This is what the council rely on to get rid of pigeons

This is what the council rely on to get rid of pigeons , according to the council it has rid the Marlowes of pigeons , unfortunately I've never seen the Hawks by the Market , I guess any pigeon that temporarily leaves the Marlowes heads our way !!
NBC's two year old Harris Hawk named Habana has been busy soaring above Hemel Hempstead town centre to scare pigeons away from shopping streets. Dacorum Borough Council has drafted in the services of NBC Bird and Pest Solutions, as an answer to their pigeon problem. The council have previously spent thousands of pounds each year removing pigeon droppings and feel this environmentally-friendly method of falconry will finally rid the town of it's bird problem.

A spokesmen from Docorum Borough Council said: "The pigeons will learn this is Harbana's spot not theirs"

Harbana, and Jon Ellis the Area Manager for St Albans, Watford and Luton, have both become local celebrities in the area appearing in Hemel Hempstead Gazette, Chiltern FM and Three Counties Radio.

Below is what the falcon people really say , and why the council use it ! It doesn't get rid of the pigeons just moves them somewhere else , a bit like CCTV cameras , but it is good PR for the Council !


Falconry Response – Where clients have a population of nuisance birds but are unable to restrict their access through proofing measures such as netting, NBC Bird and Pest Solutions uses falconry response as a method of bird control, making the area undesirable to the birds and encouraging them to establish a new pattern of behaviour in another area.

Unlike audio or mechanical devices, birds never habituate to the presence of a live predator. Although unknown to the birds, falconry is a non-lethal bird deterrent measure that can be carried out without legal threat.

These systems are natural and effective in scaring birds without the need to catch the prey, making it acceptable to the public and a great opportunity for some positive PR.