Fells Point’s Pitango Bakery + Cafe looks to keep winged intruders at bay after temporary closure for ‘bird infestation’

A Fells Point cafe is hoping to reopen soon after being shut down by Baltimore health officials for an unusual reason: a “bird infestation.”

A Fells Point cafe is hoping to reopen soon after being shut down by the Baltimore City Health Department for a rather unusual reason: a “bird infestation.”

A health department inspector temporarily closed Pitango Bakery + Cafe Wednesday after witnessing birds inside the store, according to a notice posted on the door and on the department’s website.

The business flew into trouble after three European starlings got into the cafe at 903 S. Ann St., Pitango CEO Dinah Bengur said. The winged intruders flew back out again within 45 minutes, but not before an eagle-eyed inspector saw them and shut Pitango down.

European starlings are among the most common songbirds, having reportedly been introduced to North America by Shakespeare lovers, according to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. The birds are often found in cities and can reach flying speeds of 48 mph.

Thursday, Bengur said the health department had returned for another inspection. She hoped to reopen the bakery on Friday morning.

A health department spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for more details.

Though restaurants are sometimes cited for rodent and insect infestations, birds are a less common pest. Bengur said customers frequently feed birds on Pitango’s outdoor patio, “so when the door opens, they try to fly into the bakery.”

She said Pitango, which also has a nearby gelato shop on South Broadway, is looking into a permanent way to keep birds away from their croissants and coffee. Bengur said it’s likely the cafe will build a vestibule at the door to keep the flight club at bay.