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[Feefo]

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http://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/conte...A24%3A49%3A270

Pigeon problem comes home to roost

DAN GRIMMER
20 November 2007 09:23

Fresh calls were made today for council bosses to come up with ways to tackle the city's pigeon problem and for the public to stop dropping food for them to eat.

Droppings from feral pigeons can cause damage to buildings and pavements, while the birds can also carry diseases such as salmonella, although these are rarely transmitted to humans.

Norwich City Council does not currently have a policy for dealing with pigeons, having put on ice cash which the previous Liberal Democrat administration had earmarked for that purpose.

Ideas which the Lib Dems mooted to control the pigeon population included creating dovecotes for the birds to nest in and then stealing the eggs to prevent more being born.

But when Labour took control of the council in the last election they said, because they had inherited a hole in the budget, money which had been set aside for tackling pigeons would be better spent elsewhere. Instead the council decided that the most effective way to control pigeons was to encourage people not to feed them and not leave food waste lying around.

The council says pigeon numbers will go down naturally to match the food available to them.

However, Liberal Democrat councillor Diana Lowe, who is her party's portfolio holder for housing and community development, today said it was time for the council to reconsider formulating a policy for dealing with pigeons.

She said: “Pigeons are an ongoing problem in the city and in areas of housing. The main problem is that there is plenty of food for them because sadly people have not made the connection between dropping, say a bun, and the pigeons multiplying.

“I very much hope this administration will start looking at ways to improve the situation and to encourage people to be careful about throwing away food.”

Julie Brociek-Coulton, Labour's executive member for citizen services on the city council, said: “It has been difficult to strike a balance between the need for control and doing it in such away that is humane and environmentally acceptable.”

This summer, Norwich Cathedral found itself in hot water with animal activists after a pest controller shot a pigeon in the refectory. The cathedral reviewed its procedures after the incident.

Are pigeons a major problem where you live? Telephone Evening News reporter Dan Grimmer on 01603 772375 or email dan.grimmer@archant.co.uk

[Dezirrae]

Cyro -- I'm so sorry to hear this is up for discussion (again) in the UK I posted your message on three other email lists I subscribe too and will also be writting an email to the author of the article.

I'll PM Niel who's a member of STTSP (Save The Trafalgar Square Pigeons) and maintains their Action Alerts so that he's sure to see this post and can activate his email list.

[Feefo]

Thanks Dezirrae! And that was quick work, Neil! I received the action alert!

Cynthia

[TheSnipes]

Well, I sent a letter to him. I'm as far from the UK as can be I guess, but we have the same issues here so maybe it counts.

I just sent this off:

Dear Sir,

The eyesore of seeing pigeon droppings is not as important when you stop to think that the food they eat up, is reducing the availability of it to rodents. Without pigeons as scavengers, the rodent population will explode and they are the real threat to human health, not the pigeons.

The pigeon droppings, in and of themselves, do not represent as much of a health threat as human or other mammalian excretia although it is certainly esthetically more pleasing to the eye when they are not seen.

The problem we humans have in trying to become civilized and compassionate towards the animals that travel on the same world as we, is how to live side by side with them and not kill them which seems to be the only easy answer people have when confronted with problems of the Natural World.

Please consider the humane controls being used in other parts of Europe including the creation of specific living areas called cotes. I believe it is called the PICAS approach. Perhaps this method may keep the birds alive as well as satisfying human needs to keep their cities a bit cleaner.

Thank you very much for reading this.
Sincerely,

[Charis]

I sent a letter too.

[amyable]

Just sent a reply too.
Seems it's just too much trouble to go down the humane route for some. I notice they blame people for throwing down the food but ultimately, it is the pigeon that is made to suffer.

Janet