Today in "Party Pigeon" News...Over the years, BART has taken numerous steps to mitigate the pigeon population at the station. Hundreds of bird-repellant spikes and netting can be seen fastened to ledges, pipes, fare machines, and other surfaces in the station, which received a total makeover in 2021.
"We brought in owl statues, we tried nets, we tried various measures with noise. We did quite a bit to see how we could gently move them along," said Wahid Amiri. "Nothing was successful." [...]
Ortiz said he's never "seen more done to deter pigeons at a single location," including at the landfills, resorts, and farms he's worked at previously. [...]
There are alternative and more hostile modes of dealing with pigeons, including horns, "bird bombs," and poisons. Employing a hawk for abatement has proven to be less disruptive and often more effective. [...]
Pac-Man is not bothered by the business of the station, Ortiz said. "These birds are used to hustle and bustle. The noise from the BART train doesn't even faze him," he explained. And Pac-Man gets lots of treats throughout the day -- quail, rodents, rabbits, and other fare hawks like.
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