The Terrace restaurant, Tanglin Club, Singapore
I have mixed feelings about birds in restaurants. Are they an annoyance? They are a distraction from conversation.
A black pigeon was having a walkabout, looking for crumbs under tables. Does it have any advantages? You might argue that it saves effort sweeping up and keeps the place tidy and insect free.
Catch
Could you catch and despatch? A large creature like a monkey would be caught by specialists. Monkeys cause dreadful destruction in homes, to curtains and upholstered furniture.
Do Not Feed
You are asked not to feed monkeys and pigeons because that attracts them.
Human Woodland Burials
Some people prefer to harmonize with nature. They opt for woodland burials.
Parsees' Towers Of Silence
The Indian Parsees (the word means from Persia) in Bombay hang their dead from trees to feed the birds. Guides take you to pass the gate at street level, then view the tree tops from afar. A skyscraper built in Bombay overlooked the Towers Of Silence.
Sun Dried
I always imagined that dead bodies would be just hung up, like ghosts. No. The dead bodies are first dried by the sun. So the birds are eating crisps, rather than most meat. If there is not enough sunshine, the bodies are dried mechanically.
Vultures Versus Crows
According to a newspaper report which I read, the vultures in Bombay vanished, killed off by eating carcases of cows which had died from drugs. Crows (and kites) are also carrion eaters, but what the vultures accomplished in days was taking weeks for the crows.
Pigeon Prevention
How about, better still, prevent pigeons from flying in?
Some Hindus opt to be vegetarian on feast days, in honour of particular Gods, sometimes as often as once a week, like Catholics used to abstain from meat on Fridays. I recall having fish or quiche (a savoury egg tart of flan made with eggs and milk but no bacon) for lunch at a Girl's Grammar school in London, on Fridays, in the early (Nineteen) Sixties, It was a council-run Church of England (C of E) state school, but accommodated Catholic customs.
Pigeon Pie
What about Pigeon Pie? It is the national dish of Morocco. I discovered that on honeymoon in Morocco. Pigeon mixed with scrambled egg in a flaky pastry pie. Delicious.
Nowadays, we have an increasing number of vegans and vegetarians worldwide. What about pigeons? Should they be left alone, to thrive?
UK Pigeons
In the UK, especially London, there is a constant battle by the local authorities against pigeons. And again people attracting or defending them. Under bridges the ground is covered with unsightly and slippery gunge. buildings are festooned with horizontal draped netting and spikes.
You could argue that the birds were here first. Does that apply to inside buildings?
I reckoned I was first in my new kitchen. Cockroaches from adjacent flats or pipework invaded later. I love to hear birds singing on the balcony. When they fly around the room, they are not so much fun. Droppings everywhere because you have scared them. Knocking over crockery and vases. Dirty little feet. Claws on curtains too high to reach, too expensive to keep cleaning.
Netting
In the Tanglin Club's Terrace restaurant, we discussed the possibility of vertical netting. But that would spoil the view.
Glass? If the glass was tinted, that would further obstruct the view. If untinted, the birds would fly into it and be injured or killed. Not fair on the birds or the cleaners. Net curtains? They are fashionable in the UK, but not in Asia. Net curtains would capture insects? Just a minute. I have a net curtain on a small window in Singapore. It does not capture anything except dust. So it needs washing. What about metal lattice arches and drapes?
On balance, we decided that we liked the Terrace the way it was, open to view the scenery. A roof to protect against the sun, with electric fans providing some cooling.
Verdict - Against
On holiday I usually object to birds. Especially if they want to land on the table, walk around abandoned plates, threaten to peck your food, grab your cap, or leave unsightly pigeon droppings on the ground. I remember being annoyed by birds when I was on summer holiday in June 2022 at a coffee shop in Cyprus.
Verdict - For
However, apart from a few crumbs and birds, the Terrace was spotless. The black birds were an entertainment.
Useful Websites
https://www.nparks.gov.sg/nparksbuzz/issue-45-vol-2-2020/lifestyle/recreation-and-activities/what's-that-black-bird
https://www.npr.org/2012/09/05/160401322/vanishing-vultures-a-grave-matter-for-indias-parsis
https://www.tanglinclub.org.sg/dining/terrace-bistro-bar.html
See my other posts on the Tanglin Club tea lounge.
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