Trafalgar Square Pigeons Plan Prompts Flap

L O N D O N, Oct. 20, 2000 -- They’ve kept Admiral Lord Nelson company upon his pillar in Trafalgar Square for generations.

They are almost as famous as their cooing cousins in Venice’s San Marco Square.

Feeding them as they perch upon one’s head or shoulder has become a tradition for children and tourists alike, but the pigeons of Trafalgar have run foul of London authorities who say they must go.

London’s new mayor, Ken Livingstone has declared war on the Trafalgar Square pigeons.

Claiming the flock has taken over the square and become a menace to the human population, Livingstone has sworn to rid Trafalgar of an “unsanitary nuisance.”

“People come from around the world to be crapped on by pigeons,” said Mayor Livingstone, “We are getting rid of the man who sells the pigeon feed.”

Not surprisingly, in a country full of animal lovers and bird-watchers, those words have created quite a flap.

The man who sells the pigeon feed, Bernard Raynor is a third-generation Trafalgar Square pigeon feeder. His family has sold corn kernel pigeon feed under Nelson’s watchful eye since 1946.

“It’s heritage, you know,” says Raynor, “Like my father, and his uncle before him. Like the bird woman in Mary Poppins, you know.”

Banning the Birdman

Despite public outcry, Raynor lost his vendor’s license two weeks ago and was escorted off the square by city police. He says not only has the city taken away his livelihood, it’s planning the cruelest of deaths for his feathered friends.

“It’s culling by starvation,” says Raynor, “The pigeons are dependent on me. Same as my family, they’ve been here for generations, born and bred. They are used to being fed.”

Animal rights activists have joined the fray. PETA, (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) has sponsored a number of protests against the mayor and launched a ‘save the pigeons’ campaign called “Crap on Ken.”

“We don’t normally support bird feeding,” says Andrew Butler, PETA Europe spokesman, “But, we have spoken with world renowned pigeon experts who say these birds will suffer.”

Although most agree the pigeon population is a bit out of control — the flock at close to 40,000 birds is more of a colony—demonstrators and critics say the mayor has gone about this all wrong.

There have been discussions on the merits of pigeon contraception pills and on bird brains and their ability to adapt to new environments.

Lordy, Lordy

Debates on the pigeon’s propensity to dive bomb and splatter passerbys — have even reached the halls of Parliament.

“My Lords, as one who has been treated in a most unseemly fashion by the pigeons in Trafalgar Square, may I stand up for their right to do the same to anyone who follows in my footsteps,” said Lord Jenkins of Putney addressing the House of Lords.

Raynor and other bird lovers have been sneaking food to the Trafalgar pigeons since he was evicted from the square.

But city authorities aren’t giving up the fight.

Rumors are spreading the city is considering using the Victoria Station solution.

When railway authorities decided the pigeons at London’s Victoria Station were pestering train passengers they brought in a bird of prey — a Harris Hawk — to hunt them down.

Now that could really ruffle some feathers.