Council backs away from lethal force in war on 'feral' town square pigeons - though plans to make it illegal to feed birds in heart of Newtownards continue

Since 2022, Ards and North Down Council has been trying to tackle a pigeon plague its politicians say is hitting Conway Square in the heart of Newtownards.

But their attempts to drive the feathered flock away, which include an ongoing push to ban pigeons from feeding in the area, haven’t worked.

In fact, a report says, there are now more birds than ever.

Officials had suggested opening a new front in the war – killing the pigeons off.

That would have involved bringing in a professional exterminator, who would either trap and kill the birds or send in trained falcons to scare them off.

Councillors rejected the £25,000 idea, backing away from it without any debate at a recent meeting.

That leaves the council struggling to stop the pigeons from swamping the square.

The main open space in Newtownards, Conway Square is home to cafes and seating for locals and visitors alike to take the weight off their feet while enjoying al fresco coffee and food.

But over the last few years the area has become infested with increasingly large flocks of pigeons, which it’s widely believed have been attracted to the area in growing numbers by humans feeding them scraps.

Businesses around the square have complained about the birds, which council officials described as “feral” in a recent report.

At least one eatery is known to have stopped serving food outside because of pigeon problems – but finding a solution has proved difficult.

The council initially erected signs warning the public not to feed the birds, but the signs were largely ignored.

Politicians hit on the idea of making it illegal to give scraps to pigeons in Conway Square by creating a new bye-law.

The bye-law would only be in force on sections of the square the council owns, however, leaving pigeons free to feed to their hearts’ content on around 40% of the site.

In addition, it could only be enforced by council officials catching someone in the act of feeding a pigeon and then hauling them before the courts for punishment.

Attempts to draft a Newtownards anti-pigeon bye-law continue.