SEAL BEACH : City to Bird Lovers: Don’t Feed Pigeons

When retired pipe fitter John Stamps told the City Council in December that the pigeon problem at the pier was getting out of hand, his complaints prompted a few chuckles from the audience.

But officials have taken Stamps’ concerns seriously and will soon post signs warning that feeding the pigeons is illegal. After the signs are posted, police will enforce the little-known ordinance.

“We, as a city, are just trying to put a stop to it for health reasons,” said Seal Beach Mayor George Brown. “There are two sides to this story, because people do love to go down and feed the pigeons there,” he said, but it causes a mess.

The city is looking for an alternate pigeon-feeding site, according to Brown, because of the large numbers of people who bring children to the pier on weekends to feed the birds.

City officials say the phalanx of pigeons often perched on the railing near the entrance to the pier has grown too large. Benches are coated with pigeon excrement. And a $1,000 water fountain donated by the Seal Beach Women’s Club is often plugged up.

“It has become a glorified bird bath,” said Recreation Director Andy Seymour.

Because pigeons are not indigenous to beach areas, city officials are hoping they will disappear after the feeding stops.

“No food--no pigeons,” Seymour said. “It is absolutely that simple.”

The real test will be changing human behavior, according to Brown. “There’s a group of people who want to continue to feed them,” he said. “We just want them to understand that this really is a problem.”