Half Moon Bay aiming to halt raven, crow feeding

The ordinance targets crows and ravens because of public health concerns. Feeding can increase aggressive behaviors toward humans and other animals. The increased population of crows and ravens also leads to greater competition for other native birds like raptors and could result in loss of prey area along the coastal bluff.

“It’s changing our natural environment and ecology, and I want to see the hawks and the kites and kestrels all come back,” Half Moon Bay Mayor Deborah Penrose said.

Several residents spoke about how bird feeding harms other wildlife and changes the area’s ecology. One person said the ravens have taken over the bluff top between Kelly Avenue and Potter Street, and they had to spend $10,000 to remove pigeon nests from under their solar panels. Margaret Gossett, a Half Moon Bay resident and planning commissioner speaking on her own behalf, said there is one person who declines to stop feeding birds and causes wildlife issues on public land.

“The unusually high number of birds harass other birds, and they also eat the eggs of snowy plovers, which I know in Half Moon Bay there is a great effort to protect the nests of snowy plovers on our beach,” Gossett said.

Other public speakers argued there are already littering ordinances in city code to prevent these issues and questioned why the ordinance appeared to target one person. Councilmember Harvey Rarback said he understood some of the issues brought up but thought it was wrong given the potential problems with enforcement it could create, citing a potential child wanting to feed the birds.

“My feeling is this ordinance is overreach beyond belief,” Rarback said.

Councilmember Debbie Ruddock said the issue involved not just one person and that the city had received complaints from several different neighborhoods.

The ordinance will not include feral cats. Violations would be an infraction subject to enforcement, penalties, civil fines and other remedies. Since city staff has limited enforcement capacity, the city has said enforcement will be based on formal complaints.

The Half Moon Bay City Council first directed staff to draft the ordinance at its March 7 meeting. The council voted 4-1 to introduce the ordinance at its May 2 meeting, with Rarback voting against it.