Wimbledon is hawk's pigeon-scaring playground

A bird of prey which stops pigeons from interrupting play at Wimbledon treats the All England Club as "his playground", according to his handler.

Rufus, a Harris's hawk raised in Brigstock, Northamptonshire, has been responsible for keeping the courts pest-free for 18 years.

His handler Donna Davis said he is often recognised by tennis fans during the Championships, adding: "Everybody wants to stop and see Rufus, and it's so lovely.

"I feel very privileged to be here and fly my beautiful bird, and he comes back."

The unusual job came about after Davis spotted pigeons interrupting play during the 1999 Wimbledon final between Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi.

She contacted Wimbledon, in south-west London, and was invited to bring her previous hawk Hamish to the courts to show his skills.

Rufus has long-since taken over the pigeon-scaring duties and a typical day at the tournament for him starts at about 04:00 BST.

"Generally, we start off in court number one to make sure that any pigeons that may have gone under the roof and in any little nooks and crannies, he goes and flies up there to make sure nothing's about," she said.

"Occasionally there is one, and there'll be a little chase and the pigeon's out."

If there has been rain the night before, the hawk will take a bath in a puddle on the court's roof.

Rufus also scares pigeons away from Westminster Abbey and Lord's Cricket Ground, among other sites.

The longest he disappears for at the championships is 12 hours, said Davis, adding: "It is his playground, I mean, he pretty much fledged here at 18 weeks old."

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