Train operator Northern is trialling the use of hawks to scare away pigeons that have been causing problems to customers at three of its stations.

Two Harris Hawks, named Maverick and Zulu, have been supplied to Northern by the pest control company Rentokil.

Last month, they started a 12-week trial at Filey, Beverley, and Driffield railway stations in East Yorkshire.

The Harris Hawks are not used to hunt pigeons, but their presence is designed to deter the pigeons and prevent them from nesting.

If the trial of using hawks as a deterrent has proved to have been effective, Northern will consider using them at other stations that have been plagued by pigeons in recent years.

Like other train operators, Northern has been fighting a long-running battle with pigeons. They damage station roofs and cause problems with their hazardous and corrosive droppings.

Northern has tried various deterrent measures, having installed plastic owls at Morpeth station in Northumberland, and playing recorded hawk noises from speakers at Driffield station.

It has also tried smearing the station roof with ‘fire gel’, which pigeons think is ultraviolet light and tricks them into thinking the surface is too hot to land on.

However, pigeons continued to flock to and nest at Morpeth and Driffield, and Northern was forced to find another way to deter them.

Spikes and netting, which prevent the birds from perching and nesting in certain areas without harming them, proved far more effective but did not solve the problem, because the pigeons simply moved to other parts of the stations.

Northern has also issued appeals to customers to stop leaving food lying around and feeding the birds, as waste food attracts more birds to the stations.

“We have tried plastic owls and recorded hawk noises but they weren’t an effective deterrent, so now we’ve brought in real birds of prey to help us with our pigeon problem. The pigeons are a real nuisance for our customers and cause headaches for the station staff who have to clear up after them. That’s why we’re determined to find humane ways of keeping them away.”

Alex Hornby, Northern’s commercial and customer director