The following are emails send to Mayor Bloomberg, copied to the New York Bird Club. Please keep the letters coming.
mbloomberg@cityhall.nyc.gov
Dear Mayor Bloomberg,
I would like you to be aware that NY pigeons have friends and admirers as far away as Calgary, AB, Canada.
I encourage you to make June 13th officially National Pigeon Day. As one of the world's great cities, your actions ring loud and clear across the world, and the message you send will be one of respect and consideration for another species of earthlings.
I look forward to hearing of your proclamation.
Regards,
Jonathan Martin
Calgary, Canada
Dear Mayor Bloomberg:
I and my family are requesting that you officially designate to make it official and declare June 13th as National Pigeon Day in New York City.
It will be a fitting and deserving tribute to this bird of service during World War 1Thank you for this appropriate designation.
Diane M. Kastel
Dear Mayor Bloomberg:
Please declare June 13th as National Pigeon Day in New York City. We know you love the pigeons as much as we do. Thank you for your time and attention to this most important matter.
Sincerely,
Patricia M. Nelson
Dear Mayor Bloomberg:
As you know, Saturday, June 13th has been unoficially declared National Pigeon Day by the New York Bird Club.
June 13th is the day that Cher Ami, meaning "Dear Friend" in French departed the Earth. Pigeons have a noble history. As you will recall, Cher Ami served several months on the front lines during the Fall of 1918. He flew 12 important missions to deliver messages. Perhaps the most important was the message he carried on October 4, 1918. (reference: http://www.homeofheroes.com/wings/part1/3b_cherami.html).
Inasmuch as you have been paying tribute to this noble bird I ask that you now officially declare June 13th as National Pigeon Day in New York City. To impress you further on the attributes of this heroic creature, I cite the following: Cher Ami, a heroic pigeon who, against all odds, helped rescue a lost battalion of soldiers and left an unforgettable mark on American history. And in fact, Cher Ami was one of six hundred carrier pigeons used by the American Army during World War I. Pigeons are attractive, quiet, unobtrusive, have a calming, gentle voice, and are loyal, hardworking and devoted birds. And certainly worthy of our respect and admiration. They also serve the community well by cleaning our garbage away.
Homing pigeons are released at funerals, weddings and other significant ceremonies. Pigeons symbolize love, wonder and hope and the difficulties of life's journey. And you yourself have already paid tribute to pigeons by calling them "the often-overlooked winged heroes of conflicts past."
Therefore, please set this day aside for the pigeons once and for all. Thank you.
Richard W. Firth
Mechanicsville, Va. 23116
Hello Mayor Bloomberg,
My name is Anna Dove, and I am the founder of the New York Bird Club.
We have commemorated a day of recognition for the rock pigeon who, as you are aware, served mankind in times of unrest by delivering vital messages that saved many human lives in World War 1 and World War 11. Today many people still use them as messengers.
Pigeons are loyal and faithful birds deserving of respect. We feel they are remarkable birds that deserve a day of acknowledgement and recognition, and it is important that the legacy of the homing pigeons heroic war efforts be preserved and remembered.
With this in mind, the New York Bird Club has founded National Pigeon Day on June 13th. This is the day that Cher Ami passed away. Cher Ami was one of hundreds of homing pigeons used by American forces in France during World War I. And what better venue to hold National Pigeon Day than on Pilgrim Hill in New York's own beautiful Central Park.
The New York Bird Club would be delighted and honored if you would visit us on National Pigeon Day and say a few words on behalf of these loyal birds who served mankind so faithfully, and/or officially declare June 13th as National Pigeon Day in New York.
Please visit the National Pigeon Day blog @ www.nationalpigeonday.com which is regularly updated.
Respectfully,
Anna Dove
New York Bird Club
Dear Mayor Bloomberg,
I was very pleased to learn that you have paid tribute to the pigeon war heros of the past. I have my father's diary from WW1 in which he mentions seeing soldiers in the trenches with cages filled with pigeons who valiantly risked their lives, often dying alone on the battlefield. They could easily have escaped the horrors of that most terrible of wars, but there is no record of it ever happening.
I hope that you will declare June 13th as National Pigeon Day in New York City, in appreciation of their many services throughout the ages to mankind.
Sincerely,
Marie L.
Queens, NY 11372
Thanks for PIGEON DAY!!!
To: mbloomberg@cityhall.nyc.gov
Dear Mayor,
Thank you for such a decent, nice, lovable gesture toward the New York pigeons. I used to feed them for a long time when I was living in Queens and working in Manhattan and I sincerely wish more New Yorkers would take a couple of minutes of their very busy schedules to watch, admire and feed those adorable birds.
Yours truly,
Elsa Rosa Latheef
New Jersey Resident
Dear Mayor Bloomberg,
Please make June 13, 2009 National Pigeon Day, to honor the hundreds of pigeons that played an important part in our history during World War I.
Aloha,
Alvin Wong
Pearl City, Hawaii
Showing posts with label New York. Show all posts
Showing posts with label New York. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Friday, March 6, 2009
NYC Mayor Bloomberg pays homage to pigeons
Please click here to see a copy of New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg's letter to Al Croseri, director of "The Flight". "The Flight" is an homage to the bravery of homing pigeons who saved thousands of lives in combat in the Great World Wars. Their achievements embodied the attributes of service, endurance, loyalty and supreme courage. Here, their memory is evoked by two present-day homing pigeons silently taking flight from the windows of a New York City apartment. The film dissolves to a forgotten past as we relive their ancestors' selfless heroism.
It is important that the legacy of the homing pigeons heroic war efforts be preserved and remembered.
"The Flight--a lovely tribute to the often-overlooked winged heroes of conflicts past."
It is important that the legacy of the homing pigeons heroic war efforts be preserved and remembered.
"The Flight--a lovely tribute to the often-overlooked winged heroes of conflicts past."
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
New York Pigeons Detected at PA Tourist Market
Several license plate numbers have been observed and identified as belonging to New York pigeon netters at Roots Market which is located in the tourist area of Lancaster County, PA. where our pigeons are auctioned off to the highest bidder.
Please write to the following people and ask them to investigate the situation at Roots Market so they can put an end to this illegal activity. It is against the law to bait and trap pigeons without a license and against the law to traffic pigeons over state lines. The New York Bird Club has emailed Roots Market with an inquiry, but have received no reply.
