rats with wings

[Troll]

The mayor of London's quest to clear Trafalgar Square of pigeons has cost at least £226,000, figures have revealed.
Ken Livingstone hired a pair of Harris Hawks to fly over the popular tourist spot and scare the pigeons away.
Figures released by the London Assembly Liberal Democrats show since November 2003, 121 of the birds have been killed - an average of £90 each.
The mayor's spokesman said the scheme had greatly improved the area and would continue "for as long as necessary".
Mr Livingstone brought in the hawks to control what he branded as "rats with wings".
Serious doubts should be raised about the effectiveness of the scheme as well as its value for money
The hawks were introduced in 2002 and cost £44,343 in their first year rising to £78,241 in 2003/2004. For the current year they cost £38,160.
Mike Tuffrey, of the London Liberal Democrat's said: "The pigeons in Trafalgar Square are both a nuisance and a health hazard that most Londoners would be happy to see gone all together.
"But at a cost of £90 per pigeon removed, serious doubts should be raised about the effectiveness of the scheme as well as its value for money."

[xoggoth]

Crap anyway. Look on the net, lots of stuff about pigeons can carry this and that, any actual cases? - none. The only expert opinion I can find is that they are not a hazard. The money would be much better spent tackling real rats which are.

What with this waste and so many others and his petulant outbursts, I think there is certainly one big rat without wings that needs removing from London.

[thunderlizard]

Those hawks have been pretty good at negotiating their salary. I wonder what went wrong for them this year?

[ASB]

Crap anyway. Look on the net, lots of stuff about pigeons can carry this and that, any actual cases? - none.

Probably not true. A relative got psiticosis. It is almost certain this came from pigeons in his grain silo. Granted this is unlikely in Trafalger Square.

[Troll]

Surely the answer is easy
Much was made recently about migrants taking Course fish from rivers to eat.. all they need to be shown are recipies for 'pigeon pie' or pigeon a la orange!

Problem solved

[vetran]

Cheaper solution

If they stopped people feeding them there would be no pigeons.

Half a dozen people handing out fixed penalties for litter every day and there would be no food. Self funding as well.

[mcquiggd]

Surely the answer is easy
Much was made recently about migrants taking Course fish from rivers to eat.. all they need to be shown are recipies for 'pigeon pie' or pigeon a la orange!

Problem solved

What's Polish for 'mmmm ... pidgeon pie'....?

They wouldn't last long with all the homeless eastern europeans we have 'celebrated' hunting them down...