Pigeons are in short supply in New York?

Trains Magazine General Discussion
1

From the Trains.com News Wire 4/20/06:

[quote]
QUOTE: LIRR officials considering plans to fight pigeon poop at stations

NEW YORK - Ah, the hallmarks of spring in New York. Longer, warmer days. Tulips stretching skyward. Pigeon droppings on your shoulder.

“Every year it happens,” Long Island Rail Road president James Dermody said in a story published in the Long Island, N.Y.-based newspaper Newsday. “And, every year we hear the complaints.”

At certain elevated LIRR stations, where the birds are known to nest, the dirty droppings seem to be falling like rain this spring.

“You can’t keep them out,” Dermody said about the birds. “It’s an increasing problem.”

It’s more than getting hit with the droppings that irritates commuters. It’s the general nuisance of the birds, and the possible diseases they carry, Dermody said.

The railroad spends tens of thousands of dollars each year to scrub the sidewalks clean and to stuff wiring and metal spikes under trestles and bridges to keep the birds away - it spent $250,000 to pigeon-proof Jamaica station when it opened three years ago.

But the birds always find a way back. The notorious spots, Dermody said, are Queens Village, Flushing, Forest Hills, and nearly every stop along the Babylon line. By state law, LIRR is not allowed to bait and kill the birds, Dermody said. So, every month, LIRR workers have to wash away large fecal collages from the platforms and sidewalks.

Even metal wiring has its drawbacks - about 20 pigeons got stuck in the netting at the Seaford station in 2001 and died.

Maybe that’s why, at an LIRR committee meeting this week in Manhattan, as Metropolitan Transit Authority board members approved a $70,000 expense for netting and metal spikes at seven stations along the Babylon line, alternative ideas started to fly.

“Have you ever considered nylon fishing line?” inquired MTA vice chairman David Mack, explaining th

2

I would guess they don’t want poisoned pigons to be eaten by neighborhood dogs…you don’t see many outdoor cats (not as pets anyways). I don’t think anyone would miss the pigeons, but people would probably raise some rather vocal complaints if their dog died because it nabbed a poisoned pigeon.

[2c]

3

Get some falconers pay them a decent wage and patrol the area.

Just the sight of a predator bird should scare the pigeons away.

I have a few hawks that live in my area and most of the birds in my land clear out when they glide by overhead.

I recall back home we sometimes walk thru pidgeons in the square or compete with seagulls for our lunch.

4

Well, certainly not poison! I don’t think that was really an option – I highlighted bait and kill which, nonetheless, is against state law…

We have a similar problem with Canada geese here in our parks. There’s laws protecting them in regards to “migratory waterfowl”, only problem is – they don’t migrate! They hang out in the parks all year long, harassing people, and leaving … well, you know … so that the park is basically unusable by the people it was mostly meant to serve! (Of course, one major problem is the people who encourage the problem by feeding them all year long [:(!])

Well, last year, the DNR came in and “harvested” the geese in several major parks, donating the meat to food pantries. And you should have heard the people crying about these “poor geese”, and “they shouldn’t have done such a terrible thing”, waa waa waa! Absolutely amazing…

But I bet nobody wants to eat pigeon… [xx(]

5

Shoot them, and mail them to PETA…

6

Well, I don’t know nothin’ 'bout Pigeons, but…

I got these woodpeckers drilling holes in the side of my house. Perfectly round and about 2" in diamiter. I just paid a “handyman” $850 to fix and paint the holes, along with some failing “stucco” on my house.

Ain’t gonna’ happen again. I’ve been to New York City. I had a glass of chardoney up top of the World Trade Center. Saw my only sight of the Statue of Liberty from there. That aint’ gonna’ happen again, and niether are the woodpeckers.

I’m buying a .410 shotgun. Next woodpecker that shows up might hear it if he’s lucky. Maybe we could all learn from my woodpecker experience?

7

I suspect Bird Flu, once it gets here, will take care of the pigeon issue.