Write to:
PA Senator Mike Brubaker (R-Lancaster) mbrubaker@pasen.gov.
He also serves as Committee Chairman of the PA Agriculture Committee
PA Governor Edward G. Rendell
ra-govnews@state.pa.us
Pennsylvania Dutch Convention & Visitors Bureau
info@padutchcountry.com
Root's Country Market & Auction, Inc.
705 Graystone Road
Manheim, PA 17545
(717) 898-7811
marketmaster@rootsmarket.com
Reference: http://articles.lancasteronline.com/local/4/230823
New York pigeons are also used as shooting targets at pigeon shoots in Pennsylvania.
Reference: http://www.hsus.org/wildlife_abuse/campaigns/contests/pennsylvania_pigeon_shoots.html
Please write to the following people and ask them to investigate the situation at Roots Market so they can put an end to this illegal activity. It is against the law to bait and trap pigeons without a license and against the law to traffic pigeons over state lines. The New York Bird Club has emailed Roots Market with an inquiry, but have received no reply.
Write to:
PA Senator Mike Brubaker (R-Lancaster) mbrubaker@pasen.gov.
He also serves as Committee Chairman of the PA Agriculture Committee
PA Governor Edward G. Rendell
ra-govnews@state.pa.us
Pennsylvania Dutch Convention & Visitors Bureau
info@padutchcountry.com
Root's Country Market & Auction, Inc.
705 Graystone Road
Manheim, PA 17545
(717) 898-7811
marketmaster@rootsmarket.com
Reference: http://articles.lancasteronline.com/local/4/230823
New York pigeons are also used as shooting targets at pigeon shoots in Pennsylvania.
Reference: http://www.hsus.org/wildlife_abuse/campaigns/contests/pennsylvania_pigeon_shoots.html
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Do New York Pigeons Migrate
New York Times
The City
Q. Here’s a thought for winter: Do New York pigeons migrate?
A. New York may have snowbirds, but pigeons are not among them.
After researching the question, Anna Dove, the aptly named founder and director of the New York Bird Club, replied: “Pigeons, unlike some other species of birds, do not migrate, and if removed from a nesting area they have a good homing ability and can return from long distances.”
When pigeons are a few months old, she said in an e-mail message, they imprint their location in their brain as “home” and will always return there, unless domesticated into a new home, like a loft.
“They can and will fly many miles away from their roost to find food, but at the end of the day they will always return home, or attempt to, and that is why they are so excellent at carrying messages,” Ms. Dove said.
The City
Q. Here’s a thought for winter: Do New York pigeons migrate?
A. New York may have snowbirds, but pigeons are not among them.
After researching the question, Anna Dove, the aptly named founder and director of the New York Bird Club, replied: “Pigeons, unlike some other species of birds, do not migrate, and if removed from a nesting area they have a good homing ability and can return from long distances.”
When pigeons are a few months old, she said in an e-mail message, they imprint their location in their brain as “home” and will always return there, unless domesticated into a new home, like a loft.
“They can and will fly many miles away from their roost to find food, but at the end of the day they will always return home, or attempt to, and that is why they are so excellent at carrying messages,” Ms. Dove said.
Friday, September 12, 2008
"Safe Feeding Zones" for Pigeons
According to a recent article in the Columbia Spectator, the Humane Society of the US is negotiating with New York City lawyers to put into place pigeon "safe feeding zones" or restricted feeding areas. Can this be nothing more than pigeon discrimination, or will safe feeding zones for other wildlife follow in the future. I hope this plan is not an attempt to reduce the numbers of pigeons in Manhattan as pigeon populations have been declining steadily over the past several years and there is no need for pigeon control.
"As for those who enjoy playing with the pigeons, I think it is my duty to suggest that we follow the Humane Society’s plan for the city, called “safe feeding zones.” In negotiations with Councilman Simcha Felder (44th District, Brooklyn), the HS is working with city lawyers to draw up a plan that will allow the feeding of pigeons in parks, on the grass, away from the heavily trafficked areas.
We can do the same thing at Columbia. We can feed the pigeons only on the grassy areas and abstain from inviting them to dine on the steps or any concrete places where people may sit. At least on the grass, their poop can actually function as fertilizer, and those of us who relax on the grass generally do so in our casual clothes, not our Sunday finest.
The Humane Society also advises that we feed only as much as the birds will consume in five to ten minutes, rather than feed with the clockwork regularity that conditions the birds to appear at the same place, same time, every day—and attract more and more of their compatriots over time."
Here are some examples of how other areas have dealt with pigeons in their cities. (Source: PETA)
✔Basel, Switzerland: From 1988 to 1992, Basel halved its street pigeon population through an integrated management program. The city had previously tried trapping, shooting, and oral contraceptives, all of which failed to effectively reduce pigeon numbers. Identifying the limitation of food sources as the only solution, the world’s leading scientist in the field, Professor Daniel Haag Wackernagel of the University of Basel, recommended that the city mount a public education campaign emphasizing that public feeding was the root of the problem and explaining the ultimate harm to the pigeons. Basel built lofts in city buildings and established areas where feeding was permitted near the lofts. Eggs were removed from the lofts, and during the four-year period of Haag-Wackernagel’s oversight, the pigeon population was reduced by 50 percent.
✔Augsburg, Germany: Augsburg currently has seven pigeon lofts in the city and is close to completing an eighth. The number of lofts is expected to grow to 15 by the end of 2006. In 2002 alone, 12,000 eggs were removed from the new lofts. Augsburg has seen a marked reduction in damage to buildings because the pigeon droppings are collected largely in the lofts.
✔Aachen, Germany: After acknowledging that trapping and killing pigeons was not making “any noticeable change” to the pigeon numbers, Aachen has now installed seven pigeon lofts that are maintained by volunteer staff and activists. A spokesperson for the city said that the city wants to continue with the integrated program because the lofts are producing the desired results.
✔Paris, France: The city had tried conventional control methods but did not obtain satisfactory results, so in 2003, Paris put up its first pigeon loft. Paris has chosen to addle (shake) the eggs to prevent them from hatching. The program has the support of the French Society for the Protection of City Birds. A spokesperson for the city said that the new plan works to “improve relations between Parisians and these birds” and reduces the damage caused by droppings.
