# From Save the Trafalgar Square Pigeons



## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Dear supporter,

This Action Alert concerns the sickening use of hawks to terrify and kill pigeons – a practice, as the eye-witness account to the right shows, is nothing short of bloodsports.

Trafalgar Square

The notorious Van Vynck Avian Solutions were sacked from Trafalgar Square several years ago following a spate of complaints about the huge numbers of birds that they deliberately killed in front of members of the public. Incredibly, they have been re-employed and are now back tormenting pigeons on the Square.

We have scientifically proved that using the hawks is completely ineffective as a method of deterring pigeons 

Please email the Mayor registering your discust that Van Vynck has returned to the Square. Email address: [email protected] 

Bath City Centre

Bath and North East Somerset Council (BANES) had also decided to introduce hawks to “unsettle” both pigeons and gulls. Inevitably this will involve many birds being killed. 

Interestingly, the council has proposed an otherwise humane, non-lethal package to reduce bird numbers, so we are hopeful that large-scale opposition will cause them to call of the hawks.

The Pigeon Control Advisory Service (PICAS) has issued a statement comprehensively demolishing the council’s case for using hawks. We urge you to read it here and then to email the council asking them to think again. Email address: [email protected]

Thank you in advance on behalf of the birds.

Kind regards,


Save the Trafalgar Square Pigeons


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## solly (Jul 18, 2005)

This really sickens me.I've emailed both addresses.lets hope enough people do.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Cynthia, do you have pre-written text that we can each modify? Such would be helpful.


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## solly (Jul 18, 2005)

hope people are emailing cynthia.(just moving up to the top)


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## amyable (Jul 7, 2007)

Have emailed the mayor.


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## pigifan (Nov 2, 2005)

I have emailed both.

It looks increasingly likely the odious Mr. Livingstone has only one month left to further screw things up.
Let's hope when he goes his coonies -the Van Vynck Avian Solutions - go too.


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

> Cynthia, do you have pre-written text that we can each modify? Such would be helpful.


Not my strong point but Nona provided me with a good one for the Wellington pigeons, it can be tweaked and altered to suit our different locations. If anyone wants a copy, please e-mail me.

Cynthia


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

here's my letter that I sent, just FYI.....

"Dear Ken,

Generally, I am a supporter of yours and have followed your career with respect.

I write this to you to urge your administration to stop using hawks on Trafalgar square, or anywhere else in London for that matter. there has been quite enough studies done to illustrate that this method does not keep the pigeon population in check. All it does, is provide some grisly sadistic entertainment for a very few, while providing a very infamously memorable trip to Trafalgar for the majority of visitors who go there. 

I suppose if your goal is for tourists to remember Trafalgar as the scene of horror, then you are justified in your actions.

But, if not, then this cannot possibly be good either for tourism or for the general reputation of London, or yourself.

As if this is not bad enough...your administration has chosen to once again employ the most reprehensible of pigeon-killers, Van Vynck.

Surely, past history illustrates well enough that the employment of this "business" in the square was a complete embarrassment to London.

If you insist upon citing people for pigeon-feeding, this is one thing. However, using a dubious contractor with a poor performance record and a list of public complaints to carry out gruesome bloodsport in the center of your city...is quite another.

It will neither solve the "problem" your administration seems so obsessed with...nor will it put your office in a good light with either the British public, nor the International one. With the upcoming election fast approaching, you would be wise to give this issue some serious consideration.

Sincerely,

Jaye XXXX"


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Jaye said:


> here's my letter that I sent, just FYI.....
> 
> "Dear Ken,
> 
> ...


Great letter.


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

> Great letter.


Ditto.

Canary Jayne says that they have been killing the pigeons in a flock that she feeds, using sharpshooters. I think a few protests from potential tourists will help. I will find the details.

Cynthia


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## amyable (Jul 7, 2007)

*Reply Received*

I don't know if anyone else who sent an email to the mayor's office regarding this has had the same reply. Seems they are expanding the area restricting feeding even further.
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Dear Janet,

Thank you for your correspondence regarding the pigeons in Trafalgar Square. 

The Greater London Authority (GLA) introduced a byelaw in 2002 to make it illegal for any person to either feed a bird or to distribute any feeding stuffs for birds unless approved by the Mayor of London. People are already discouraged from feeding the pigeons through a range of methods that include large signs situated around Trafalgar Square, information leaflets that ask visitors not to feed the birds and by being asked not to feed the pigeons by the Trafalgar Square Heritage Wardens.

The GLA is using a hawk as one of a number of methods of controlling pigeons in Trafalgar Square. The aim of flying a hawk is to deter the pigeons from gathering in the square and is not a method of killing pigeons. The hawk is professionally handled and it is only on rare occasions that a pigeon is killed. Any incidents that lead to the death of a pigeon are reported to the GLA.

