To help improve passenger experience at Chelmsford Station, Greater Anglia has released birds of prey to deter pigeons.

A Harris Hawk and a Gyrfalcon have been patrolling the station with a handler from NBC Environment.

This builds on their efforts last year, which saw birds of prey used at three stations.

The presence of these birds serves as a natural deterrent, prompting pigeons to relocate and reducing fouling at the station.

This, in turn, means less damage is being caused to infrastructure due to the corrosive nature of droppings.

“The use of Hawks is a brilliant, non-harmful way to naturally deter pigeons and create a better environment for our passengers.

We are always looking for ways to improve station cleanliness and enhance the customer experience, and we hope that this initiative contributes to that.”

Krzysztof Drozd, Facilities Contracts Manager at Greater Anglia