✔Nottingham City Hospital, U.K.: A good example of the effectiveness of the PiCAS method in a commercial setting, the 60-acre hospital started killing some of its 1,200-strong resident pigeon population in 1999 but stopped immediately because of a public outcry. The hospital then brought in PiCAS to devise a humane control program and reduced its pigeon population by 50 percent within a year. The population in 200 was further reduced to 360 birds, and a recent survey has counted only 62 resident birds on site. This massive reduction was achieved exclusively by using nonlethal methods of control. The hospital won the 2003Royal Society for the Protection of Animals (UK) Best Practice Award for its humane and effective program in association with PiCAS.
The PiCAS Method in Action: Proven and Ongoing Successes
Some examples of places where this method has worked and is working to reduce and manage pigeon populations in Europe include the following:
As an example of construction and maintenance costs, the German city of Augsburg found it more expensive, according to the city’s finance officer, to employ lethal controls and constantly clean buildings than to introduce an integrated program. Currently, the city spends about $2,000 on construction materials for each dovecote or $15,000 if it contracts to have the dovecote constructed. The dovecotes are cleaned and maintained two to three times a week, which takes approximately three hours for each visit. Augsburg also uses community volunteers to keep costs low, and PETA can work with communities to locate and organize volunteers to aid in
running the PiCAS program.
If the more intricate and picturesque dovecotes such as those found in Augsburg are not desired, simpler features such as wall-mounted nesting boxes that can cost as little as $40 to $60 each or pigeon “lofts” that cost $400 to $600 can be constructed. All these options are effective and can simply be tailored to suit the available budget and the aesthetics of the designated site. As long as the facility has been constructed with the needs and behaviors of the pigeons in mind and has been erected on an appropriate site, pigeons will begin to take up residence and can be managed from the site. Perhaps the biggest benefit for cities in adopting a PiCAS
program is the savings that PiCAS can arrange for commercial property owners in the city. As noted above, one of the key features of the PiCAS method is working with property owners to ensure that their buildings are adequately and properly pigeon-proofed in order to make that area as unattractive to pigeons as possible. Pigeon-proofing can be achieved through a range of deterrents such as anti-roosting spikes, and PiCAS has extensive experience working with property owners to determine how best to address their individual concerns. PiCAS can offer the client sources for a wide range of control options and deterrents that will not only be completely effective in the long term but also can be obtained at a fraction of the cost that a commercial PCO would charge. For example, PiCAS has a noncommercial relationship with a U.K. producer of antiroosting devices that, having established a presence in Florida, can supply top-quality stainless-steel anti-roosting spikes to U.S. clients for less than even the wholesale price. U.S. clients who confirm that they will solely use nonlethal controls to address pigeon issues can enjoy a further 15 percent discount on these products, making the humane pigeon control option even more cost-effective.
It is also worthwhile to consider the possibility of offering a franchise to sell high-quality pigeon feed adjacent to the designated feeding area. This would ensure that the right food was offered to pigeons (rather than large quantities of processed food that not only would be damaging to their health, but might also attract rodents and seagulls), and it would create revenue for the city to offset the costs involved in cleaning and servicing the site.
PEOPLE FOR THE ETHICAL TREATMENT OF ANIMALS
PIGEON CONTROL: PERMANENT AND HUMANE SOLUTIONS
Contact Information
Pigeon Control Advisory Service
29 Victoria Green
Witchford
Ely
Cambridgeshire CB6 2XB
United Kingdom
07981 945 662
enquiries@PiCAS.org.uk
www.PiCAS.org.uk
Stephanie Boyles, Wildlife Biologist
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
501 Front St.
Norfolk, VA 23510
757-622-7382, ext. 8328
StephanieB@peta.org
Sources Cited
Batz, Jeannette. “Pigeons Dropping.” St. Louis Riverfront Times 13 Jan. 1999
.
Broughton, P.D. “Parisians Build Home for Pigeons in Suburbs.” London Daily
Telegraph 8 Mar. 2003.
Der Spiegel. “War Against the Messengers of Peace.” 6 Jun. 2003.
Haag-Wackernagel, Daniel. “Regulation of the Street Pigeon in Basel.” Wildlife
Society Bulletin 23.2 (2002): 256-60.
Kanigher, Steve. “Family Files Suit Alleging Exposure to Pigeon Poison.” Las Vegas
Sun 3 Dec. 2003
Nottingham City Hospital. “Pigeon Control Update.” Dec. 2000
.
"As for those who enjoy playing with the pigeons, I think it is my duty to suggest that we follow the Humane Society’s plan for the city, called “safe feeding zones.” In negotiations with Councilman Simcha Felder (44th District, Brooklyn), the HS is working with city lawyers to draw up a plan that will allow the feeding of pigeons in parks, on the grass, away from the heavily trafficked areas.
We can do the same thing at Columbia. We can feed the pigeons only on the grassy areas and abstain from inviting them to dine on the steps or any concrete places where people may sit. At least on the grass, their poop can actually function as fertilizer, and those of us who relax on the grass generally do so in our casual clothes, not our Sunday finest.
The Humane Society also advises that we feed only as much as the birds will consume in five to ten minutes, rather than feed with the clockwork regularity that conditions the birds to appear at the same place, same time, every day—and attract more and more of their compatriots over time."
Here are some examples of how other areas have dealt with pigeons in their cities. (Source: PETA)
✔Basel, Switzerland: From 1988 to 1992, Basel halved its street pigeon population through an integrated management program. The city had previously tried trapping, shooting, and oral contraceptives, all of which failed to effectively reduce pigeon numbers. Identifying the limitation of food sources as the only solution, the world’s leading scientist in the field, Professor Daniel Haag Wackernagel of the University of Basel, recommended that the city mount a public education campaign emphasizing that public feeding was the root of the problem and explaining the ultimate harm to the pigeons. Basel built lofts in city buildings and established areas where feeding was permitted near the lofts. Eggs were removed from the lofts, and during the four-year period of Haag-Wackernagel’s oversight, the pigeon population was reduced by 50 percent.
✔Augsburg, Germany: Augsburg currently has seven pigeon lofts in the city and is close to completing an eighth. The number of lofts is expected to grow to 15 by the end of 2006. In 2002 alone, 12,000 eggs were removed from the new lofts. Augsburg has seen a marked reduction in damage to buildings because the pigeon droppings are collected largely in the lofts.
