They bathe in the pools of water that form in the bottom of the veggie cooler.

What kind of bird are those anyhow, budgies?

They look to me like goldfinches. I'm used to seeing birds in the big box home improvement stores; they fly in through the receiving doors and they're almost impossible to get out. But in a grocery store, they'd almost certainly be a health hazard. Hope they can remove them without hurting them, though.

Contact your local health department. I'm sure there has to be some law they're violating.

Aww I think they're cute.

dude, birds live in like every big grocery store ive ever been in. next time i see one, ill make sure to grab a pic on my cell phone.

When Hitchcock goes shopping...

i used to see birds in Wegmans all the time. they were always so high up in the rafters, i dont think the management could do anything about them. i think id rather have a wild bird or two flying around the store than whatever pest control method or poison the store could put out to get rid of them.

birds are very common in supermarkets and warehouses. Anywhere there's something to attract them, and a chance for them to get in, they'll be there. All it takes is a poorly insulated vent or pipe, or for someone to leave the back door open too long.

a: this is why you wash your produce before you eat it. There is probably way worse than bird detritus already in the food before they get to it.

b: most other food comes pre-sealed. If your rice-a-roni looks like a bird ate it, don't buy it.

They should just let a few stray cats in at night :D

@ROADKILL, Ditto! Aww!

I saw on TV that the birds have figured out how to activate the motion sensors on the doors. They showed footage of birds that live at Home Depot...they always come home by closing time so they can get in and out. Opening time, they're out the door.

It's kind of freaky, I wish I could remember what show it was.

@some_stupid_nut: Yea, nothing cuter than bird poop on vegetables.

If you don't like the birds, you're really not going to like the roaches.

Seriously, grocery stores have no shortage of those things.

That lacks so much hygiene and yet that is SO cute!

It reminds me of the mall around here... They have birds in the restaurant area... which is gigantic mind you. They have that arched ceiling, about 20 feet high. The little fellahs made their nest above a restaurant top, hidden away from sight. I was wondering why I was hearing chirping while I was feeding and when I looked up, here it was, flying across the mall...

Reminds me of the mall when I was in high school. There were always birds zipping around there.

Not that unusual. Just a few weeks ago I got buzzed while eating lunch in the Thompson Center, the big state building in Chicago's Loop. Scared the hell out of me.

The HEB locally had that issue until they installed ultrasonic "shoo-aways". The emit sounds that are uncomfortable to the birds, keeping them away.

"My question is, if there's no birdbath inside Safeway, then where do the birds bathe?"

Yeah, my question is... "Where do they poop?"

There are no bird baths, just bird showers from the veggie misters. In the hustle bustle modern day world of birds who has time for a bath?

Once in a while a bird would get into the cafeteria when I was in elementary school, and we would all go completely apeshit over it. The poor thing was probably scared out of its wits, but we thought it was the funniest thing to ever happen.

Heh, you see the birds, you don't see the mice. Trust me, grocery stores, even the high-end ones, are full of mice.

I for one welcome our new avian overlords.

Birds love the Redbull and Pom. I wish I lived in a grocery store, those birds got it made.

Doesn't all the produce grow OUTSIDE? Last time I checked, OUTSIDE is full of all kinds of animals. And Bugs. And pollution.

That salad you're eating? I bet something peed on it at some point.

They're changing the name of the store to UnSafeway.

@BugMeNot2: Not here they aren't, heh. I worked in produce receiving for a few years at the supermarket in my town and we never had a problem with rodents

Well, besides the old people anyway

(hurr hurr)

@axiomatic: "Where do they poop?"

Hey... THAT'S NOT A MERINGUE!

Ha! I've shopped at that store and seen the birds. Sadly, it's one of the better grocery stores in that part of Fairfax. But ya know, the birds don't bother me. I think they're cute and I wash my produce anyway. For those times I don't, I'm sure it's just helping my immune system... at least that's what I tell myself.

