GLENDALE : City Targets Residents Who Feed Pigeons

In its continuing effort to eradicate pigeons that plague business owners here, the Glendale City Council on Tuesday asked city staff members to begin a campaign to educate residents not to feed the pesky birds.

The education plan includes distributing flyers to persons feeding pigeons explaining how birds congregate where there is food. The campaign also will include placing posters in storefront windows and signs outside asking residents not to feed the birds.

A resource list developed by the city also is available for business owners interested in alternative pigeon control measures.

Council members asked the city staff to expand a proposed ordinance banning feeding pigeons in the city’s central business district to cover the entire city, including parks.

Under the proposed ordinance, anyone caught feeding pigeons could be fined a maximum of $50 for the first offense, $100 for the second offense and $250 for the third offense.

The council will review the revised ordinance next week. If adopted, the law would not go into effect for three months to allow the city’s education campaign time to get off the ground.

Officials drafted the ordinance after residents and animal-rights activists protested a council decision in April to trap and kill the prolific fowl by putting them in a cloth bag and tying it to the tailpipe of a car with its engine running.

Council members said the measure was necessary to rid the city’s business district of birds that mess awnings, sidewalks and ledges and that may present health hazards to humans.

The council backed away from the plan and asked the city staff for alternative means to deal with the burgeoning pigeon population after more than 120 callers to City Hall complained about the eradication method.

During its weekly meeting Tuesday, the council also authorized city staff to advertise for bids from companies that eradicate birds to find a long-term solution to reduce a downtown flock, now estimated at 10,000.

The city will accept proposals that suggest a number of pigeon eradication plans including bird seed spiked with contraceptives, trapping and relocation, and the use of ultrasonic devices, said George Miller, director of public works.

Officials want to control the pigeon population in an area bordered by Colorado Street to the south, Glenoaks Boulevard to the north, Central Avenue to the west and Maryland Avenue to the east.

The proposal also states that pigeon eradication is needed at Fire Station 21 and in the Civic Center Plaza at the Perkins Building.