LIVINGSTON, Mont. — Livingston resident Bonnie Goodman has been rescuing pigeons injured under the Main Street and B Street underpass, where a U.S. Department of Agriculture contractor hired by Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway shoots them.
“The railroad contracts with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to kill pigeons on their property,” confirmed Livingston Police Chief Wayne Hard, citing the culling frequency as variable but typically monthly.
The USDA official uses a pellet gun, legal within city limits, per Hard.
“They are supposed to be cleaning them up but I don’t think they do it,” he said.
The practice has been going on for several years, according to city and law enforcement officials. The issue was thrust back into public scrutiny on Wednesday. On that day, morning commuters noticed six or more of the lifeless avian carcasses discarded under the bridge.
Unsuspecting drivers drove over the dead birds throughout the day. Remains of at least four pigeons were still in the underpass Thursday.
“I was crossing Park Street hearing ricochets off (the underpass),” said Bonnie’s husband, Parke Goodman, noting he first became aware of the issue last fall. “I called the police an hour later. There is nothing they can do about it. It is upsetting seeing (the birds) dead there.”
“I was driving under (the underpass) and noticed a pigeon pressed against the sidewalk,” said Livingston resident Janet Barwick, recalling finding one of the shot and wounded birds anguishing last spring. “It didn’t raise any alarm bells until I drove back three hours later and it was still in the same place. Clearly it was frightened and injured.”
Bonnie Goodman, who has rescued about 30 pigeons, including 12 from the underpass, was the first person Barwick called. As many as eight of the birds she rescued were injured by fired projectiles.
“We rescued it and confirmed it had been shot,” Bonnie said, explaining the duo threw a towel on the injured bird before taking it to safety.
In the event of surface wounds from projectiles, pellets can take months to work through the bird’s skin to the surface.
“It lost use of its wing permanently,” Bonnie said.
The rescued bird is still alive, she said. Bonnie keeps her new pets with their new leases on life in an 11-foot by 12-foot enclosed aviary built from reused building materials, with a small apple tree inside for a natural perch. The few rescued ones that can still fly are free to leave and return based on their innate homing abilities, internal compass and sensory navigation leading them back to the coop.
“Once you get to know a pigeon you love them,” said Bonnie, predicting the underpass pigeon problem will never go away regardless of the culling method used by BNSF. “They are cliff-dwelling birds. They will always be drawn to a place like (the underpass). Pigeons want their feet flat.”
Wild pigeons are feral descendants of rock doves domesticated for food. Pigeons live on every continent except Antarctica. They are not a native wildlife species and not protected in Montana.
Pigeons can be taken by any means at any time, and their nests and eggs destroyed, according to the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks.
“BNSF is responsible for maintaining the right of way, and that includes wildlife removal,” Livingston City Manager Grant Gager said. “The city is aware BNSF is engaged in the removal of pigeons from the underpass. They have been for many years. We work with them to ensure all the carcasses are removed. I found out about the issue today, and already reached out to the railroad, reminding them of their responsibility to remove the carcasses.
“Two years ago, the police chief encountered the USDA official while they were doing their work, and had the discussion about the (potential liability of using the pellet gun)with them. It is our understanding this happens when pedestrians are not around. This is a USDA wildlife specialist, not just some random person picking off birds.”
BNSF did not respond to a request for comment and an explanation for why the railroad shoots the pigeons.
“To be clear the city is not pleased this is the method BNSF uses within city limits, nor is it pleased they periodically forget to remove the carcasses,” Gager added. “I have expressed that displeasure. The underpass is BNSF property and they can manage it as they see fit. In the past I have introduced (BNSF) to Stafford Animal Shelter. Stafford offered to find more humane ways of dealing with the pigeons.”
Gager said the city as open to exploring policy as a means of stopping the incidents if they are not handled better.
“Railroad property owners enjoy privileges regular property owners do not, like exemptions from the Environmental Protection Act, noise ordinances, local and federal laws,” he said. “In the immediate term we will try to work with the railroad to remind them to be good neighbors.”