There is a sparrow living in my office building. The area is lives in is quite nice. Its got a indoor botanical thing going with lots of big trees, a big fountain and glass roof/walls. Then, just beside the botanical place is a 'Sunterra Market'. It's open 'resturaunt' that has different lunch stations like salad bar, pasta place, hot entree place, sandwhich place... that also has glass walls and roof, filled with trees. I see the bird in there eating crumbs all the time. I actually told a security person I saw walking through once. he couldn't spot the sparrow and obviosuly thought I was crazy. Needless to say its still there. The only part that makes me sad is that it's all alone. No other little bird friends... and he/she has been in the building a long time. I would work harder to get it 'kicked out'... but its -30 here latley so I think I'll wait for spring before I liberate it to be with other bird friends.

@jenfraiz: Thats how I'd feel too!

@unklegwar: yea maybe even one of us...think about it.

@DeeJayQueue: Again, why use logic and common sense in your debate? Patently unfair I say.

I was grocery shopping the other day and birds were in the store. I thought they were very cute, and one even beat me down the juice aisle. As long as you wash your veggies, you should be fine. I'm using to seeing birds at the mall, so a grocery store doesn't seem to be weird to me. If you're afraid of germs, think of all those unwashed hands stacking your produce into attractive piles...

Birds live outside where the fruits and vegetables are grown, you know.

I've seen birds in many supermarkets, stations, malls, etc. It always makes me smile.

I guess it doesnt bother me in a grocery store setting because I am usually buying frozen food or wrapped food. Even if I bought produce, I wash it.

Call the Fairfax (City? County? depends on the specific location of the store) Health Department AND the VA Dept of Agriculture and Consumer Affairs.

I don't think I have ever seen a grocery store that did not have a bird problem. I used to by my groceries late at night. One time after midnight, I saw a Kmart employee with a pellet gun shooting the birds inside the store.

They probably get rid of the insects, so I'm ok with that.

@boones farmer:
"buzzed"
...by a bird?

@redhelix:

Maybe not in the produce section, you didn't notice them, but go to the bagged grains aisle or in the warehouse, and you'll find proof. Worked in several grocery stores over a 10 year period, and all of them had a rodent problem to some degree.

@melanie.dawn: Has anyone else ever been able to see the bird?

Just asking....

@skehl: OMG I want that job. Talk about hunting in the urban jungle.

Old lady: "Sir, can you tell me where the depends are?"

Salesperson with gun: "Aisle 4, but watch out. I bagged a couple goldfinches there yesterday."

What kind of a winer writes to headquarters to have something like this dealt with? Tell the local manager and if it isn't fixed quickly, shop elsewhere.

Maybe we can borrow some Consumerist kitties to help out at the store.

Bird crap ain't gonna hurt you. 'Sides, you just wash everything anyway.

Sheesh, when did we become so whipped and scared that we think our food has to be perfect. A peck of dirt, people, a peck of dirt.

In the book Black Hawk Down, the author mentions that one of the barracks had a bird problem(seagulls I think). After one of the birds crapped on a member of Delta Squad, they ordered a bunch of BB guns, and set up overlapping fields of fire to get rid of them.

@snazz: Really? I've never seen any birds in any of the Wegmans I've been in. Does yours not have a breeze-way?

@Whitey Fisk:

Funny you suggest that. In Washington, DC, many the Safeways have nicknames:

Georgetown (embassy people and students) - Social Safeway
Adams-Morgan (large salvadoran community) - Spanish Safeway
Dupont Circle - Soviet Safeway (empty shelves and long lines)
19th and T - Secret Safeway (no one ever finds it)
Watergate - Senior Safeway (all old people)
Eastern Cap Hill - Unsafeway

I have no problem with the birdies- I see them all the time at the grocery store, Wal Mart, etc. Wash your veggies and enjoy the taste of nature in Safeway- treat it like a hike where you buy overpriced food along the way.

How CUTE!!!!!!

Next time one of you guys are at the Delta terminal at JFK, check out the birds there... They have been living inside Terminal 3 for years and are some of the fattest birds you'll see! They hang out by Starbucks and eat crumbs all day long... Sweet life :-)

I live very close to this Safeway. The birds are the least of their problems. You probably noticed them after waiting in line for 30 minutes every time you go there, regardless of the time or how many items you have.