Birds of the Wild

Pigeons are an integral part of the Chicago experience. Where there is Chicago there are pigeons. Here, as well as in any other big city where millions of people live and eat and throw out garbage..there are pigeons. I must say, you don't get a whole lot of nature in a big city, so I don't think I mind the pigeons the way I'm supposed to but I don't quite place them in the same "bird" category as I do finches or barn swallows. Even I join the crowds in calling these once domestic, now feral creatures, "rats with wings" and "flying ashtrays." But I appreciate them just a little. Not so much for the measly wildlife they offer but for the humorous ways in which people try to rid the city of them. Though I've never heard of even one single case of someone getting sick from a pigeon, people claim that they carry disease and germs and are a great big general nuisance (I guess they are loud at night when you are trying to sleep and they've chosen to live on your windowsill). The city of Chicago is the only city in the world that has actually banned people from having pigeons for pets and I guess that's a start but there are also so many spikes on rooftops and marquees and signs so that the birds don't have a place to sit, that you don't even read the signs, you just point and say "wow, look at all those spikes." I've even heard that Chicago is encouraging a peregrine falcon breeding program because they will feed almost solely on pigeons. Now there's a NOVA program right in the front street! And my favorite strategy of late is pigeon contraception. Actually, I think this is Los Angeles's idea-I'm not sure if they are doing it here yet, but they are mixing it into bird feeders (wait-doesn't bird food = birds?) and this drug interferes with the production of an egg. Less birds in the long run I guess. Pigeons are quite the breeders I hear. Anyhow, one of our neighbors has a big plastic scary owl on the ledge above his door to fend off pigeons and a little family of them moved right in, built a good sturdy nest and had kids anyway. Sometimes I wonder which would actually look worse, some pigeon poop (which is there anyways) or a big plastic scary owl that is kind of coming apart at the edges. The pigeons are actually very friendly with the owl. I think he makes them feel safe.