If pigeons were half as smart as some people think, they’d be choosier about where they do their business.
And when people who aren’t much smarter than birds drop feed for them in the wrong places, everything under their perch is sure to be slathered with repulsive droppings.
Pigeons are thought to be pretty sharp. We googled “are pigeons smart?” and learned they can recognize all 26 letters in the alphabet and tell between a Van Gogh or Chagall painting, feats that are beyond many people.
They also have an unerring beak for an easy meal and flock by the hundreds to areas where well-intended dummies spread food for them, like the Finch GO station, at Yonge St. and Bishop Ave.
Robyn Collier sent us a note saying that someone is feeding pigeons around two covered bike racks at the GO station, also a terminal for VIVA buses.
“The two structures, which are meant to protect bicycles from the weather, are badly designed and provide a perfect place for pigeons to rest,” he said.
“The result is completely disgusting, with bicycles and racks covered with pigeon waste. But the real problem is the person that keeps leaving bread crumbs and cereal for the birds.
“This is visually repugnant, unhealthy and a dilemma for those who need to store their bikes while traveling on transit.”
Collier’s note included photos of bikes coated with droppings, and of bird seed and pieces of stale bread scattered near the bike racks.
We went there and found lots of bird seed, cereal and bread scattered around the bike racks, as though someone is trying to draw the birds to the covered area, so they’ll foul everything under it.
Some of the bikes look abandoned, and no wonder. Nobody would want to ride a bike that is coated in grey poop. But until GO gets serious about chasing off the bird feeder, the pigeons won’t flock off.
STATUS: Anne Marie Aikins, who deals with media for Metrolinx, which is responsible for GO, emailed to say it will be cleaned up immediately and any abandoned bikes will be removed. “Our cleaning contractor will monitor the situation. As part of our spring cleaning, it will be our first stop to do a really thorough cleanup. We will also install ‘Don’t Feed the Pigeons’ signs. And finally, our Transit Safety officers will conduct special patrols and monitoring in the hopes of preventing this.”
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)