Hawk introduced to Norwich Market to help clear pigeons and gulls

A council said it hoped a Harris’s hawk would ruffle some feathers and deter pigeons and gulls from a market after stallholders called the birds a “serious public health risk”.

Norwich Markets said people visiting have complained about eating and buying food from its 40 food stalls due to the birds.

Norwich City Council has paid about £4,000 for a falconer and Harris’s hawk to the patrol the market as part of a four-week trial.

Mikael ChuFoon, a falconer from NBC Environment, said: “The pigeons were all lined up against the wall, there were practically hundreds of them, as soon as I got my bird and came round the corner they all got up – they realised the threat.”

The effectiveness of the bird of prey will be evaluated by the council after the trial ends.

Mr ChuFoon said his hawk will not be used to attack or kill the pigeons or gulls but instead instil fear so the birds roost and nest elsewhere.

Norwich City Council have plans to revamp the marketplace, including upgrading its public loos.

Carli Harper, a Labour councillor and cabinet member for finance and major projects on the authority, said thousands of people wanted the pigeon issue made a “priority” and sorted.

Rob Butcher, the owner of Ron’s Fish and Chips at the market, said there was “no words” to describe the severity of the problem.

“It is a serious public health risk and unhygienic. It’s just nonsense, we have a market now where the majority is food and nothing is done properly to address the issue,” he said.

“They [the pigeons] fly low under the canopies when people are buying and eating food. People are ducking and screaming all the time because they are flying directly at them,” he added.

Hugo Malik, who runs Churros for the People, has been on the market for eight years and said pigeons and gulls have been a “great problem” over time.

He said: “They are a really bold strain of pigeon. They start walking into the stalls, they get under people’s feet and it is something continually raised with the council.

“[Deterring the birds] would make a massive difference to the ambience of the market… there are environmental issues around so many pigeons roosting and being around food prep areas.”

Harper said the authority had previously trialled other options to deter pigeons, but part of the problem was people feed them.

“We do also have an issue with people feeding the pigeons. We have been working hard to try to discourage people from doing that and pointing out the problems with feeding the birds in a place that does serve food,” she added.