Ohio councilman clips wings on bird feeder proposal

CUYAHOGA FALLS, Ohio (AP) — Bird lovers squawked, so an Ohio city councilman has dropped his plan to crack down on dirty bird feeders.

Cuyahoga Falls Councilman Jerry James says existing property maintenance laws make his proposed ordinance moot.

He wanted to expand a local law on the feeding of pigeons so residents in the northeast Ohio city would be required to keep it clean when feeding any birds. James had said rotting bird seed could make birds sick and attract rodents.

The Akron Beacon Journal reports his proposal drew criticism from as far as India. He tells the newspaper his name is “worldwide,” and not the way he wanted it to be.

James says he had asked for new rules after a constituent complained about a neighbor with 10 bird feeders.