Coo Blimey!

The latest scheme is being considered as pigeon populations soar around the country and follows years of trying other radical "feather buster" projects which have failed to give them the bird.

Council officers have now been asked to prepare reports on setting up designated pigeon feeding zones - possibly in parks - to move them away from urban areas where they cause health and safety problems.

The feral birds have survived in droves due to a mild winter and cover streets and buildings with their droppings.

In 1995 highly-trained Oscar the hawk and his handler were brought in by Bradford Council to try to clear the streets of pigeons but was later laid off because of the cost.

The hawk's hunting missions also sparked a massive row when pigeon fanciers said their racing birds were in danger.

The council reverted to putting less controversial plastic owls and kestrels up in Keighley town hall square - but that failed to fool the pigeons. And a large plastic owl put up in Shipley market square to deter the birds was stolen within 24 hours.

Now executive member for the environment, Councillor Anne Hawkesworth, has asked for reports on providing designated feeding areas outside the district's main centres.

Most major Bradford city centre buildings have netting up to deter the birds but Coun Hawkesworth said a drawback was that it resulted in filthy windows which could not easily be cleaned.

She said: "There are also currently complaints in Ilkley about the railway station and King's Hall\Winter Gardens.

"But it is a district-wide problem as well. I have asked officers to look at this and want to know about the pros and the cons of a designation scheme. It might be advantageous."

Council pest control manager Dennis Shipway said the birds were attracted to the shopping centres because many people liked to feed them. "The droppings do spoil the buildings, but the main problem is that people are slipping on the droppings," he said.

"They might even become an attraction in designated areas outside the centre, like parks. If there was a problem with litter or vermin in the designated areas it could be tackled quickly because it would only be confined to one place."

But Keighley pigeon racer Albert Muff said: "Pigeon numbers should get be kept down. They are feral pigeons and they get our birds a bad name. Our pigeons are the gladiators and these are wild."

Mr Muff, a former pest control officer with Bradford Council said the birds were formerly trapped and then humanely destroyed.

"You could cut numbers down quite easily. I think Bradford Council should return to this method, which was a good one."

A Leeds Council spokesman said its railway bridges were black spots for pigeon roosting and were given special treatment to deter the birds.

And in Liverpool, a council spokesman said it was also trying to tackle a major pigeon problem but had not considered designated feeding zones.

"I think it is something which affects all major cities and it's believed to be worse because of the mild winters," he said.

"We have looked at owls, eagles and hawks but at the moment we are clearing the nests at roosting time as a way of keeping the pigeons down."

The idea of the feeding zones was welcomed by Susan Stead, secretary of Bradford Urban Wildlife Group.

She said: "It sounds a very good idea, if you can get the pigeons to go along with it. It would also attract a lot of other wild birds.

"People have to realise that Bradford is a wildlife town. I know the pigeons get on to the buildings, but it's hard luck. The pigeons are part of life in Trafalgar Square. We should be proud of them."

And a spokesman for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds said: "It is a very good and sensible idea and we haven't heard of any other authority doing it. If Bradford takes it up we will be watching with great interest.