Washington County officials brainstorming ways to fix courthouse's pesky pigeon problem

Washington County officials brainstorming ways to fix... (Added: November 18, 2011)

If you have to visit the old Washington County Tennessee courthouse in Jonesborough any time soon whatever you do, do not look up. (more)

0 Ratings | 13 Video Views

Post a Comment or Rate this Video

» View More Videos

By: Nate Morabito | 11CONNECTS
Published: November 18, 2011

JONESBOROUGH, Tenn. --

If you have to visit the old Washington County Tennessee courthouse in Jonesborough any time soon whatever you do, do not look up.

A growing group of pigeons have taken over the outside of the courthouse...and when they temporarily fly away from their perch, they leave behind a mess.

The problem is now so bad that the county is taking steps to get rid of the birds before someone gets sick.

"I’d say there's 150, 200 pigeons up there, it gets more every day,” said Jake Hensley.

Hensley's spent the last two decades fighting a losing battle.

"They've been a problem for years, but it's worse this year than it's ever been,” said Hensley.

The Washington County courthouse maintenance director cleans bird droppings every morning.

"We have to keep the porches and ramps washed off so people don't have to walk through,” said Hensley. "They need to get rid of them.”

The county is coming up with a plan to eliminate the problem. Some will likely be trapped and killed. The county will also remove the windows so the birds can't roost there. But first, leaders will install sharp bird control strips on all flat surfaces.

"The manure's really in there,” said Hensely. “I mean really in there."

They know they won't be able to get rid of all of the animals, but they say it's time to do something.

"If this keeps on, somebody's going to get sick,” said Hensley.

The county has not yet come up with a cost estimate for the entire project. Leaders should know in the next couple of weeks exactly how much those bird controls strips will cost taxpayers. They will then move forward with trying to figure out the best way to exterminate the pigeons.

According to the county mayor and the U.S. Department of Agriculture it is illegal to kill the birds. A spokesperson told me pigeons are not protected under the federal migratory bird treaty act. The town of Jonesborough however does not allow birds to be shot within town limits, which means the county is going to have to find some other way to get rid of them.