Three Hawks called Dracula, Morgan and Drusilla are being deployed to the skies of Croydon to help deal with what the councils calling “nuisance pigeons.”

The council says the 12-month pilot involving trained handlers will initially involve regular visits to Longheath Gardens estate.

It’s hoped that as the pigeons begin to move away, visits will become less frequent.

Pigeon droppings, called guano, is known to pose health, structural, and safety risks when it accumulates.

Bird control programmes sometimes use trained hawks to scare pigeons away from buildings, though trained hawks typically aim to induce fear and displace flocks rather than kill the birds.

Executive Mayor of Croydon, Jason Perry, said: “We’re determined to make Croydon’s estates better places to live, and sometimes that means thinking a little outside the box – or in this case, outside the nest!

“Dracula and his friends are very welcome additions to our team. We’re hoping they’ll give nuisance pigeons a real fright and help residents enjoy cleaner balconies, walkways and communal spaces.

“There’s nothing spooky about wanting a clean, pleasant place to call home. We’re listening to residents and trying new approaches to tackle the everyday problems that affect their quality of life. Hopefully, Dracula, Morgan and Drusilla will prove just the trick!”