AssetID: 54873167
Headline: Hawk Turns Pigeon Detective To Clear Euston Station Of Feathery Menace
Caption: London’s Euston station has a swooping, feathered new employee - Oscar the Harris hawk. The bird of prey will visit the station once a week over the next few months with his handler at varying times to carry out ‘pigeon patrols’ aimed at deterring pigeons from setting up home at the station. Although Oscar has visited Euston before as part of his familiarisation training, Wednesday (25June2025) marked his first official flight at the station. Matt Ferguson, senior station interface manager for London Euston said: “We’re always looking for innovative ways to improve the station environment for our passengers, and Oscar is already proving to be a valuable member of the team. "While he’s visited Euston before, this marks his first official flight and the early results are really encouraging! We’ve already seen a noticeable drop in pigeon activity, helping us keep the station cleaner and more welcoming for everyone.” Pigeons have become a persistent issue at the station, often roosting, nesting, and feeding in areas used by passengers. Oscar provides a humane solution, he doesn’t harm the birds but acts as a natural deterrent. His presence alone is enough to discourage pigeons from settling in, helping to create a cleaner, safer environment for everyone using the station. The timings and locations of Oscar’s flights over the next few months will vary, this is so the pigeons can spot him in a variety of locations to avoid the station as a whole as opposed to a specific area. When the pigeons see him in a certain location, it convinces them that a bird of prey resides in the area, therefore making the area less inviting for nesting and feeding. As the hawk flies above the area, the pigeons become disturbed and fly into the sky. The station team have already noticed a decrease in the amount of pigeons in the station proving Oscar effective at keeping pigeons at bay. Oscar’s handler, falconer Adel Letchford, said: “Oscar has taken to Euston like a pro: cool, calm, and already ruffling a few pigeon feathers. It’s brilliant to see how quickly he’s made an impact, the pigeons are definitely getting the message and passengers seem to love spotting him on patrol!”
Keywords: feature,photo,hawk,network rail,euston,trains,pigeon
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