N.Y. town bans residents from feeding birds

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y., Feb. 6 (UPI) -- The town board of Hempstead, N.Y., passed a new law Tuesday that prohibits residents from overfeeding pigeons, ducks, and geese -- a growing problem, many locals complained, that was leaving their cars, houses, and yards covered in bird excrement.

“It’s filthy,” Lara Sessler told CBS New York. “It’s all over our patio, our furniture, our vehicles.”

The chorus of gripes over the aviary mess had grown louder in recent months as one man, Michael Victor, whose boatyard borders the Sesslers, continued to haul out wheelbarrows full of corn each day -- attracting dozens and dozens, if not hundreds, of birds, neighbors say. The board of this Long Island town approved the new law with a 7-0 vote.

"Overfeeding in residential neighborhoods and near waterways results in attracting huge numbers of 'nuisance birds' to areas where neighbors live, work and raise their families," Kate Murray, supervisor of the town board, said in a statement prior to the vote.

The law is unlikely to target retirees fond of feeding pigeons in the park, but attract at least 10 birds on at least three days within a 15-day period and a violation could be levied. First-time violators can be slapped with a $1,000 fine. Cross the line a second or third time and the fine grows to $2,500 and $5,000, respectively.

[Newsday.] [CBS New York]