume that ring-necks and wood pigeons prefer to just live with their mate- which is how I explain the other two disappeared. Or maybe they just go through the day in pairs and sleep as a flock overnight- I could be seeing lots of different pairs that look similar.

in our regular flock we have mostly checkers(both light and dark grey)and 2 blue bars(one with white wing tips)we have 2 brown and white(one being a brick color with white wings,most unusual,someone suggested she may be a roller)the other brown is more a fawn colour with white wing tips,very pretty!we also have one spread with white wing tips and several babys who look like they will be dark spreads once colour is esablished