Three trained hawks, Dracula, Morgan and Drusilla, are flying at Longheath Gardens in a 12-month council pilot to keep pigeons off balconies and walkways.

Three trained hawks called Dracula, Morgan and Drusilla have started flying at Longheath Gardens, where Croydon Council is testing whether birds of prey can keep nuisance pigeons away from residents’ homes.

The council announced the 12-month pilot on 30 October (Croydon Council announcement). At first the hawks will make regular visits to the estate to stop pigeons gathering around the residential buildings. As the pigeons start to move away, the visits will become less frequent.

Why the council is trying it

The problem, the council says, is what pigeons leave behind when they gather in large numbers around homes: droppings building up on balconies, walkways and other communal areas. As well as being unpleasant for the people who live there, the council said, that can raise hygiene concerns and adds cleaning and maintenance work, and it affects how residents use their homes and shared spaces.

The hawks are there to scare pigeons off, not to catch them. A professional handler flies them during controlled visits, with precautions in place to keep residents, children and pets safe, and the council says the aim is to cut down bird mess without disturbing people living nearby.

What happens if it works

The council is running the trial at Longheath Gardens to measure how well it reduces the problems pigeons cause. If it succeeds, the council could consider using hawks on other estates with similar problems, and it says the approach could also prove more cost-effective in the long term.

Alongside the pilot, the council is asking residents to share their ideas for improving their estates, from making better use of communal spaces to tackling the everyday problems that affect where they live.

What the Mayor said

Jason Perry, the Executive Mayor of Croydon, said: “We’re determined to make Croydon’s estates better places to live, and sometimes that means thinking a little outside the box, or in this case, outside the nest!

“Dracula and his friends are very welcome additions to our team. We’re hoping they’ll give nuisance pigeons a real fright and help residents enjoy cleaner balconies, walkways and communal spaces.

“There’s nothing spooky about wanting a clean, pleasant place to call home. We’re listening to residents and trying new approaches to tackle the everyday problems that affect their quality of life. Hopefully, Dracula, Morgan and Drusilla will prove just the trick!”

The pilot runs for 12 months. Croydon Today will report what the council finds when it reviews the results.