Conn. commuters battle pigeons at station

STAMFORD, Conn. (AP) -- Commuters passing through the state's busiest train station are fighting a losing battle against the pigeons that call the station home.
With its tall pillars and welcoming rafters, the Stamford station reminds pigeons of their natural habitat and the birds have resisted several efforts to keep them away.
"Why can't we outsmart a pigeon?" said Joseph McGee, a vice president at the Business Council of Fairfield County who uses the station daily. "Man has got to do better."
Pigeon droppings have stained some of the walls, prompting concerns about health hazards. Others fear the dangers of large crowds jostling to avoid falling feces.
"Somebody could get pushed off the platform," said Connecticut Commuter Rail Council member Jeffrey Maron.
Two years ago, the state installed spikes on some of the rafters, making them less desirable for roosting. It worked, for a time.
"They improvise," said Kevin Nursick, a state Department of Transportation spokesman. "They've learned how to continue to roost."
The state hired a consultant this month to trap and remove the pigeons one at a time. Female pigeons are baited into traps, then males are caught when they arrive looking for the females. The operation has cost the state $5,000.