our pigeons, the feral ones, descended from columba livia, columba livia domestica, columba livia forma urbana, have returned to the wild. societies need for them having run its course, they are now only seen in the same way we see an alley smelling of piss and full of glass -a way in which we don't see at all. Because of this columba livia forma urbana are an invisible ocean. for someone walking through the centre of their feeding grounds they part, radiating a quietitude, letting the persons feet follow their path of desire without the need to give any consideration for our freindly band of downtrodden tramps.
This understanding ins't present only in the individuals, but in legislation; in the uk, pigeons are covered under the "General Licences" and can be humanely culled by the land owner or their agent for a variety of reasons including spread of human disease.
Their is a sense of this across the world; feral pigeons are considered a pest by WHO[1], their treatment by humans seems to be of little concern, with the focus instead on how pigeons could pass desease and infection onto humans. epidemiologists reccomend the following approaches:
- restricting feeding at public places
- inhibiting breeding on buildings, by mechanically blocking the loft orifices and perching sites in, on and below the roofs, using netting, spikes, repellent gels and electroshock deterrent systems;
- collecting and inactivating avian (pigeon) eggs;
- trapping birds (in nets or various bird traps) and euthanizing the captured birds, if permitted; and:
- sterilizing birds chemically, with a treated grain bait, if permitted.[Ibid pp.262]
- They have been labled invasive in north america[2]
Perhaps herding pigeons is an action embodying this connection, a co-operatation and play, differntiating itself from humanities usually oppresive interation with our feral wanderers: culling, sterelisation, domestication for; meat, homing, racing, sports, exhibtion, pigeon fancying, or experimentation in labroatories.
us from below, we seek to understand our freinds, we seek to become them.
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