# widespread pigeon removal in Suffolk County, NY



## cuteus (Dec 3, 2006)

I have been sick to my stomach and loosing sleep after seeing workers under the overpass on Sunrise Hwy and Udall Rd in Suffolk Cty, NY. At first I thought they were working on the bridge but yesterday I walked by and noticed that the beautiful pigeon flock under the overpass had diminished and the ones left were standing on top of this huge truck with big vacuum hoses. Upon inspection of the area, they had laid big tarps around the corner of the bridge, covering the whole corner, and built these wooden boards over the tarps, facing the street. The boards had big holes cut out that could probably fit the hoses. I am sick that they are removing the flock, sucking it into this truck and either poisoning them or letting them die a slow death. I thought wildlife was protected in NY! I have noticed the same set up in other bridges along Sunrise Hwy. This seems to be a quiet war against the resident flocks, probably based on junk science from exterminators or complaints from business. What to do? I loved to see "my flock" on my way home every day. It is going to be so lonely there! So sickening!


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

*I'm so sorry...., the uneducated continue to try to remedy the overpopulation of our feral flock the wrong way. It is humans that have created the nightmare these poor birds have to indure by overfeeding them, and then others come back and destroy them because they become prolific breeders.

The overpopulation can be remedied by working with nature by providing housing/nesting for the birds and not overfeeding the population. Someone removes eggs and replaces them with dummy eggs.) It has been proven to work in areas in Europe in the long run. The use of chemical birth control only works for a little while (but it is better then killing them) and removing them in such a horrific manner as you describe only gets repeated as the population returns. *


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## cuteus (Dec 3, 2006)

Thank you for your post! It is very useful and makes perfect sense! New York does protect these animals and I found out that they are not deliberately trying to remove them, but get them out of the way to do painting and repairs. Some workers actually did remove some babies out of the way, but the best would be to keep the population down so as not to draw attention to them in a negative way! Thanks again!


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