BART hires Pac-Man the hawk for pigeon patrol duty at East Bay station

EL CERRITO, Calif. (KGO) -- It appears BART has solved its pigeon problem at the El Cerrito del Norte station.

A hawk named "Pac-Man" is now scaring them off.

The transit agency hired Southern California-based Falcon Force after trying to solve the problem in numerous ways over the years.

Handler Ricky Ortiz says when he and Pac-Man first came in late May, there were pigeons everywhere. Now, just their presence is effective.

"Usually when the birds see me walking they already know, so they usually start to take off if there are any. And if not then I just let him go and he usually just flies from perch to perch, and I call him back, and that's enough to get 'em out of here," Ortiz said.

Ricky and Pac-Man come to the station three times a week, for eight hours a day.

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