Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority are now considering setting trained falcons on the urban birds

The mass transit authorities in the greater Boston region are clawing around for ways to mitigate the excessive local pigeon population – or more graphically, pigeon poo all over stations – and have swooped on the possibility of setting trained falcons on them.

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), the public system commonly known as “the T”, issued a “request for information” (RFI) last month from falconry experts on the potential use of birds of prey, such as falcons, to control the crowds of urban birds widely considered a public nuisance.

A marvel of engineering and a model of sustainability, Bart has been financially distressed since the Covid pandemic

A marvel of engineering and a model of sustainable public transportation, the San Francisco Bay Area’s transit system, financially distressed after years of declined ridership, is now staring down a fiscal cliff – and a potential death spiral that would have massive repercussions for everyone in the globally influential metropolis.

As soon as early 2027, Bay Area Rapid Transit could be forced to close as many as 15 stations, reduce frequency of service by 63%, increase the cost of rides and parking fees by 30% and end all service at 9pm. If service becomes less frequent and more expensive, there will be fewer commuters, less fare revenue and a downward cascade of financial austerity with ripple effects for all Bay Area residents, not just those who use public transit regularly.