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Birdman Bears Manhattan Heat in Washington Square Park

By Meredith Hoffman | July 13, 2011 7:26am | Updated on July 13, 2011 10:04am

GREENWICH VILLAGE — It takes more than soaring temperatures to keep the Birdman of Washington Square Park from feeding his pigeons.

Paul Zig, 50, who's fed the birds for the past nine years, was covered by a flock of his winged friends Tuesday as he doled out birdseed and nuts.

Violet the hawk came over here last week," he said of the famous NYU hawk who has kept her nest in the park.

"But I didn't have anything to feed her. I thought of going to get her food at the hotdog stand—she doesn't like birdseed."

Two teenage boys watching Zig squealed as a few pigeons flapped their wings.

"I come here in two feet of snow, I'm the only one here," Zig said.

"I know the flock's parents, that's why they feel comfortable with me."