Pigeon feeding in city centres.

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On my walk into Glasgow city centres I frequently come accross an old woman that throws bird feed down on Suchiehall street to feed pidgeons. The problem is they all flock round and I nearly got clobbered on the head by a low flying one.

I nearly went up to her to give her a piece of my mind to explain she's encouraging airborne vermin and being a nuisance to the public as they all fly low to get to the feed she puts down and they can hit/injure people.

However before I approach the menace I need to be aware of a few things.

Does putting bird feed on the pavement be classed as littering as she could be acting illegally.

Are pidgeons vermin? I see them as vermin.

Would a council condone such things.

Would I best to contact the police or council first to put a complaint in?
 
There are certainly fines for feeding gulls in some places.

Not sure about pigeons. There used to be signs asking not to feed them in George Square but I'm pretty sure a quick check with Glasgow City Council will give you your answer.
 
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Cg_Girl said:
One day you may be old and alone and only have pigeons as friends ;)
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The situation of these people is of no concern to me, clearly as my comfort and well being is clearly no concern to them.

It's a busy padestrianised street . It's a menace . Why not feed the things in a quiet park rather than on a busy street where loads of folk walk.

Plus it encourages seagulls. A major menace
 
From Glasgow City Council website........

The Public Health Group receives many complaints each year concerning pigeons and issues relating to them. Regrettably, the Council has very limited powers with regard to these issues and for the most part cannot deal with the matters directly.

If you have concerns about the construction of a pigeon loft on or near your property, the loft may require planning consent if it is of a certain size. Queries regarding this should be directed to the Development Control section of Development and Regeneration Services on 0141 287 8555.

The Council has no direct enforcement powers to prevent members of the public feeding pigeons. However, if an excessive amount of food is left out this may cause a problem with rodent infestation and persons are discouraged from feeding birds to such an excessive extent.

Pigeons cause continuing problems at locations where they roost and nest e.g. railway bridges, and buildings. Although complaints are frequently received about pigeon droppings and feathers, the Council can very seldom take any formal action to force owners to proof their premises against pigeons.

The council does not provide a pigeon proofing service on any private properties.

In cases where pigeons have gained access to a property and have caused a potentially serious public health problem such as pollution of a water tank, the council would then be able to take enforcement action against the property owners to remedy the problem.
 
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Right. I'm buggered. I'll try have a friendly chat with the feeders to see if they'll consider moving on. The laws not really on my side.

I might buy a horn if all else fails and just blast it as the pigeons fly near the feed to scare them off
 
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Go out and take some photos!
 
How many people have been injured?
 
ST4 said:
Are pidgeons vermin? I see them as vermin.
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They are descendants from the Rock dove
and hybridised with "escaped" racing pigeons.

Feral pigeons (Town pigeons) are vermin.
(So are Wood pigeons come to that)
The council have a duty of care to protect people from the
mess they make, with their droppings.

Not only do it burn into buildings staining them,
but they also CAN carry diseases.
such as Chiamdiosis, Psittacosis,
Avian flu and Salmonella to name 4.
(there are many more)

That why there is good money to be earned in proofing buildings,
controlled culls and flying BoP as deterrents in town
centres ;)

Ken Livingstone declared "open war" on them some years ago.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/u...are-flocking-to-trafalgar-square-2041675.html
 
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Thanks @Cobra

I will email the council tonight voicing concerns, and CC police Scotland in as well. Its not on and a real nuisance. They should be discouraging them from the cities with horn blasts, poison bates, traps, wires etc not doing nothing when people feed them.
 
I suppose cats & dogs & homeless will be next on your list once your pigeon menace has moved on.
 
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ianp5a said:
Technically they are not vermin. .
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That's exactly how DEFRA (Natural England) classifies them, Vermin.

ST4 said:
Thanks @Cobra
I will email the council tonight voicing concerns, and CC police Scotland in as well. Its not on and a real nuisance. They should be discouraging them from the cities with horn blasts, poison bates, traps, wires etc not doing nothing when people feed them.
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Obviously that's south of the boarder, I don't know the stance on them "up there"
Try DEFRA (Or what ever the Scottish equivalent is, SEPA perhaps? )
Most of that you quoted is actually legal, but you can't poison them.
Distress calls, Birds of prey, culls, trapping.
If you make their environment (as above)
as hostile as possible they will eventually leave.
Its takes a few years with a fairly intensive programme,
But it is possible.

I've cleared a few local shopping areas over the years,
With all of the above methods.
 
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ianp5a said:
Gosh. I didn't realise DEFRA hated old people that much.
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Ok so that has gone Woooosh over my head,
I thought we were discussing pigeons.
 
