Latest news with #birdfeeding
BBC News
2 days ago
- Health
- BBC News
Signs ahead of Darlington pigeon feeding ban
Signs have been put up around a town centre warning people not to feed pigeons, ahead of new Borough Council is set to release an updated version of its Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) following health and safety concerns from residents and opposing the council's plans to ban bird feeding in the town centre have said the pigeons should be "embraced".Several people commenting on the issue called on the Labour-led council to create a designated bird feeding zone. "Birds have never been an issue and should not be included in this," one person said. "Pigeons are the descendants of birds we bred and used. They were vital during the world wars. We domesticated them and we have a responsibility to continue to care for them."They said pigeons brought "a sense of life to the town centre" and without them "the streets will start to feel lifeless and cold". "Please remove the signs and consider embracing our pigeon population," the respondee disputed whether feeding the birds was a widespread issue or constituted a criminal offence, the Local Democracy Reporting Service another response, published by the council, read: "Pigeon feeding could easily have designated zones so that the birds are all over town. Stopping people feeding will mean more begging behaviour, and birds will go into shops to look for food."Despite the opposition to the proposal, 56 people supported the local authority's plans to ban bird feeding compared to 28 updated PSPO is set to be approved by councillors on 10 June and includes stricter measures on anti-social behaviour and officials have also vowed to toughen their stance on the anti-social use of bicycles, scooters, skates and skateboards in the town centre. People using street furniture and steps to perform stunts and tricks have been blamed for causing damage and endangering public safety. Follow BBC Tees on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Bird lovers horrified by maimed seagull 'trend' as remains scattered across roads in North Wales
Bird lovers have been left horrified by a brutal new 'trend'. Campaigners claim they have mounting evidence people are deliberately throwing food onto roads and watching on as hungry seagulls swoop down, only to get hit by vehicles. Volunteers working for the Caernarfon-based Foundation for Feathered Friends (FFF) are reporting a rising number of apparent incidents on the North Wales coast. While some are said to involve youths, the charity claimed adults have also been seen enticing gulls onto busy roads, North Wales Live reports. FFF founder Denise Theophilus said the charity was often left to pick up the pieces. 'We totally support the feeding of wild birds, especially gulls,' she said. 'Often they are emaciated when they arrive in coastal communities. But this is not the right way to do it. READ MORE: Benefit cheat mum must repay £22k after being caught out by innocuous Facebook post READ MORE: Lidl pulls popular product from shelves following urgent 'do not eat' warning 'Who in their right mind would deliberately put these birds in danger by making them swoop onto roads to be hit by oncoming cars? We are aware that children will get up to all kinds of mischief – but adults doing this must have some kind of psychiatric issue. 'It's definitely a trend, we're seeing more and more instances of it happening. And it's us that have to pick up the poor gulls wounded by monsters like these.' According to Denise, volunteers have reported examples from Abergele, Prestatyn, Rhyl and Llandudno. Given the number of casualties being treated by North Wales Wild Bird Care, FFF's sister group, she believes it is probably happening elsewhere. In one instance, Denise claimed food had been carefully laid out on a street in Rhyl. She said three car-hit gulls were found lying dead 'equidistantly' near the food. A fourth was still alive but later died. 'One of our volunteers was driving through Llandudno when she saw a group of youths throwing food onto a road,' she said. 'They were laughing as they watched cars come towards the gulls. She wanted to go back and disperse the kids but her husband didn't want to get involved.' Wind-blown litter is another reason why gulls dice with death on busy roads – social media videos have highlighted the dangers of carelessly discarded food cartons. However there's little online evidence of gratuitous clips showing gulls being deliberately enticed onto roads. Denise claimed the practice has been witnessed outside schools and in retail car parks. When images were shared online, bird lovers were left 'sickened' by the claims. One person called the practice 'shameful and inhuman', another said it was 'utterly disgraceful'. A man claimed some motorists deliberately target gulls. He said: 'I've seen a few birds, mainly gulls, laying in the road that have been run over on purpose." Herring gulls are a protected species and are on the Red List for Conservation. The RSPCA said people need to be careful when disposing of edible litter. A spokesperson said: 'Gulls can get a bad rap especially in seaside towns, and sadly are thought of by some as a pest. 'However, they are simply wild animals trying to survive in their surroundings, and deserve our kindness and respect. It's important for people to remember that they are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, and it is illegal to intentionally harm any wild bird, except under licence.' The RSPCA gives the following advice on living in harmony with gulls: In some seaside towns where people have fed gulls, they have learned to snatch food. Try to keep food to yourself but don't blame them if they can't tell the difference between scraps willingly offered and your bag of chips. Dispose of edible litter carefully – put it in gull-proof litter bins. Plastic bags left in the street are an open invitation for gulls to investigate. Gulls that swoop suddenly on people or pets are usually trying to protect chicks that have got out of the nest. If you see a gull chick leave it alone – its parents can look after it better than you. Gulls make the most noise between May and July when they are breeding. If gulls on your roof disturb you, or you are worried they may block a gas flue, you can prevent them from nesting there in future. Your local environmental health department or pest control company should be able to tell you about the devices available. It's illegal to disturb wild birds' nests and eggs, except under licence.
CNA
28-05-2025
- General
- CNA
Elderly woman fined for feeding grain to wild birds in Toa Payoh
SINGAPORE: A 70-year-old woman was fined S$1,200 (US$930) on Wednesday (May 28) for illegally feeding wild birds near her flat in Toa Payoh. Sanmugamnathan Shamla pleaded guilty to two counts under the Wildlife Act. Eleven similar charges, including for disrupting a National Parks Board (NParks) pigeon trapping exercise, were taken into consideration. Shamla was caught when NParks enforcement officers conducted checks near her home at Lorong 4 Toa Payoh after receiving feedback. At about 4pm on Apr 11, 2023, NParks officers saw her feeding grain to wild birds and asked her to stop as this was an offence. Under the Wildlife Act, it is illegal to feed wildlife without written approval from NParks' director-general of wildlife management. After being so warned, Shamla continued to feed wild birds on multiple occasions up until November 2024. On Feb 19, Shamla also hindered NParks officers carrying out a pigeon trapping exercise near her home. She repeatedly banged a metal pole on the ground to chase the pigeons away before they could be trapped. She continued to disrupt the trapping and also raised her voice when officers asked her to stop. When she did eventually put down the pole, she clapped loudly, which caused the pigeons to scatter. This forced the officers to abandon the pigeon trapping exercise, NParks prosecutor Lim Chong Hui said. Mr Lim told the court that in 2020, Shamla was charged with eight counts of feeding stray pigeons. She was let off with a stern warning after she agreed to stop. Calling her a "recalcitrant offender", he also said that the prosecution had sought a lower fine than usual, taking into account her personal circumstances and age. Shamla's case should not be taken as a precedent as her case was unique, with its own set of facts, he said. When the judge told her she would have to serve two days in prison if she did not pay the fine, Shamla said: "I don't think my health can handle prison." She paid the fine in full on Wednesday. A first-time offender who feeds wildlife without approval can be fined up to S$5,000. Bishan-Toa Payoh was one of three town council estates where a pilot to step up management of the pigeon population ran from July 2024 to March. The other two estates with large clusters of pigeons were Ang Mo Kio and Tanjong Pagar. The pigeon management efforts included trapping and culling, reducing human-generated food sources, surveillance of illegal bird feeding and public education.
