Boston transit authority weighs trained falcons to tackle pigeon problem

Transit authorities in the greater Boston area are considering using trained falcons to address a persistent pigeon problem at stations across the region, according to The Guardian.

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) is weighing the option as part of efforts to reduce the local pigeon population and the mess the birds leave behind at stations, the report said.

Falconry-based bird control, sometimes called “abatement falconry,” has been used by other cities and institutions to deter pigeons and other nuisance birds without resorting to lethal methods, relying on the presence of a natural predator to discourage flocks from gathering in a given area.

Still under consideration

The report does not indicate whether the MBTA has finalized a decision or selected a vendor to carry out the falconry program, nor does it specify a timeline for when such measures might begin. The approach would add Boston to a growing list of transit systems and public spaces that have experimented with trained raptors as a non-lethal pest-control method.