Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!mcsun!ukc!newcastle.ac.uk!turing!q1ygq
From: q1ygq@turing.newcastle.ac.uk (J.M. Spencer)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: Re: Winged rats and other introduced bird pests
Message-ID: <1990Sep14.103009.744@newcastle.ac.uk>
Date: 14 Sep 90 10:30:09 GMT
References: <133704@kean.ucs.mun.ca> <1990Sep13.172006.21612@ioe.lon.ac.uk>
Sender: news@newcastle.ac.uk
Organization: Computing Laboratory, U of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK NE1 7RU.
Lines: 38

In article <1990Sep13.172006.21612@ioe.lon.ac.uk> teexmmo@ioe.lon.ac.uk (Matthew Moore) writes:
>David Graham) writes:
>
>stuff about pigeons...[more stuff deleted]
>Here in sunny London there are press reports that in Covent Garden, (a
>touristy area in the West End), the local authority has hired a hawk
>(with its keeper) and they go prowling together every morning. The nut
>cutlet brigade has been placated by claims that the (evident)
>reduction in pigeon numbers has been achieved because the birds are
>afraid, and have gone elsewhere. Its only occasionally that the hawk
>actually catches a pigeon.

This sounds rather like the vicar (?) who wanted a recording of
"the attack cries of a kestrel" in order to play them inside his
church/cathedral to frighten off the sparrows.  It doesn't work.
The kestrel (and other hawks) make no such noise: what advantage
would it be for a predator to announce to its intended victims
that it was attacking?  (I accept that a pack of barking dogs
might confuse a herd of goats etc. and thus aid them to kill, but 
kestrels hover quietly they don't announce their intentions, nor
do any other hawks.  Reason: they are solitary hunters.)

Gamekeepers often put forward this thesis as justification for
shooting hawks, but a moments though will show it to be rubbish.
In fact, if the predator's very presence causes its quarry to become
afraid and go elsewhere, it means a short lifespan for the predator,
doesn't it?  Do rabbits become afraid and go elswhere just because
they share territory with a fox?  No, they carry on as normal but
scurry down the bury's during times of danger only to re-emerge
once the danger's gone.

The best way to deal with pigeons is to remove them, permanently,
either by trapping or shooting.  But, as you say, Joe Public gets
squeemish about such things.  If the stories about the hawk-keeper
are true then the council responsible has been well and truly 
hoodwinked.  Can you let me have their number as I've got a tin-
whistle which will lead away all the capital's rats.  (Take with
plenty of smileys!  :o)  :o)  :o)