The birds

We weren’t surprised to hear that US ornithologist Andrew Blechman has described the pigeon as “the world’s most reviled bird” and he adds (does Bill O’Reilly know this?) that it was introduced to North America by the French. Despite their sterling service as a means of battlefield communication (especially in the First World War) the pigeon is now regarded in US cities as a major public menace, targeted with nets, guns, gases and poisons.

They have a similar reputation in France – only Brigitte Bardot has a good word to say for them. Heading the indictment, of course, is their massive polluting of the city. According to Blechman, an average adult pigeon produces 11 kilos of excreta a year. But now in this region the bird has a rival for the title of most disliked winged visitor: the starling. According to one local expert, “This is fairly new and comes about because many starlings have changed their pattern of migration. Until just a few years ago they’d divide their year between summer in northern Europe and winters in North Africa. As winters have got milder here – like this year – tens of thousands of them decide to stop off on the Coast for several months from November rather than going on to the Maghreb. People don’t like them: that noisy chirping and they’re also copious shitters. But worst of all they’re a real threat to the olive growing industry. A typical starling can put away 35 grammes of olives a day – and we’re talking of tens of thousands of them. Something has to be done.”

From Riviera Reporter Issue 121, June/July 2007

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