Grain of Victory for Pigeon Allies in Battle of Trafalgar

The new Battle of Trafalgar--a fight over a home for thousands of London’s greedy but popular pigeons--has entered a new phase.

In a victory for pro-pigeon forces, Bernard Rayner, the sole seller of bird feed to tourists on the historic British square, has won a temporary High Court reprieve allowing him to continue feeding the pigeons until the case is heard in full in early February.

City authorities had revoked Rayner’s license as part of plans to clean up Trafalgar Square’s image by getting rid of the pigeons and their droppings.

They want street performers and musicians to take the birds’ place.

Leading the anti-pigeon forces is London Mayor Ken Livingstone, who has angered critics by referring to the birds as “rats with wings.”

Tourists overwhelmingly oppose the idea of making the square pigeon-free, as does the animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA.

PETA is considering legal action against the London authorities, saying that up to a quarter of Trafalgar Square’s pigeons could die of starvation.

Meanwhile, Adm. Nelson, victor in the real Battle of Trafalgar when British naval forces defeated the French and Spanish nearly 200 years ago, looks on silently from the top of his column.