Merchants say pigeons knocking out power - FOX 35 News Orlando

Buckhead business owners say they're losing thousands of dollars after being hit with multiple power outages they say were caused by pigeons.

Businesses along Roswell say the hungry birds are camping out on Georgia Power lines, awaiting food. Merchants say that sometimes, so many birds congregate on the lines that they blow transformers.

Emma Head of the Pie Shop said that one of the power outages occurred on Saturday – the store's busiest day.

Owners say that the pigeons are being fed by Don Lewis, who is known as "Birdman."

City investigators confronted Lewis this week. He said that they told him he could not feed the birds.

"The city health department said I could not feed the birds. But…there is no city of Atlanta health department. The Fulton County Health Department handles everything from Johns Creek to the south side," said Lewis.

Lewis said that he doesn't believe he is causing the problem.

"Birds have been around the city for years and years," said Lewis.

Lewis said he has a lawyer and has the right to feed the birds on his property.

Georgia Power has put covers on the power lines in hopes of solving the problem.