✔Aachen, Germany: After acknowledging that trapping and killing pigeons was not making “any noticeable change” to the pigeon numbers, Aachen has now installed seven pigeon lofts that are maintained by volunteer staff and activists. A spokesperson for the city said that the city wants to continue with the integrated program because the lofts are producing the desired results.
✔Paris, France: The city had tried conventional control methods but did not obtain satisfactory results, so in 2003, Paris put up its first pigeon loft. Paris has chosen to addle (shake) the eggs to prevent them from hatching. The program has the support of the French Society for the Protection of City Birds. A spokesperson for the city said that the new plan works to “improve relations between Parisians and these birds” and reduces the damage caused by droppings.
✔Nottingham City Hospital, U.K.: A good example of the effectiveness of the PiCAS method in a commercial setting, the 60-acre hospital started killing some of its 1,200-strong resident pigeon population in 1999 but stopped immediately because of a public outcry. The hospital then brought in PiCAS to devise a humane control program and reduced its pigeon population by 50 percent within a year. The population in 200 was further reduced to 360 birds, and a recent survey has counted only 62 resident birds on site. This massive reduction was achieved exclusively by using nonlethal methods of control. The hospital won the 2003Royal Society for the Protection of Animals (UK) Best Practice Award for its humane and effective program in association with PiCAS.
The PiCAS Method in Action: Proven and Ongoing Successes
Some examples of places where this method has worked and is working to reduce and manage pigeon populations in Europe include the following:
As an example of construction and maintenance costs, the German city of Augsburg found it more expensive, according to the city’s finance officer, to employ lethal controls and constantly clean buildings than to introduce an integrated program. Currently, the city spends about $2,000 on construction materials for each dovecote or $15,000 if it contracts to have the dovecote constructed. The dovecotes are cleaned and maintained two to three times a week, which takes approximately three hours for each visit. Augsburg also uses community volunteers to keep costs low, and PETA can work with communities to locate and organize volunteers to aid in
running the PiCAS program.
If the more intricate and picturesque dovecotes such as those found in Augsburg are not desired, simpler features such as wall-mounted nesting boxes that can cost as little as $40 to $60 each or pigeon “lofts” that cost $400 to $600 can be constructed. All these options are effective and can simply be tailored to suit the available budget and the aesthetics of the designated site. As long as the facility has been constructed with the needs and behaviors of the pigeons in mind and has been erected on an appropriate site, pigeons will begin to take up residence and can be managed from the site. Perhaps the biggest benefit for cities in adopting a PiCAS
program is the savings that PiCAS can arrange for commercial property owners in the city. As noted above, one of the key features of the PiCAS method is working with property owners to ensure that their buildings are adequately and properly pigeon-proofed in order to make that area as unattractive to pigeons as possible. Pigeon-proofing can be achieved through a range of deterrents such as anti-roosting spikes, and PiCAS has extensive experience working with property owners to determine how best to address their individual concerns. PiCAS can offer the client sources for a wide range of control options and deterrents that will not only be completely effective in the long term but also can be obtained at a fraction of the cost that a commercial PCO would charge. For example, PiCAS has a noncommercial relationship with a U.K. producer of antiroosting devices that, having established a presence in Florida, can supply top-quality stainless-steel anti-roosting spikes to U.S. clients for less than even the wholesale price. U.S. clients who confirm that they will solely use nonlethal controls to address pigeon issues can enjoy a further 15 percent discount on these products, making the humane pigeon control option even more cost-effective.
It is also worthwhile to consider the possibility of offering a franchise to sell high-quality pigeon feed adjacent to the designated feeding area. This would ensure that the right food was offered to pigeons (rather than large quantities of processed food that not only would be damaging to their health, but might also attract rodents and seagulls), and it would create revenue for the city to offset the costs involved in cleaning and servicing the site.
PEOPLE FOR THE ETHICAL TREATMENT OF ANIMALS
PIGEON CONTROL: PERMANENT AND HUMANE SOLUTIONS
Contact Information
Pigeon Control Advisory Service
29 Victoria Green
Witchford
Ely
Cambridgeshire CB6 2XB
United Kingdom
07981 945 662
enquiries@PiCAS.org.uk
www.PiCAS.org.uk
Stephanie Boyles, Wildlife Biologist
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
501 Front St.
Norfolk, VA 23510
757-622-7382, ext. 8328
StephanieB@peta.org
Sources Cited
Batz, Jeannette. “Pigeons Dropping.” St. Louis Riverfront Times 13 Jan. 1999
Broughton, P.D. “Parisians Build Home for Pigeons in Suburbs.” London Daily
Telegraph 8 Mar. 2003.
Der Spiegel. “War Against the Messengers of Peace.” 6 Jun. 2003.
Haag-Wackernagel, Daniel. “Regulation of the Street Pigeon in Basel.” Wildlife
Society Bulletin 23.2 (2002): 256-60.
Kanigher, Steve. “Family Files Suit Alleging Exposure to Pigeon Poison.” Las Vegas
Sun 3 Dec. 2003
Nottingham City Hospital. “Pigeon Control Update.” Dec. 2000
Saturday, August 16, 2008
More Pigeon Fowl Play in New York
Fowl play: Sicko paints pigeon purple in Queens
By LISA L. COLANGELO
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Updated Friday, August 15th 2008, 4:49 PM
A pigeon that was painted purple was discovered in a Queens park.
We heard it through the grapevine - Queens has a purple pigeon.
Theroyal-hued bird wasn't born that way, though. Someone with a sick sense of humor - or a problem with pigeons - painted him purple.
"Itwas terrible," said Joe Mora, an animal lover who rescued the birdThursday from a Long Island City playground, where onlookers weregawking at the oddly-colored columbine.
"It looks like this was done intentionally...it could have been blinded," Mora said.
Hetried coaxing the lethargic bird to eat while asking anyone andeveryone for advice on how to clean paint from its feathers and beak.
Friday,city Animal Care and Control officials transferred the pigeon to BobbyHorvath, a licensed wildlife rehabilitator in Nassau County who hasextensive experience caring for injured birds.
The young pigeon, about three or four months old, might not survive the prank - if it was one, Horvath said.
