A controversial and costly attempt to use a bird of prey to control a pigeon population in a historic city centre has been grounded after just four weeks, defeated by a public campaign of mass feeding.
Hawk vs. Heart: The Battle for Norwich Market
Norwich City Council invested £4,000 in a pilot scheme employing a Harris hawk to deter pigeons from its famed medieval marketplace. The move came after years of complaints from food stall traders, who said the bold birds were terrorising shoppers, swooping low under canopies and creating a health hazard.
Falconer Mikael ChuFoon, from pest control firm NBC Environment, reported initial success in November, stating that hundreds of pigeons fled at the sight of the hawk. The method was promoted as a non-lethal deterrent, encouraging 'nature to work with nature'.
Public Backlash and 'Industrial' Feeding
However, the council's operation sparked immediate and organised opposition. A petition calling for a more compassionate solution, started by 19-year-old university student Summer Lou, gathered over 2,000 signatures. It proposed converting an abandoned public toilet in a nearby park into a dovecote and rehabilitation centre.
In defiance of the hawk, supporters began feeding the pigeons in the freezing weather, with some describing them as 'undervalued members of society'. The scale of this feeding is what ultimately scuppered the scheme. Council cabinet member Carli Harper blamed the failure on a handful of individuals dishing out 'industrial amounts or sack loads of bird feed'.
A photo obtained by the Daily Mail showed a long trail of feed piled behind the Memorial Gardens near the market. Falconer Adrian Diamond reported seeing people with 'rucksacks full of seeds' to feed the flock of 500-600 birds.
Scheme Paused as Council Considers Next Move
Following the four-week pilot, the council has been forced to pause the hawk programme. Cllr Harper stated the pause was to 'assess our enforcement options', having previously considered fixed penalty notices to stop the feeding.
Summer Lou welcomed the pause as a 'step in the right direction', arguing that using birds of prey is ineffective and that the council should involve the public in finding an ethical solution. She rejected the characterisation of supporters as villains, stating they were simply showing empathy for creatures that rely on humans for survival in the city.
For traders like Rob Butcher of Ron's Fish and Chips, the problem remains acute. He told the BBC that shoppers were 'ducking and screaming all the time' as pigeons flew directly at them. The council maintains its goal is not 'anti-pigeon but pro-market', aiming to improve the experience at one of Europe's cherished historic markets.