There has been persistent and unauthorised organised feeding on the north terrace of the Square, the North Terrace area outside the National Gallery is under the jurisdiction of Westminster City Council and the powers to stop any feeding of pigeons on this area lies with them.

Westminster City Council has now advertised the confirmation of a new byelaw to prohibit the feeding of pigeons on the north terrace area of Trafalgar Square and surrounding areas for which they are responsible. It is expected that the byelaw is to come into effect later this year. This is a reasonable response to control the excessive rogue feeding in this area, which attracts large numbers of pigeons that are intimidating to passers by and causes a nuisance by fouling the area.

Yours sincerely,



Philomena Wiredu
Public Liaison Officer


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## solly (Jul 18, 2005)

Yep exacly the same message as i got back!


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Me too. I heard from another member that also recieved the same message.


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

How the heck to you "professionally" handle a hawk that is loose and flying free? If it's only an occasional pigeon that is killed, it simply because the hawk miss his target but I would doubt seriously that's the truth. You think he's sitting around saying, "yep, that's a pigeon, but I won't eat it".........


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

Here is the formletter I rec'd back:

Dear Mr. -------
Thank you for your correspondence regarding the use of a hawk in Trafalgar Square. 

The Greater London Authority (GLA) is using a hawk as one of a number of methods of controlling pigeons in Trafalgar Square. The aim of flying a hawk is to deter the pigeons from gathering in the square and is not on the square as a method of killing pigeons. The hawk is professionally handled and it is only on rare occasions that a pigeon is killed. Any incidents that lead to the death of a pigeon are reported to the GLA.

Yours sincerely


Katya Phillip
Public Liaison Officer


And here is my followup reply:

Hello Katya.

I appreciate the response to my letter.

However, the semantics you choose are quite curious; and run contradictory to eyewitness accounts which have been recorded regularly. If you happen to have any data supporting the assertion that "it is only on rare occasions that a pigeon is killed", please forward this to me, because I would be most interested in reviewing such numbers.

The fact is, these grisly killings occur on almost a daily basis in plain sight of tourists and residents...and I am surprised that the office of Mayor would choose to continue paying public funds to a 'contractor' who's track record is dubious at best, and very controversial to say the very least.

Once, again, I look forward to any information which backs your assertion.

Regards,

Jaye
I say, if they are going to assert that there is basically "no harm done", folks should call them on that. Clearly these replies are brush-offs, and I hope folks keep the pressure coming.....


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## pigifan (Nov 2, 2005)

I wonder if anyone is interested in emailing Boris Johnson who is very likely to be the next Mayor.
I have done so and placed priority on a taxpayer waste/value angle of the idea because I think his party is more interested in this than the animal rights.
However if we have as many people possible stressing both issues I think it could be useful.
I think it will have more weight if it happens before 1 May (election day).

This is what I wrote:

"One of (many) areas of waste of taxpayer's money by Mr. Livingstone is in contracting Van Vynck Avian Solutions in order to control the pigeon population in Trafalgar Square. A single hawk with its handler costs over £100,000 a year. This is a classic case of Livingstone giving his cronies an excessively profitable contract.
In addition, although his press officers deny it, the hawk is catching and killing pigeons in front of members of the public (including children) causing distress and complaints. The Mayor's office deny it because the hawk is not supposed to feed on the pigeons - it is there only to deter them, that's why there is a professional handler at a considerable cost. 
Furthermore looking at the owner of the company and his criminal record you can't help but thinking he has everything that's needed to be a "Livingstone crony" in receipt of public money. 

I think the deployment of this company is totally unnecessary/counterproductive.
Thank you "

You can use the link http://www.backboris.com/contact.php and write a comment under policy suggestion.


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## amyable (Jul 7, 2007)

Thanks for flagging that idea up. I have now sent an email to Boris with regard to his policy.


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## george simon (Feb 28, 2006)

*..._ V for VICTORY Ken the Pigeon Hater has been KICK OUT .GEORGE *


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## vouteman (May 17, 2008)

I have been to Trafalgar Square several times. The last time was after the feeding ban was put into place. I have to agree to part of the ban. The pigeons that were there looking to feed were oily and dirty. There were all starving. There was poops everywhere. There was not one clean square inch of pavement or bench in the whole square. I am not sure what the cure is. I have been reading about some towns are putting up dove cotes for the pigeons to nest in. they collect the eggs and give them wood eggs to sit on. They monitor the birds and are able to slow down the population explosion. I do know that Trafalgar Square is a much cleaner place now than it was before the ban. Green pigeon poop doesn't make for a nice souvenir photo.