"I have never seen anything like it," said Horvath, who is also a New York City firefighter.
"He's flightless at this point. His feathers are completely rigid," he said.
"His beak and mouth and eyes are clear of paint," Horvath said. "That's a positive thing."
Horvath said the bird has a better chance if the paint hasn't seeped through into his skin.
Morasaid he hopes someone in the neighborhood will come forward withinformation about the bird. He said he has heard stories about a man onnearby Roosevelt Island who dyed his dog's fur purple.
"If this was intentionally done to the bird, it certainly is animal cruelty," said ASPCA Assistant Director Joseph Pentangelo.
By LISA L. COLANGELO
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Updated Friday, August 15th 2008, 4:49 PM
A pigeon that was painted purple was discovered in a Queens park.
We heard it through the grapevine - Queens has a purple pigeon.
Theroyal-hued bird wasn't born that way, though. Someone with a sick sense of humor - or a problem with pigeons - painted him purple.
"Itwas terrible," said Joe Mora, an animal lover who rescued the birdThursday from a Long Island City playground, where onlookers weregawking at the oddly-colored columbine.
"It looks like this was done intentionally...it could have been blinded," Mora said.
Hetried coaxing the lethargic bird to eat while asking anyone andeveryone for advice on how to clean paint from its feathers and beak.
Friday,city Animal Care and Control officials transferred the pigeon to BobbyHorvath, a licensed wildlife rehabilitator in Nassau County who hasextensive experience caring for injured birds.
The young pigeon, about three or four months old, might not survive the prank - if it was one, Horvath said.
"I have never seen anything like it," said Horvath, who is also a New York City firefighter.
"He's flightless at this point. His feathers are completely rigid," he said.
"His beak and mouth and eyes are clear of paint," Horvath said. "That's a positive thing."
Horvath said the bird has a better chance if the paint hasn't seeped through into his skin.
Morasaid he hopes someone in the neighborhood will come forward withinformation about the bird. He said he has heard stories about a man onnearby Roosevelt Island who dyed his dog's fur purple.
"If this was intentionally done to the bird, it certainly is animal cruelty," said ASPCA Assistant Director Joseph Pentangelo.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
New York City Birds Sold to Slaughter
THEY SHOOT PIGEONS, DON'T THEY?
NYC BIRDS SOLD TO SLAUGHTER
By JAMES FANELLI
New York Post
Posted: 4:06 am
July 27, 2008
A Brooklyn pigeon purveyor acted as a conduit for delivering Big Apple birds to their doom as live targets in shooting contests, according to an animal-rights group.
The Humane Society of the United States has fingered Broadway Pigeons and Pet Supplies in Bushwick as having sold squabs to brokers who resell the birds to Pennsylvania gun clubs.
The organizations include the Strausstown Rod and Gun Club, which is set to host one of the country's largest and bloodiest shoots in just four days.
"The Humane Society of the United States believes that some of the pigeons who end up as living targets in the circuit of live pigeon shoots in Pennsylvania come from the brokers at Broadway Pigeons in New York City," Heidi Prescott, a senior vice president at the animal-rights group, told The Post.
According to a lawyer for Broadway Pigeons, a pigeon broker named Don Bailey has purchased birds from the store in the past. Bailey is in charge of the invitation-only tournament at Strausstown this week, according to the Pennsylvania Flyers Association, a group that has fought to keep pigeon shoots legal in the state.
Bailey declined to comment for this story. It is unclear where the pigeons for this week's tournament were procured.
While pigeon shoots are illegal in New York and animal-rights groups have decried the sport, the century-old contests are legal and popular in rural corners of Pennsylvania.
Known as "the Large Calcutta," the Strausstown competition begins this Thursday and runs through Aug. 4. It offers cash prizes to competitors and allows onlookers to bet on who can shotgun the most birds.
Each competitor fires on 10 pigeons, which are loaded into spring traps and released in turn each time the shooter yells, "Pull!"
The winner is the shooter who kills the most birds within a 35-foot-radius shooting circle.
Tournaments can attract up to 100 competitors a day and go for several rounds.
Over a five-day tournament, the carnage can be in the thousands of birds.
Prescott said the birds are illegally netted by poachers from New York City parks and sidewalks and sold to a retailer or go-between for $2 a bird. That retailer generally wholesales the pigeons for up to $4.50 each to a broker, who then resells the birds for $9 each to a gun range.
In New York, to legally trap pigeons, a netting permit and a small-game license are required.
The attorney for Joseph Scott, the owner of Broadway Pigeons, acknowledged that the store buys pigeons without asking whether they were illegally poached.
"He's got no idea of whether any of the pigeons he's purchased were netted," said Scott's lawyer, Joseph Mure.
Mure added that Scott had no knowledge of his store's pigeons' being used in shoots.
"When someone comes in and buys pigeons, my client doesn't know where they go," Mure said.
He acknowledged, however, that Bailey, the pigeon broker, had been a customer.
"Don Bailey at one point bought some birds," Mure, said. "He hasn't bought any birds in a while . . . I think he goes to the auctions in Pennsylvania."
jfanelli@nypost.com
NYC BIRDS SOLD TO SLAUGHTER
By JAMES FANELLI
New York Post
Posted: 4:06 am
July 27, 2008
A Brooklyn pigeon purveyor acted as a conduit for delivering Big Apple birds to their doom as live targets in shooting contests, according to an animal-rights group.
The Humane Society of the United States has fingered Broadway Pigeons and Pet Supplies in Bushwick as having sold squabs to brokers who resell the birds to Pennsylvania gun clubs.
The organizations include the Strausstown Rod and Gun Club, which is set to host one of the country's largest and bloodiest shoots in just four days.
"The Humane Society of the United States believes that some of the pigeons who end up as living targets in the circuit of live pigeon shoots in Pennsylvania come from the brokers at Broadway Pigeons in New York City," Heidi Prescott, a senior vice president at the animal-rights group, told The Post.
According to a lawyer for Broadway Pigeons, a pigeon broker named Don Bailey has purchased birds from the store in the past. Bailey is in charge of the invitation-only tournament at Strausstown this week, according to the Pennsylvania Flyers Association, a group that has fought to keep pigeon shoots legal in the state.
Bailey declined to comment for this story. It is unclear where the pigeons for this week's tournament were procured.
