Diss pigeons humanely rehomed to keep population under control

Plans are currently in action to humanely help keep a town’s pigeon problem at bay.

Dealey Bird Control’s Mark Wright has been working for the town council to set traps in Diss, capturing the pigeons, before transferring them into the care of London Wildlife Trust.

He said: “We catch the pigeons on given days and we transport them to be rehomed in lofts in London.

“We don’t leave them in traps for days. They are set in the morning, then we pick them up and transport them the same day. It’s cheaper than falconry, but the results aren’t as long-lived.

“We’ve moved 148 so far since lockdown began, but those numbers will replenish over about three months because it’s food related. Some people put quite a lot of food down for them. In the winter, one person was putting ten kilos down at a time.”

Mr Wright described capture and rehoming process as “beholden to charity” as there must be an aviary and staff available to care for the birds.

There are no immediate plans for Fay the falcon to return to Diss, with many businesses having pulled out of the deal as they try to rebuild after the impact of lockdown.