Unwanted Tenants

I recently evicted some unwanted tenants from the dining room windowsill, a family of pigeons nestled in empty terracotta pots. I know they sound pretty cute and I seem rather heartless, but pigeons are some of the dirtiest birds around. Their feathers were constantly flying into the house, that weird white dust settling in everywhere, and a few times they flew in themselves and knocked down stuff, including the notice board on my desk. Thankfully my laptop was closed; else I shudder to think what could have happened. That was the point where I decided enough was enough, they have got to go. Nobody but nobody messes with my laptop.

So I got all the empty pots filled with new plants—hibiscus, duranta, chlorophytum, dracaena and raat ki rani---leaving them no place to roost along with disinfecting the entire area. The first day the birds seemed really put out and made lots of racket but now I think we have made peace. The birds visit my newly expanded window garden occasionally and coo and cuddle under the croton.

Several cities have tried to get rid of the birds. The mayor of London banned feeding pigeons in Trafalgar Square in November 2003, where they have caused ₤140,000 damage to Nelson’s Column and the square. In Venice it is illegal to feed the pigeons under a decree that the Commune of Venice issued late in 1997 which exempts the main tourist areas around the Piazza San Marco.