While pigeon shoots are illegal in New York and animal-rights groups have decried the sport, the century-old contests are legal and popular in rural corners of Pennsylvania.
Known as "the Large Calcutta," the Strausstown competition begins this Thursday and runs through Aug. 4. It offers cash prizes to competitors and allows onlookers to bet on who can shotgun the most birds.
Each competitor fires on 10 pigeons, which are loaded into spring traps and released in turn each time the shooter yells, "Pull!"
The winner is the shooter who kills the most birds within a 35-foot-radius shooting circle.
Tournaments can attract up to 100 competitors a day and go for several rounds.
Over a five-day tournament, the carnage can be in the thousands of birds.
Prescott said the birds are illegally netted by poachers from New York City parks and sidewalks and sold to a retailer or go-between for $2 a bird. That retailer generally wholesales the pigeons for up to $4.50 each to a broker, who then resells the birds for $9 each to a gun range.
In New York, to legally trap pigeons, a netting permit and a small-game license are required.
The attorney for Joseph Scott, the owner of Broadway Pigeons, acknowledged that the store buys pigeons without asking whether they were illegally poached.
"He's got no idea of whether any of the pigeons he's purchased were netted," said Scott's lawyer, Joseph Mure.
Mure added that Scott had no knowledge of his store's pigeons' being used in shoots.
"When someone comes in and buys pigeons, my client doesn't know where they go," Mure said.
He acknowledged, however, that Bailey, the pigeon broker, had been a customer.
"Don Bailey at one point bought some birds," Mure, said. "He hasn't bought any birds in a while . . . I think he goes to the auctions in Pennsylvania."
jfanelli@nypost.com
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Rally & Press Conference - November 30, 2007
November 29, 2007
Police Commissioner Ray Kelly presented the councilman with a plastic pigeon and a tongue-in cheek certificate of appreciation applauding his fight against the birds. ( see right)
November 30, 2007, 2:55 pm
Rally Protests Proposed Ban on Feeding Pigeons
By Jennifer 8. Lee
Pigeon supporters at City Hall today.
(Photo: Jennifer 8. Lee/The New York Times - see left
First they came for the pigeons. Then what next? Sparrows? Squirrels?
That was the rallying cry of the about two dozen pigeon proponents who staged a noontime protest in front of City Hall today criticizing Councilman Simcha Felder’s proposed legislation to ban pigeon feeding.
They carried signs with slogans like “Give pigeons their peace and “Have you known anybody killed by a pigeon?”
The pigeon proponents passionately defended the feral bird’s right to co-exist with humans in the city, holding it up as a symbol of nature in the urban wilderness.“We are voices for the wildlife in New York City that we would like to preserve,” said Naomi Semeiak, a demonstrator also works on banning horse carriages because it is an “evil industry.”
The demonstration was organized by People for Pigeons — a grass-roots coalition of the New York City Wildlife Alliance, the Urban Wildlife Coalition, the New York Bird Club, the Greenwich Village Pigeon Club and others — which has taken an ardent stand on protecting pigeons. The group has written a rebuttal [pdf] of Councilman Felder’s report [pdf], assembled talking points and compiled a list of names of animal welfare and government officials to lobby.
A local pol is using the beleaguered wings of pigeons to give flight to his political career, urban wildlife advocates chirped at a rally last week. On the steps of City Hall, activists wielding pro-pigeon placards decried the controversial series of proposals by City Councilmember Simcha Felder to curb the city’s pigeon population. Felder’s legislation, which has not yet been drafted, includes a ban on feeding pigeons—a galling measure that hit bird-lovers right in the gizzard.
Police Commissioner Ray Kelly presented the councilman with a plastic pigeon and a tongue-in cheek certificate of appreciation applauding his fight against the birds. ( see right)
November 30, 2007, 2:55 pm
Rally Protests Proposed Ban on Feeding Pigeons
By Jennifer 8. Lee
Pigeon supporters at City Hall today.
(Photo: Jennifer 8. Lee/The New York Times - see left
First they came for the pigeons. Then what next? Sparrows? Squirrels?
That was the rallying cry of the about two dozen pigeon proponents who staged a noontime protest in front of City Hall today criticizing Councilman Simcha Felder’s proposed legislation to ban pigeon feeding.
They carried signs with slogans like “Give pigeons their peace and “Have you known anybody killed by a pigeon?”
The pigeon proponents passionately defended the feral bird’s right to co-exist with humans in the city, holding it up as a symbol of nature in the urban wilderness.“We are voices for the wildlife in New York City that we would like to preserve,” said Naomi Semeiak, a demonstrator also works on banning horse carriages because it is an “evil industry.”
The demonstration was organized by People for Pigeons — a grass-roots coalition of the New York City Wildlife Alliance, the Urban Wildlife Coalition, the New York Bird Club, the Greenwich Village Pigeon Club and others — which has taken an ardent stand on protecting pigeons. The group has written a rebuttal [pdf] of Councilman Felder’s report [pdf], assembled talking points and compiled a list of names of animal welfare and government officials to lobby.
Pigeon paraphernalia was available in abundance.
Jackie Mock, 21, founder of the Greenwich Village Pigeon Club, had silk-screened a number of shirts playing off the famed Milton Glaser logo: I (HEART) NY (PIGEON).
“We love underappreciated things,” said Anna Millholland, 20, another Greenwich Village Pigeon Club member who was carrying a sign with a picture of Charles Darwin with a pigeon superimposed standing on his head.
“The pigeon for us is the symbol of the underappreciated,” Ms. Millholland said.
Among their littany of pro-pigeon arguments: pigeons are not a health threat, they played an important role during World War II (”They have sacrificed their lives for humans,” one demonstrator said), that pigeons counterbalance the city’s rat population, and they teach the city’s children an appreciation for living creatures.
While demonstrators had hoped to feed some pigeons during the protest as a mark of solidarity, City Hall was determinedly a pigeon-free zone on Friday afternoon.
(Perhaps the pigeons were wary of Councilman Felder and City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn’s feelings toward them? But a police officer in the security booth observed, “We see more squirrels.”)
Councilman Felder is not anti-pigeon, said Eric Kuo, his spokesman, who was at the rally.
“We like pigeons,” Mr. Kuo said.
