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Mobile phone mast blamed for vanishing pigeons

Graeme Wearden ZDNet.co.uk

Published: 03 Sep 2001 15:48 BST

A mobile phone mast is being blamed for the disappearance of over 50 racing pigeons.

Monday's edition of The Times reports that pigeon fancier David Blain has lost two-thirds of his birds since the mast was build next to his farm. He believes that emissions from the mast are responsible for damaging the birds' homing instincts.

Pigeons have been kept at the family farm for over 40 years, and Blain insists this is the first time so many birds have been lost. He, along with hundreds of fellow breeders, is reported to be close to taking legal action again the mobile phone companies -- who consistently deny that emissions from their equipment are harmful.

A representative of the Mobile and Telecoms Advisory Group told The Times that there was no evidence that emissions from mobile phone masts could have a damaging effect on animals or birds, but added that more research might be done into the issue in the future.

This case isn't the first time that mobile phone masts have been accused of affecting birds. Recent research by the Swiss Bird Study Organisation found that racing pigeons got confused near mobile masts, and also flew much lower than normal.

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