Chicagoist: Goodbye, Pigeon Man

jamin

Sun, 23 Dec 2007 12:16:54 -0600

Just a simple health reminder: nothing carries and spreads disease like *humans*. Many still don't like pigeons, though. They are an invasive species, not native to the area, and with few predators to keep their population in check. I could really do without people feeding pigeons, since it causes so much trouble for others nearby. Many would be inclined to cut this fellow some slack but it could be argued that he was sticking it to others, in a passive aggressive way, assuming that he was feeding them. Just the same, it sounds like the neighbourhood has lost something here. Hopefully he will find more peace now.

artdude75

Fri, 21 Dec 2007 13:19:19 -0600

crookcounty, technically you are incorrect when you state that Pigeons carry disease. The pigeon itself has been proven to carry no diseases. It's just that the pigeon poop is so full of nitrogen, that bacteria will grow very fast once the poop sits around for a while. Pigeon poop = bad. Pigeons themselves = technically, not bad.

crookcounty

Thu, 20 Dec 2007 16:17:43 -0600

well he died like a pigeon they often get struck by cars to Pigeons are disgusting and not smart enough to south in the winter because stupid humans feed them.

leah

Thu, 20 Dec 2007 14:28:28 -0600

He was a kind, gentle human. I get teary just reading about him. And all these meanies talking about about how diseased piegons are--I bet pigeons never wiped out, oh, say, nearly all of a country's native population, huh? Please. The way you say it you sound like he deserved what he got, just for caring for something most people find repulsive. We should all spend more time being kind & less judgemental. We should all try to be a little more like Mr. Zeman.

Tower18

Thu, 20 Dec 2007 14:04:38 -0600

Strange, I live right down the street in Lincoln Square and I have never once seen this guy.

Bill V

Thu, 20 Dec 2007 13:50:43 -0600

I take Western almost everyday and have seen that guy countless times. As weird as he was I think I'll miss seeing him and his birds.

spookhatespuppies

Thu, 20 Dec 2007 13:39:46 -0600

@Spook: Wouldn't a more fitting tribute be birdseed?

Spook

Thu, 20 Dec 2007 12:23:18 -0600

I hope they leave candles and such at not only the spot of his demise, but also at the fire hydrant!

Snarla

Thu, 20 Dec 2007 12:00:58 -0600

The 100+ comments over at the Trib site about him are pretty touching to read. He was probably about the most well-loved man in Chicago.

Bill V

Thu, 20 Dec 2007 11:36:24 -0600

I take Western almost everyday and have seen that guy countless times. As weird as he was I think I'll miss seeing him and his birds.

smussy

Thu, 20 Dec 2007 11:32:55 -0600

crookcounty: some of that stuff also comes from handling cat shit, which is why pregnant women are often advised to leave the kitty litter duty to their sig others when carrying the baby. for me, i just can't get that worked up about getting some disease from pigeons. i'm not rolling around in pigeon crap or dead pigeons, so there are bigger issues that i think the city should tackle.

crookcounty

Thu, 20 Dec 2007 11:06:12 -0600

They are nasty dirty creatures: Q-5. DO PIGEONS CARRY DISEASES? A. Pigeons do carry diseases, which is probably why they have been referred to as flying Pigeons. Ornithosis, encephalitis, Newcastle disease, cryptococcosis, histoplasmosis, toxoplasmosis and salmonella are just a few of the illnesses spread by contact with pigeon poop and dead pigeons. Cryptococcosis, one of the commonly carried pigeon diseases, infects the lungs of humans. It is transmitted by inhaling the yeast-like cells of the organism. Cryptococcosis can also cause acne-like ulcers on the skin. Histoplasmosis is a fungus disease contracted through airborne spores in pigeon droppings. If pigeons have been on your roof for a while, these spores can even infect the soil you garden in down below. Its symptoms may be anything from a mild influenza to blood abnormalities and fever, or even death. An eye condition has been linked to the bird disease histoplasmosis and can lead to blindness in those who contract it. Toxoplasmosis is an infection that invades human tissue and can severely damage the central nervous system, especially in babies. Pregnant women are in extreme danger if infected with toxoplasmosis. Ornithosis causes fever, chills, fatigue, a rash and lung problems such as shortness of breath and a cough. It can also lead to rales, which are small clicking, bubbling or Pigeontling sounds coming from a portion of the lung.

spookhatespuppies

Thu, 20 Dec 2007 10:40:00 -0600

But pigeons (specifically their poop) DO contribute to corrosion of metal where they roost (i.e.- El train support beams, highway underpasses). That's why you hear all those crazy piped in hawk noises at the Howard red line stop and every outdoor El station has those clear plastic "tree branch" looking things on a bunch of flat surfaces.

Spook

Thu, 20 Dec 2007 10:31:57 -0600

Touché J-Gebo! Touché!

Jocelyn Geboy

Thu, 20 Dec 2007 10:08:54 -0600

crookcounty: the original trib bio of zeman had a quote from a public health guy saying "nobody in public health is losing sleep over pigeons." they have the potential to be disease carriers, but it's really not an issue for concern. obviously, since zeman was killed by car, and not a pigeon disease. :/

Spook

Thu, 20 Dec 2007 10:02:40 -0600

gross, but hey pigeons have their own charm in the bigger pic,and clearly this "Pops" was one of the few remaining "Chicago characters" Freaking cars, we need less of em, much less Tomorrow I will drink to him riding to heaven on the wings of a billion homeing pegions

crookcounty

Thu, 20 Dec 2007 09:38:32 -0600

Don't pigeons carry disease and parasites?

vit

Thu, 20 Dec 2007 09:19:20 -0600

I've never been a fan of pigeons, however I find this whole story incredibly sad ... and as Matty said the thought of ones life being reduced to taking solace in pigeons is enough to get me weepy in itself.

elisabeth

Wed, 19 Dec 2007 23:13:18 -0600

such sad news. joe was a sweet man, kind to everyone he encountered; whenever i walked my dog past his hydrant, she would drag me over and lean against his legs for pets. he was an eccentric, to be sure, but a kind soul, and he lived in accordance with his beliefs ("how easy it is to be good"), which is more than can be said for a lot of people. i'll miss seeing him in lincoln square.

Joel

Wed, 19 Dec 2007 17:53:50 -0600

I always found the whole thing repulsive but his death is sad all the same.

Thunderbelly

Wed, 19 Dec 2007 17:53:32 -0600

Oh! Whoops, thats what I get for skimming! My fault!

smussy

Wed, 19 Dec 2007 17:22:47 -0600

he was killed up on the far north side ... devon ave and mccormick rd; not in lincoln square. it's really sad.

Thunderbelly

Wed, 19 Dec 2007 16:45:28 -0600

Wow, St. Francis? I dont know the locations of all our trauma centers, but that seems a bit far to go from Lincoln Square. Very sad. R.I.P.

matty

Wed, 19 Dec 2007 16:21:58 -0600

This is incredibly sad. I suppose at some point you have to think that life is so bad that you say to yourself "well, at least i have the pidgeons, they like me" very very sad story. truly a chicago original.

pandasnack

Wed, 19 Dec 2007 16:18:08 -0600

matilda

Wed, 19 Dec 2007 15:51:18 -0600

I will miss him, too.

sparky

Wed, 19 Dec 2007 15:48:36 -0600

Some may think of him as a nuiscance, but I will miss his presecene in my neighborhood.