Posted on 08/12/2022 3:33:13 PM PDT by ChicagoConservative27
Aug 11 (Reuters) - Metro system riders in California's San Francisco Bay Area may have noticed a new station guard in recent months.
A 5-year-old Harris's hawk named Pac-Man has taken up the perch at El Cerrito del Norte station, where he's on the look out - not for fare evaders, but pigeons.
Ricky Ortiz, a falconer with Falcon Force and Pac-Man's handler, began patrolling with the bird at the station this summer, contracting with the Bay Area Rapid Transit system, or BART, to keep the pigeons at bay and protect commuters from pigeon poop.
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
“San Francisco metro system hires bird of prey”
Attn: New 87,000 IRS agents, be sure this hired bird files a tax return
Sometimes a cat will do.
Love how the seal thought about it for a moment before rolling out.
Cormorants as well...That's because of that stupid ass Migratory Bird Act.
Do away with the act since raptors are already protected.
As I know in our house, orange cats rule!
Totally! My late orange Maine Coon was literally telepathic.
Have seen these used a number of times in Mexico at restaurants/hotels and even the airport. Many of the handlers walk around with them which does scare off the seagulls and others. Until they move to another location, when they come back. On occasion they fly them. I've been told tourists don't like the results on the occasions the hawk gets a meal. I've not seen it but it's fun to watch them fly.
Back in April, we spent few days in northern Florida.
There was one popular Beach Front cafe with a large outdoor dining room. All around the perimeter wall there were large owls placed to scare away the grackles that boldly harassed diners. The birds would fly to a table and in the blink of an eye fly off with a French fry plucked right from the dimer’s plate. No crumb on the floor went unclaimed.
The grackles knew their trade and practiced it to perfection
The fierce looking owl were simply ignored
I was in Cabo San Lucas in April. The hotel we stayed at had a man walk around the pool area multiple times/day with a hawk. It kept the smaller birds and the iguanas away.
They said prior to having the hawk that the little birds would land on your table and steal your food right off your plate.
Terranea Resort in Palos Verdes CA uses birds of prey to scare away seagulls from the dining terrace. People on the path nearby can walk by and look at the birds of prey and talk to the handlers. You don’t have to be a guest to use the path through the area. You can hike through to the Bat Cave where they filmed the Batmobile coming out in the 60s tv series.
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