The report detailed many proposals in dealing with the burgeoning population, but only made one proposal, banning the feeding. Feeding the pigeons is actually bad for them, Mr. Kuo said, citing the support from PETA and the ASPCA for the proposed ban.
Mr. Kuo eyed the I (HEART) NY (PIGEON) shirts that were being sold for $5 apiece, but he was leery of the demonstrators at first. He believed they might harbor antipathy toward members of Councilman Felder’s office.
In the end, he bought the shirt, later writing by instant message: “I think it’s going to be my new favorite shirt.”
Jackie Mock, 21, founder of the Greenwich Village Pigeon Club, had silk-screened a number of shirts playing off the famed Milton Glaser logo: I (HEART) NY (PIGEON).
“We love underappreciated things,” said Anna Millholland, 20, another Greenwich Village Pigeon Club member who was carrying a sign with a picture of Charles Darwin with a pigeon superimposed standing on his head.
“The pigeon for us is the symbol of the underappreciated,” Ms. Millholland said.
Among their littany of pro-pigeon arguments: pigeons are not a health threat, they played an important role during World War II (”They have sacrificed their lives for humans,” one demonstrator said), that pigeons counterbalance the city’s rat population, and they teach the city’s children an appreciation for living creatures.
While demonstrators had hoped to feed some pigeons during the protest as a mark of solidarity, City Hall was determinedly a pigeon-free zone on Friday afternoon.
(Perhaps the pigeons were wary of Councilman Felder and City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn’s feelings toward them? But a police officer in the security booth observed, “We see more squirrels.”)
Councilman Felder is not anti-pigeon, said Eric Kuo, his spokesman, who was at the rally.
“We like pigeons,” Mr. Kuo said.
The report detailed many proposals in dealing with the burgeoning population, but only made one proposal, banning the feeding. Feeding the pigeons is actually bad for them, Mr. Kuo said, citing the support from PETA and the ASPCA for the proposed ban.
Mr. Kuo eyed the I (HEART) NY (PIGEON) shirts that were being sold for $5 apiece, but he was leery of the demonstrators at first. He believed they might harbor antipathy toward members of Councilman Felder’s office.
In the end, he bought the shirt, later writing by instant message: “I think it’s going to be my new favorite shirt.”
December 1, 2007
Some People Love Pigeons, Others Just Don't
After City Council member Simcha Felder announced he would propose legislation to ban feeding pigeons, bird lovers joined forces and, yesterday, held a rally at City Hall. Armed with posters like "Save Our Right to Feed Wildlife," "Have U Known Anybody Killed by a Pigeon?", "Pigeons are Beautiful Birds," and "Felder's Pigeon Bill is Poop!", the pro-pigeon protesters spoke out for their feathered friends. One demonstrator told City Room, "We are voices for the wildlife in New York City that we would like to preserve."
Felder's reasoning for a stop on pigeon feeding is that pigeon poop - an estimated 25 pounds over a year - damages city infrastructure and suggested the city needs a pigeon czar to deal with the issue. And he's not the only one with the bird on the brain: City Council member James Oddo had suggested pigeon birth control (approved by PETA and the Humane Society), after pigeon poop created gross conditions at the St. George ferry terminal. City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and Mayor Bloomberg also seem to support a ban on pigeon feeding. This week, Felder was the subject of a New Yorker Talk of the Town piece, where he told Ben McGrath:
"Yesterday, I was having lunch in City Hall Park with a colleague, and this squirrel comes over, literally up to my feet, and he stands up,” Felder said. “I’m eating a bar of chocolate. I said, ‘What, are you kidding? You’re with them?’ It ran away, but five minutes later dozens of pigeons, like something out of some spook movie, show up, and they’re all over the place. I said, ‘Get a camera!’"
Of course, Felder isn't immune to teasing. The other day, during a community breakfast in Borough Park, Police Commissioner Ray Kelly gave him a plastic bird and a certificate which was, Kelly read, "in recognition of your dedicated work to protect the city from an imminent quality of life danger...Overfed pigeons pose a threat to the safety and well-being of every New Yorker. We are grateful for your leadership and courage in raising awareness of this issue." Kelly was joking. We think.
People for Pigeons is the umbrella group organizing smaller bird clubs; here's their website.
Some People Love Pigeons, Others Just Don't
After City Council member Simcha Felder announced he would propose legislation to ban feeding pigeons, bird lovers joined forces and, yesterday, held a rally at City Hall. Armed with posters like "Save Our Right to Feed Wildlife," "Have U Known Anybody Killed by a Pigeon?", "Pigeons are Beautiful Birds," and "Felder's Pigeon Bill is Poop!", the pro-pigeon protesters spoke out for their feathered friends. One demonstrator told City Room, "We are voices for the wildlife in New York City that we would like to preserve."
Felder's reasoning for a stop on pigeon feeding is that pigeon poop - an estimated 25 pounds over a year - damages city infrastructure and suggested the city needs a pigeon czar to deal with the issue. And he's not the only one with the bird on the brain: City Council member James Oddo had suggested pigeon birth control (approved by PETA and the Humane Society), after pigeon poop created gross conditions at the St. George ferry terminal. City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and Mayor Bloomberg also seem to support a ban on pigeon feeding. This week, Felder was the subject of a New Yorker Talk of the Town piece, where he told Ben McGrath:
"Yesterday, I was having lunch in City Hall Park with a colleague, and this squirrel comes over, literally up to my feet, and he stands up,” Felder said. “I’m eating a bar of chocolate. I said, ‘What, are you kidding? You’re with them?’ It ran away, but five minutes later dozens of pigeons, like something out of some spook movie, show up, and they’re all over the place. I said, ‘Get a camera!’"
Of course, Felder isn't immune to teasing. The other day, during a community breakfast in Borough Park, Police Commissioner Ray Kelly gave him a plastic bird and a certificate which was, Kelly read, "in recognition of your dedicated work to protect the city from an imminent quality of life danger...Overfed pigeons pose a threat to the safety and well-being of every New Yorker. We are grateful for your leadership and courage in raising awareness of this issue." Kelly was joking. We think.
People for Pigeons is the umbrella group organizing smaller bird clubs; here's their website.
Bird lovers protest proposed bill to ban the feeding of pigeons
BY FRANK LOMBARDI
DAILY NEWS CITY HALL BUREAU
Saturday, December 1st 2007, 4:00 AM
Protests are common on the steps of City Hall, but the one held Friday was strictly for the birds.
