Claims extracted
22
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
9%
2 of 22 hedged
("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
not political
takes no side on a contested political question
Publisher signals
66/100
The Guardian's corrections and
hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
1
Environment
Same framing elsewhere
1
articles that frame the event the way this one does
The mass transit authorities in the greater Boston region are clawing around for ways to mitigate the excessive local pigeon population – or more graphically, pigeon poo all over stations – and have swooped on the possibility of setting trained falcons on them.
asserted
pigeon → claw → them
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), the public system commonly known as ‘the T’, issued a “request for information” (RFI) last month from falconry experts on the potential use of birds of prey, such as falcons, to control the crowds of urban birds widely considered a public nuisance.
asserted
Authority → know → birds
“Bird droppings can carry diseases, corrode critical infrastructure, and create unsanitary conditions for the public and MBTA employees,” the authority said in the RFI.
asserted
authority → carry → RFI
The MBTA is best known for the subway train system serving the greater Boston and Cambridge metropolises, as well as commuter rail lines, buses and ferries.
asserted
MBTA → serve → metropolises
It went on: “The MBTA currently utilizes netting and spikes at stations and facilities, and is piloting pigeon trapping at maintenance facilities.
asserted
MBTA → go → facilities
A Birds of Prey Program (BOPP) will support and enhance ongoing invasive and nuisance bird deterrents and controls.”
asserted
Program → support → deterrents
Passengers complain about having to dodge – sometimes successfully, sometimes not – pigeon droppings from above while traveling and also sidestepping the plentiful messy blobs on floors.
asserted
Passengers → complain → floors
The RFI poses a number of questions that aim to “understand current capabilities and determine the merits of moving forward with a Request for Proposal (RFP) for a pilot program”: are there specific birds recommended for different facilities, types of work, invasive and nuisance birds, etc?
asserted
that → pose → work
How often should falconers/birds of prey visit?
asserted
birds → visit → prey
The deadline for responses from the RFI was 11 September and the outcome is awaited.
asserted
outcome → await → RFI
Commuters regularly complain to the authority about pigeon perils.
asserted
Commuters → complain → perils
“Bird droppings are are health hazard in North Station,” wrote one Boston 311 complainant in March.
asserted
complainant → write → March
“It has been getting worse.
asserted
It → get → ?
Pigeons are pooping all over the stairs and escalators.”
asserted
Pigeons → poope → stairs
“I have personally been struck by pigeon droppings while exiting the commuter rail,” wrote another T rider in a January 311 complaint.
asserted
rider → strike → complaint
“There is visible accumulation of droppings on the ground, particularly near Avalon and Kicco Italian Coffee,” they added.
asserted
they → be → Avalon
A T spokesperson told local online news outlet StreetsblogMASS that using trained birds of prey to scare away other birds is a common form of pigeon control.
asserted
using → tell → control
Northern California’s troubled Bay Area Rapid Transit (Bart) began using highly-trained hawks in May 2022 to combat its pigeon problem.
uncertain
Transit → begin → problem
According to a news alert released by Bart, its board of directors approved an expansion of the falconry-based nuisance bird control initiative in 2024.
uncertain
board → accord → 2024
Hawks and their skilled handlers work at 12 stations on a rotating basis.
asserted
Hawks → work → basis
Even though the deadline for responses to the RFI has passed and MBTA is still weighing up responses, the request specifies that: “No commitment to issue an RFP or pursue a pilot program is implied by the issuance of this RFI.”
asserted
commitment → pass → RFI
However, StreetsblogMass reported that a T spokesperson confirmed there has been interest, and based on the responses, the authority will next consider issuing a formal “request for proposals” for a pilot program.
asserted
authority → report → program
The Aporia