Cobra said:
Ok so that has gone Woooosh over my head,
I thought we were discussing pigeons.
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It is difficult keeping up, seeing as ST4 posts outrage about everything on the planet ;)
 
I have a really really radical idea here,
how about we try and keep at least one of ST4's
threads on topic,
without mentioning immigrants, his high speed jaunt,
Some political party or another, people living in area's they wouldn't
normally be able to afford, and culling certain factions of society.

Gotta be worth a shot surly ?
 
Cobra said:
I have a really really radical idea here,
how about we try and keep at least one of ST4's
threads on topic,
without mentioning immigrants, his high speed jaunt,
Some political party or another, people living in area's they wouldn't
normally be able to afford, and culling certain factions of society.

Gotta be worth a shot surly ?
Click to expand...


OK - here goes


-----



-----



-----


-----


Let me sleep on it:)
 
ST4 said:
On my walk into Glasgow city centres I frequently come accross an old woman that throws bird feed down on Suchiehall street to feed pidgeons.


Would I best to contact the police or council first to put a complaint in?
Click to expand...

You mean she hasn't already? :coat:
 
ST4 said:
Thanks @Cobra

I will email the council tonight voicing concerns, and CC police Scotland in as well. Its not on and a real nuisance. They should be discouraging them from the cities with horn blasts, poison bates, traps, wires etc not doing nothing when people feed them.
Click to expand...

By all means contact the council, but I can't see what this has to do with the Police? They have more than enough to do on crime without getting involved with nuisances such as old folk feeding pigeons. :thinking:

If you follow this Leeds example then you can ask them to move to a more suitable location.

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/feeding_the_pigeons_in_leeds_cit
 
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Trafalgar Square in London was always a massive pigeon feeding area and as a kid in the late 50s early 60s we often went to feed the birds (just like Mary Poppins). They even had licenced sellers of bird feed (corn).

Jump forward and a big push was made to discourage the pigeons through taking away the feed sellers and denying the birds window ledges to land on with caustic pastes applied to them. The pigeons adapted to mutilated feet without claws. Eventually the focus was denying the pigeons (and seagulls) by netting off roof spaces and window areas, birds of prey etc and no feeding of the birds. It has all but eradicated them from the square and beyond (remembering thouggSt James's Park, Green Park and Embankment Gardens are all very close by for them to hang out in. The whole Suare has been given a facelift with the Piazza development in fro t of the art gallery so the pigeon problem was always going to be number one priority.

The sinple fact, and in this I support ST4, pigeons are a major nuisance. Glasgow City has undergone a lot of work and that means ££££

Trafalgar Sq was a skating rink made up of pigeon poop and not ice to have to get up off if you did slip (think combune poo and water spray off the fountains....

For some reason people feel they must feed these birds that despoil not just the city.

Nearby to where I live are the Chew Valley anx Blagdon Lakes.

Bristol Water look after what are resevoirs and it's nice to pop down with tge camera to shoot there. Despite sig s aski g that people not feed the wildfowl, around 4:30 most I have been, an old couple pull up with a sa k of bread. On being told about the sign not to feed, often the perso talki g to them gets told to "go forth and procreate. So I am not surprised that the old girl in Glasgow will feed the birds.

I would say Glasgow City Council will duck the issue if she is on private land and it would not surprise me if ST4 gets told to go and do something anatomically.... ermm difficult. Or gets bottled.

The coubcil can do something but not everything. It needs tbe owners of local buuldings to make their properties inaccessible to the winged rats.

Must admit, I had thought this problem was largely cured. As an environmental consultant I often listed pigeon infestation/damage on way too nany reports. One building owner had nearly £200K clean up and repair bills to his a/c plant on the roof before he received offers to buy the place.

Nothing nice about feral pigeons.
 
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Is it just me though, or does anyone else wonder if somewhere on the internet, there's an elderly woman on an OAP forum who has started a thread telling others about the dour b****r who shambles past her every morning with a face like a bulldog chewing a wasp...emanating doom and gloom and totally ruining her daily pigeon feeding joy?
Perhaps she's asking advice as to whether she should stop him and give him a piece of her mind. After all, he might trip and fall, injuring a pigeon!!
 
It's funny but when ST4 passes the old lady, she pulls up her collar near her mouth and says "Target in sight". And then continues innocently feeding the birds. (Who are also stooges.)
Hugh Jarse said:
I would say Glasgow City Council will duck the issue
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Ah yes. The Australian method. Bring in larger animals to displace the pigeons. And when that gets out of hand, easy! Bring in even bigger animals. And so on until you run out of elefants.
 
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Steve, quite seriously, try talking to her, perhaps find out WHY she feeds them there and not in the park or at least away from busy thoroughfares. Approach the problem with a little humanity as well as with the end game of getting a result that is satisfactory to everyone. Pigeons are indeed classed as vermin and do cause problems especially when in great numbers, but an old lady feeding them might not be aware of this for a start. You never know, a friendly approach might get you further than using a sledge hammer to crack a nut and who knows, you might just make yourself a friend too.
 
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