DOWNTOWN — Kenzie Bryant came to Chicago to see some of the city's most famous sites, like the Art Institute — but also to feed our pigeons.
Really.
The 23-year-old's college graduation present from her grandmother, Judy Athey, was a trip to Chicago this week.
Bryant is from Cincinnati, which is home to Skyline Chili and Graeter's Ice Cream but apparently not too many pigeons. Bryant, a graphic design major at the commuter campus of Miami (Ohio), has been fascinated with the birds since watching Bert's pigeon dance on Sesame Street as a child. Her Twitter handle is even "Spookypigeons."
"As soon as I saw the pigeons here, I knew I had to feed one of the flocks in Chicago," Bryant said. "Pigeons are kind of like the underdog of birds. They're treated like crap, but they're really cool birds. I'm practically obsessed with them, but I never get to see them where I live."
After Athey told Bryant of her intent to take her to Chicago, Bryant Googled whether it was illegal to feed what many call "flying rats" in the city.
It is.
Feeding pigeons is considered creating a nuisance, and violators can be fined up to $500 for each offense. Although fines are rare, Uptown's notorious "Pigeon Lady," Young Kang, in December was docked $3,000 in fines for feeding pigeons and littering in the public way, attracting rats and raccoons along the way.
Nevertheless, while at Navy Pier, she crumbled some crackers and fed the birds. She said she wasn't worried about getting caught.
In addition to feeding the birds, Bryant and Athey checked out the Monets, Rembrandts and other works Downtown at the Art Institute.
Bryant said she can see herself moving to Chicago, where she thinks she'd become a "pigeon lady."
"I'd probably be at the park every day feeding them," Bryant said.
