Sally the hawk keeps Paddington pigeons at bay

Falconer Nina Kimber with Sally the Harris Hawk who patrols Paddington Station to deter the pigeons. Archant

The latest member of staff at Paddington railway station has a knack for keeping an eagle eye on goings on.

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The latest member of staff at Paddington railway station has a knack for keeping an eagle eye on goings on.

Harris hawk Sally has been visiting the station three times a week since April to help Network Rail keep it clear of pigeons.

Luckily for them, she remains tethered to her handler at all times and never attacks other birds. But the sight of Sally’s ferocious talons is still quite enough to scare them off.

A Network Rail spokesman said: “Sally has been successful in reducing the numbers of pigeons in the station and has proved popular with passengers who are interested in seeing such an unusual bird as they get on or off their trains.

“Pigeons can be a nuisance and Sally is a humane way of helping us keep them away from the station as much as possible.”