Hawks create 'no-fly zone' for pigeons at BBC's £1bn HQ

The BBC is using a flock of hawks to attack pigeons which descend on its new central London headquarters.

The corporation is hiring several Harrier hawks, which have been trained to ward off the "flying rodents" which soil buildings across the capital.

The birds of prey will defend Broadcasting House in Portland Place, which has been redeveloped at a cost of £1billion - a scheme which was criticised as a waste of money by the National Audit Office.

One dark-brown Harrier hawk is released three times a week early in the morning to deter the pigeons from perching or nesting on the building.

A BBC source said: "We feed the hawks before sending them out so they don't actually eat the pigeons. Their presence creates a 'no-fly zone' around Broadcasting House as pigeons are extremely scared of birds of prey.

"It is an environmentally-friendly, chemical-free way of keeping the BBC clean."

Harrier hawks, which are bred for falconry and hunt in packs, are also used to defend many of the skyscrapers in Arab cities such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

The BBC struck the deal in March with Ecolab Pest Elimination which is based in Sutton.

A spokesman for the BBC said: "The cost of the hawking programme is chicken feed compared with the costs of clearing up pigeon waste, which is a hazardous substance and poses a health and safety risk."