Melbourne Daily Photo

Hello, I created this blog because Melbourne is my city and I want people to see what a beautiful place it is. So come with me on a journey of discovery as we traverse the dining precincts, the culture, the laneways and hidden gems that make Melbourne marvellous.




Waltzing Australia

Wednesday 30 March 2011

Pigeon loft - Batman Park

Walking along the northern side of the Yarra towards Spencer Street, I came upon this interesting structure. On taking a closer look, it turns out it is a pigeon loft, created to entice the pigeons away from the CBD.

This pigeon loft was placed here in Batman Park as part of the City of Melbourne's pigeon management programe and is intended as an alternative home for the city's pigeons especially those around the Town Hall, City Square and Bourke Street Mall.

Pigeons in the city have been a nuisance for decades and their droppings cause uncleanliness generally and also damage to city's buildings. Sitting in Federation Square you're surrounded by them.

The loft is painted with light coloured corrosion resistant to reflect the heat and minimise internal over-heating. It houses two hundred nesting boxes for pigeon breeding. Eggs laid will be replaced with artificial eggs intended as a humane way to control and reduce pigeon numbers.

Bird feeding around the loft base is permitted to attract birds out of the CBD to this area. Bird feeding is not permitted in any other area around the CBD.

I wonder if people had a problem in the old days when pigeons were used to carry messages? Perhaps governments could re-introduce this practise - think of the savings you'd make not having to buy postage stamps!

Today's quote: I don't mind being a symbol but I don't want to become a monument. There are monuments all over the Parliament Buildings and I've seen what the pigeons do to them ~ Tommy Douglas.

10 comments:

irinapictures said...

Great find. I will send the link to my friend, he is in love with pigeons, maybe will make the same "apartment building" for them))

diane b said...

Very apt quote. It sounds a good idea with the loft. I hope it works.

Anonymous said...

I enjoy seeing the loft when I pass by. I'm afraid I can't stand the pigeons in the city and I am not sure that this loft has succeeded in reducing their numbers.

Bell x one said...

Hi,
Its my first time on your blog !
great photos ! i will follow you :)
Greetings from Bordeaux

Bell x one
Bordeaux Daily Photo
http://bellxone.skynetblogs.be

Lois said...

What a wonderful idea! We could use something like that around here.

Luis Gomez said...

Love it. This is so cool.

Unknown said...

Cool thing!
Remembering me, when I was a kid, taking care of some pigeons... but, with a small loft, of course. :)

Stefan Jansson said...

Never seen anything like that before.

arabesque said...

oh, that is a nice nook for those pigeons and a cool idea as well. ^0^

Lowell said...

That's a funny saying. Do you think this pigeon "coop" does any good? Do the pigeons flock here and stay away from other areas?

We had lots of pigeons are the school where I taught. One day an assistant principal put up a bunch of fake owls on the roof to scare the pigeons away. The first thing I saw when I came to school the next day was a pigeon sitting on the head of a fake owl!

Melbourne Daily Photo

Hello, I created this blog because Melbourne is my city and I want people to see what a beautiful place it is. So come with me on a journey of discovery as we traverse the dining precincts, the culture, the laneways and hidden gems that make Melbourne marvellous.