Don’t feed the birds

The police department is asking citizens to refrain from placing large bags of bird feed on the sidewalk near the Bridge of Lions as it is causing an unintended health problem for residents and visitors in the area.

St Augustine Police Department public information officer Mark Samson told Historic City News that mixing the wet seed with the normal diet of a pigeon or seagull, results in a foul-smelling excrement that attracts rodents.

“City employees have to go down to the bayfront and clean the area weekly,” Samson told Historic City News. “Any consideration in stopping this activity would go a long way.”

According to Samson, rats are coming from the sea wall to eat the seed, adding to the health and safety nuisance.