Ah, nature!

8

THEre are a number of strategies to keep pigeons out of stations. Netting and spike strips can be used to eliminate roosting places and deter the birds from hanging around the station.

9

pidgeons don’t carry bird flu

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Start the next USA growth industry. Eat pigeons instead of chickens. [:D]

[quote]
QUOTE: Originally posted by fuzzybroken

From the Trains.com News Wire 4/20/06:

[quote]
QUOTE: LIRR officials considering plans to fight pigeon poop at stations

NEW YORK - Ah, the hallmarks of spring in New York. Longer, warmer days. Tulips stretching skyward. Pigeon droppings on your shoulder.

“Every year it happens,” Long Island Rail Road president James Dermody said in a story published in the Long Island, N.Y.-based newspaper Newsday. “And, every year we hear the complaints.”

At certain elevated LIRR stations, where the birds are known to nest, the dirty droppings seem to be falling like rain this spring.

“You can’t keep them out,” Dermody said about the birds. “It’s an increasing problem.”

It’s more than getting hit with the droppings that irritates commuters. It’s the general nuisance of the birds, and the possible diseases they carry, Dermody said.

The railroad spends tens of thousands of dollars each year to scrub the sidewalks clean and to stuff wiring and metal spikes under trestles and bridges to keep the birds away - it spent $250,000 to pigeon-proof Jamaica station when it opened three years ago.

But the birds always find a way back. The notorious spots, Dermody said, are Queens Village, Flushing, Forest Hills, and nearly every stop along the Babylon line. By state law, LIRR is not allowed to bait and kill the birds, Dermody said. So, every month, LIRR workers have to wash away large fecal collages from the platforms and sidewalks.

Even metal wiring has its drawbacks - about 20 pigeons got stuck in the netting at the Seaford station in 2001 and died.

Maybe that’s why, at an LIRR committee meeting this week in Manhattan, as Metropolitan Transit Authority board members approved a $70,000 expense for netting and metal spikes at seven stations along the Babylon

11

The woodpeckers are there, because they are eating the bugs in your wood. Get rid of the bugs, and the woodpeckers will go away. Most commonly, an additive (mild bugg-killer poisen?) is put in the paint

12

When the city bird watchers noticed that Falcons and other birds of prey were returning to the city they also noticed they did a very good job at keeping pidgeons at bay and where a falcon nested all the pidgeons dissappeared. So now some froo-froo property owners who dont want pidgeons fowling their plaza’s and entries with their reinactments of “Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo” , are now actively seeking ways to get the returning falcons and hawks to nest in or near their buildings.

13

Vic - the rhythm of life that we seem to keep interfering with. Right now some of our prime property on a lake is fighting midges. They did a fish kill to dredge this lake and haven’t returned the fi***hat will eat the midges.

We have a hawk that seems to keep our “little gentlemen in beautiful suits” under control where we train watch.

Mook

14

Not to mention the fact that Geese can be rather mean…i can see not wanting them around too much.

But yeah…I don’t think I’d eat NYC pigeon unless I was down to that, or starving. Then again, most of them are quite plump…hidden delicacy?[:D]

15

Your woodpeckers are taking care of an apparent pest problem…

Also, I believe some woodpeckers are protected species though I might be mistaken…

Besides, with the .410 you’re just going to put a bunch of 7 1/2 (if you use that size) or one big hole(s) in your house… [;)]

Save it for the pigeons…[xx(]

16

Best thing to kill pigeons and geese feed them Alka Setlzer. Since birds can not burp they just explode form the gas. I know it works well on gulls so geese and pigeons should do the same thing. Not that I advocate killing birds with Alka Seltzer but it does get the job done.

17

Uh…penguins?

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State Bird! [8D]

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Redrabbit, you mentioned geese. Got the local goodie two-shoes mad at me by letting my greyhound chase Canadian geese around (no mention if she caught any, she d**). The local land owners love me, though.

20

I could only wish it was cold enough here in Nebraska…