The thing I wonder about and maybe some of our English friends can help with this. When I have been out sight seeing in the countryside about 75% of the pigeons are white or white splashed. Am I correct in assuming that most of the pigeons that I see in the countryside are free lofted for squabbing purposes? That is the only reason I could see that such a large percentage of pigeons being self white or nearly so. The pigeons at Trafalgar Square were mostly blue bars, blue checks, with a very few reds and a few blue grizzles. Out of thousands of pigeons in Trafalgar there were no more than a dozen reds and maybe that many blue grizzles. Just curious.


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## amyable (Jul 7, 2007)

*Pigeon Colours*

Hi Vouteman,

I am not an expert on pigeons colours but can only answer with regard to my own area in the West Midlands, UK.
I was born in London and have obviously seen the Trafalgar pigeons over the years, but there are more knowledgable people from the London area on here who possibly can answer regarding the colours there now.

In the rural areas around where I live now, we only really find Wood Pigeons, much larger and with the white band around their neck and on the tips of their wings. Ferals here are still only to be found around the towns and the city.
I do have one mainly white flock near here that is about to lose their home due to demolition and development. They are mostly pure white with a couple of blue bars and a red amongst them. Also there are a couple of banded birds that have decided to join the flock. This has now produced the odd speckled white, and Blue bar with pure white tail and back.

In the other direction, in Birmingham city centre, the ferals are very much the same colours as you find in Trafalgar Square.

On the other hand, in another town nearby, Walsall, and surrounding areas, there is a very large feral population. This was always a very industrial area in the past, and is the home to a large Pigeon racing fraternity. Now in the ferals here you'll find there is a complete mixture of blue bars, checks and red, and a small minority of white mixes but not really pure white. So in answer to your question, as far as my area goes anyway, the more unusual colours of the feral pigeons could well be geared to the pigeons that have been freed into the community and interbred from there.

Very interesting to see in three quite close areas the colours vary quite considerably.

What areas have you been to where you've seen the white pigeons?

It will be interesting to hear about colour variations other areas in the UK.

Janet


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## Becca199212 (May 10, 2007)

Here in Tyne and Wear- the majority of the pigeons in the town centre are blue bars but theres a small minority of reds and very few all white pigeons. 

The shopping centre up the road has a huge feral flock which I think used to belong to the pub owner (since they all roost on his roof) but are now mostly feral, in that flock there are only 2 pure white birds and one brown, the rest are blue. The pigeons at this particular place are extremely tame and very well fed- it is the centre sport between 3 senior schools and every dinner time the place is choker with kids dropping their lunches. The pet shop there also empties what their birds don't eat out back and the pigeons eat that as well. 

I don't think there is a flock of wood pigeons here, more alot of single pairs living nearby. The same with ring-neck doves, we had 2 which visited out garden throughout the day, this increased to four but now theres only the two again. I assume that ring-necks and wood pigeons prefer to just live with their mate- which is how I explain the other two disappeared. Or maybe they just go through the day in pairs and sleep as a flock overnight- I could be seeing lots of different pairs that look similar.


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## Niel (May 25, 2005)

Did anyone get a specific reply from Boris on the use of hawks? His advisors were saying prior to his election that he opposed their use but he has now confirmed he intends to continue with them. If at any time he put his name toa policy of getting rid of the hawks this would be most useful. Thanks.


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## tuxedobaby (Sep 9, 2008)

Becca199212 said:


> Here in Tyne and Wear- the majority of the pigeons in the town centre are blue bars but theres a small minority of reds and very few all white pigeons.
> 
> The shopping centre up the road has a huge feral flock which I think used to belong to the pub owner (since they all roost on his roof) but are now mostly feral, in that flock there are only 2 pure white birds and one brown, the rest are blue. The pigeons at this particular place are extremely tame and very well fed- it is the centre sport between 3 senior schools and every dinner time the place is choker with kids dropping their lunches. The pet shop there also empties what their birds don't eat out back and the pigeons eat that as well.
> 
> I don't think there is a flock of wood pigeons here, more alot of single pairs living nearby. The same with ring-neck doves, we had 2 which visited out garden throughout the day, this increased to four but now theres only the two again. I assume that ring-necks and wood pigeons prefer to just live with their mate- which is how I explain the other two disappeared. Or maybe they just go through the day in pairs and sleep as a flock overnight- I could be seeing lots of different pairs that look similar.



in our regular flock we have mostly checkers(both light and dark grey)and 2 blue bars(one with white wing tips)we have 2 brown and white(one being a brick color with white wings,most unusual,someone suggested she may be a roller)the other brown is more a fawn colour with white wing tips,very pretty!we also have one spread with white wing tips and several babys who look like they will be dark spreads once colour is esablished


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