Sign threatens five‑year jail term for feeding birds

A sign threatening residents with up to five years in jail if they are caught feeding birds has been put up in north-west London.

The notice, placed near the bridge by Kilburn Tube station, says the penalty for feeding the birds is either a prison sentence or an "unlimited" fine. The sign is translated into five South Asian languages and describes feeding the birds as a "crime against our streets".

A wildlife officer described it as "shockingly heavy handed and clearly illegal".

Brent Council apologised, but admitted the installation of the inaccurate sign, which is more than two years old, and said the wording did "not reflect how we would communicate with residents today".

A five-year prison sentence is typically handed down for violent offences such as causing grievous bodily harm (GBH), certain firearms offences and high-level drug supply.

Wildlife rescue volunteer Michael Britton, who works with groups including Pigeon Recovery and London Wildlife Protection, said the sign was "the most outrageous" he had ever seen, calling it "completely unacceptable and morally wrong".

He added: "I firmly believe that threatening five years in prison or an unlimited fine is both disgraceful, shockingly heavy handed and clearly illegal."

Britton said he thought the sign was "bullying, dictatorial, threatening and racist; targeting and scapegoating specific cultures for 'committing crimes against our streets'".

Brent Council has introduced a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) that bans the feeding of wild animals – including birds – in parks and open spaces in order to reduce antisocial behaviour and hygiene issues.

The council considers feeding pigeons in public spaces as littering, often resulting in fixed penalty notices (FPNs) ranging from £150 to a maximum of £500.

It adds that enforcement is only taken when the feeding is regarded as a nuisance and/or creates an environmental hazard.

Labour councillor Krupa Sheth, the council's cabinet member for public realm and enforcement, said: "We are sorry for any confusion caused by this old sign.

"While Brent takes a tough approach to environmental offences, the wording does not reflect how we would communicate with residents today.

"We will always be firm where behaviour harms our communities, but we also want our messaging to be clear, proportionate and fair."

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