Several dozen bird lovers and animal-rights advocates rallied to protest a proposed City Council bill to ban the feeding of pigeons, with offenses punishable by $1,000 fines.
Several participants carried signs denouncing Councilman Simcha Felder (D-Brooklyn) for proposing the bill. One stated: "Felder's Pigeon Bill is Poop!"
"We're not just a bunch of crazy pigeon people," said Johanna Clearfield of the Urban Wildlife Coalition.
What's next after you get rid of the pigeons, she posed.
Carol Moon of the Farm Sanctuary in Watkins Glen, N.Y., said feeding pigeons is a way "to teach children that having compassion for animals is just one part of having compassion for everyone."
Eric Kuo, a spokesman for Felder, commented, "Do they love pigeons, or do they just love feeding pigeons? We are looking for a humane way to address the overpopulation of pigeons."
BY FRANK LOMBARDI
DAILY NEWS CITY HALL BUREAU
Saturday, December 1st 2007, 4:00 AM
Protests are common on the steps of City Hall, but the one held Friday was strictly for the birds.
Several dozen bird lovers and animal-rights advocates rallied to protest a proposed City Council bill to ban the feeding of pigeons, with offenses punishable by $1,000 fines.
Several participants carried signs denouncing Councilman Simcha Felder (D-Brooklyn) for proposing the bill. One stated: "Felder's Pigeon Bill is Poop!"
"We're not just a bunch of crazy pigeon people," said Johanna Clearfield of the Urban Wildlife Coalition.
What's next after you get rid of the pigeons, she posed.
Carol Moon of the Farm Sanctuary in Watkins Glen, N.Y., said feeding pigeons is a way "to teach children that having compassion for animals is just one part of having compassion for everyone."
Eric Kuo, a spokesman for Felder, commented, "Do they love pigeons, or do they just love feeding pigeons? We are looking for a humane way to address the overpopulation of pigeons."
12/06/2007
Felder ruffles feathers with ban - Animal advocates peck at councilman
Felder ruffles feathers with ban - Animal advocates peck at councilman
Park Slope Courier
By Gary Buiso
A local pol is using the beleaguered wings of pigeons to give flight to his political career, urban wildlife advocates chirped at a rally last week. On the steps of City Hall, activists wielding pro-pigeon placards decried the controversial series of proposals by City Councilmember Simcha Felder to curb the city’s pigeon population. Felder’s legislation, which has not yet been drafted, includes a ban on feeding pigeons—a galling measure that hit bird-lovers right in the gizzard.
“He is able to use this to bolster his very tenuous political career,” said Johanna Clearfield of the Urban Wildlife Coalition, an event co-sponsor. “He sees this issue as a way to get mass attention and to garner what is already the existing hostility [against pigeons].”
“The city is not an indoor lobby. We need to ask ourselves how we can relate to our urban environment,” she said. Felder spokesperson Eric Kuo insisted his boss is has no beef with squab. “He doesn’t hate pigeons or want to harm pigeons,” Kuo said. “He just thinks there are too many pigeons, and I think a lot of New Yorkers [agree].”
“The city is not an indoor lobby. We need to ask ourselves how we can relate to our urban environment,” she said. Felder spokesperson Eric Kuo insisted his boss is has no beef with squab. “He doesn’t hate pigeons or want to harm pigeons,” Kuo said. “He just thinks there are too many pigeons, and I think a lot of New Yorkers [agree].”
Felder, who plans to introduce the legislation in the next few weeks, has suggested a $1,000 fine on those who feed pigeons. At press time, he was not made available for comment. In his report, “Curbing the Pigeon Conundrum,” Felder details the hazards created by pigeon droppings, including the degradation of steel structures.
His report concedes that health threats posed by the birds are often “exaggerated.” Possible pigeon control tactics could be the trial use of avian birth control; fostering hawk and falcon populations (they eat pigeons); and the creation of a Pigeon Czar, to “categorically address the pigeon population issue as a whole.”
Kuo said animal experts agree that there is an unhealthy overpopulation of pigeons. He pointed to groups like the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty of Animals (ASPCA), as key backers of parts of the legislation. “Providing food for pigeons not only causes an influx of birds to the area, but can also attract unwanted rodents and insects as well, thereby contaminating an area in a very short amount of time,” the ASPCA said in a statement. “Councilman Felder’s proposal is one that will ensure the pigeons will not be encouraged to reproduce by otherwise well-meaning citizens.”
“While we appreciate these creatures as part of our regional landscape, we also acknowledge that it is important to maintain their population so that they do not impede the health and sanctity of our city,” according to the ASPCA. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has reportedly said it supports the feeding ban if it were to included a controlled-feeding program that would administer a population-curbing contraceptive. While not prohibited by regulation, the city’s Department of Health discourages pigeon feeding, as uneaten food can attract vermin. According to the agency, pigeons do not pose a health risk to the general public. Kuo said Felder did not propose the ban to attract a spotlight on himself.
“If getting publicity will be able to address a problem that affects New Yorkers, than that is something we are happy to do,” Kuo said. “He has always done what he thinks is best for new Yorkers,” he continued. “By doing that, if New Yorkers support him in his career—that’s great.” The Borough Park lawmaker is term-limited out of office in 2009.
The organizer of the Nov. 30 rally was Anna Dove of the New York Bird Club, and at least a dozen other local advocacy groups, now represented by an umbrella organization, the newly formed City Wildlife Alliance.
Pigeon advocates said the birds add to the richness of the urban environment, and should not be legislated to starvation. Moreover, if the city’s infrastructure is rotting, money should be spent to rebuild it, rather than blame the birds, according to Clearfield. The rally, she said, transcended the pigeon. “Pigeons do not exist in a vacuum. What’s next? Are we going to start targeting crows? Or sea gulls?
Where does it end?” Still, Clearfield said, pigeons, which were first brought to North America by European settlers, deserve more consideration. “It is human tampering and manipulation that brought them here. We, as a race are more responsible to pigeons than almost any animal,” she stated. “The have co-existed with New Yorkers for hundreds of years and now suddenly, they are public enemy number one?” Clearfield wondered.
“There is no credible threat.”
“There is no credible threat.”
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