Controlling Pigeon Populations: Pros and Cons

[~christina~]

Pigeons annoying or..

Hm...I've heard that they want to control the populations of these birds...

What do you think?

Reasons for control I've heard:

1. They create 20lbs of waste a year each

2. They ruin buildings with their waste which takes money to clean


They want people to stop feeding them or they would like to feed them birth control

opponents to this stated on news:

1. PETA => birth control would lower the population close to nil in a few years

2. It would be cruel to not feed them


I say that not feeding them wouldn't go and lower the population b/c they would still breed however at a slightly slower rate. The less food they can find would probably make them skinnier at the least.

I personally don't have a problem with them and frankly I have never observed people actually cleaning the waste of these birds off public buildings. This makes me think that people have a personal hate of birds.

I'm starting to think they'll want to hunt them next like they do bears when the population gets out of control. I definitely do not approve of that of course especially since they wait till the bears are hibernating to go and shoot them. (highly unfair to the bears)

 

[turbo]

They are flying rats. Like rats and other animals that provide functions that are underappreciated, like scavenging dead stuff, they have their own down-sides and diseases along with their up-sides. They have to to be evaluated in the context of their surroundings. If pigeons started hanging out around my house (out in the country) I would be scouring the woods looking for an unauthorized, illegal dump. In-town, I can tolerate them. They eat edible trash that idiots throw around, and they help keep the larger falcons and buteos fed.

 

[Siracuse]

Hm...I don't know in what country the OP lives in, but there are no real natural predator(s) of pigeons around Brazil. They are a real annoyance, and I see them pretty much as a plague: must be controlled. This isn't a very "hot" topic around here anyhow, so the solutions to control these birds come mostly from the citizens themselves (poison, nets/traps to protect roofs, destroy nests). You can guess it's illegal.

 

[~christina~]

Hm...I don't know in what country the OP lives in, but there are no real natural predator(s) of pigeons around Brazil. They are a real annoyance, and I see them pretty much as a plague: must be controlled. This isn't a very "hot" topic around here anyhow, so the solutions to control these birds come mostly from the citizens themselves (poison, nets/traps to protect roofs, destroy nests). You can guess it's illegal.

It's illegal? I don't think anyone would actually notice one or two birds missing but If all of a sudden a whole flock disapears people would probably get suspicious.

They are flying rats. Like rats and other animals that provide functions that are underappreciated, like scavenging dead stuff, they have their own down-sides and diseases along with their up-sides. They have to to be evaluated in the context of their surroundings. If pigeons started hanging out around my house (out in the country) I would be scouring the woods looking for an unauthorized, illegal dump. In-town, I can tolerate them. They eat edible trash that idiots throw around, and they help keep the larger falcons and buteos fed.

I've heard that a lot actually. Wait I remember that was both pigeons and sea gulls

Maybe I'm partial to pigeons b/c my dad used to raise them.

He used to raise racing pigeons which were really cool in my opinion. They also have

different varieties of pigeons called fancy pigeons such as this type called the fantail

pigeon (below).

http://inlinethumb62.webshots.com/30205/1321569741031896865S500x500Q85.jpg

The common variety of rock dove which is the actual name of the pigeon

that is on the street is not as "athletic" should I say as the racing/ homing pigeon. I used

to sit on my balcony and watch the racing pigeons soar high into the sky at a nice speed

and you'd see them come back down a few hours later. The street variety I have not

much fondness for though..they are nothing special and most can't even fly for long

periods or at a high altitude. The white king variety of pigeon is used to produce squabs

(chicks)which people eat They are very large compared to normal pigeons (and in

consequence don't fly much) and are used to feed other chicks of other varieties of

pigeons to go and make them larger.

 

[G01]

I have no problem with pigeons. I enjoy having them around. As turbo-1 said, they do preform needed tasks.

 

[ZapperZ]

darn it I spelled enjoy wrong in the poll

I corrected it.

Zz.

 

[ZapperZ]

Somewhere in the background, Tom Lehrer is singing "Poisoning Pigeons in the Park". :)

Zz.

 

[~christina~]

I corrected it.

Zz.

Thanks ZapperZ

Somewhere in the background, Tom Lehrer is singing "Poisoning Pigeons in the Park". :)

Zz.

don't give people ideas!

 

[BobG]

I don't have a problem with pigeons, per se, but they're like anything else. Too many becomes a plague.

I like the idea a few cities have had of importing a few falcons. The falcons like the tall buildings and help keep the pigeon population under control.

 

[jtbell]

Somewhere in the background, Tom Lehrer is singing "Poisoning Pigeons in the Park". :)

And someone somewhere is singing "http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/show/35403-Gertrude-Stein-from-Four-Saints-in-Three-Acts" from Virgil Thomson and Gertrude Stein's opera "Four Saints in Three Acts".

Aha! I have a recording of the opera, but I wasn't aware that http://www.musicroom.com/se/ID_No/0021971/details.html is available separately.

 

[Andre]

So if there are many pigeons, it's because an excellent habitat created devoid of natural predators. Fighting it with poison or so is likely worse than the problem. Whatever you think a city is, it's still part of nature where the laws of life and death rule and the best way of restoring the natural balans is a natural solution.

Invite the Peregrin falcons in. They are close by already anyway, where ever you are.

 

[Moonbear]

The problem in cities is overpopulation of pigeons. It makes them more likely to be a vector of disease spread.

I don't agree with the people who think it would be cruel to stop feeding them. It would be natural to stop feeding them and let them find their own food. I'm not sure that would help much though, because there is no shortage of food for them in cities even if people don't intentionally feed them..it just attracts them to congregate in places where they can get "fast food" rather than having to work for their food. What it would help with is what turbo mentioned about them being beneficial as scavengers of trash...it would get them to do that job rather than be a nuisance. But, I can't think of any reasonable way you could stop people from feeding pigeons.

None of the plans to put them on birth control would be completely effective. We've discussed that before, including my concerns about whether the birth control would affect other species, particularly the hawks and eagles that feed on pigeons, but I don't see anything about the plan that would wipe out the whole population of pigeons. I think they need to consider the method of birth control and its broader environmental impacts much more carefully before using it on wild populations, but if they could target pigeons and only pigeons, this would be a good plan. The other point is that if the pigeon population is reduced too much, they would stop feeding birth control. They're not doing it to make them extinct, they're doing it to stop the overpopulation.

 

[Kurdt]

What they really need are kittens with sniper rifles.

 

[Moonbear]

What they really need are kittens with sniper rifles.

Well, sniper kitty usually focuses on keeping the rodent population under control, but perhaps we can recruit in a pigeon task force too.

Maybe it's time to reintroduce coyotes and bobcats to the parks.

 

[Math Jeans]

I like pigeons being around for multiple reasons. First, there is a pigeon breeder next to the place where I take piano/guitar, so there is constantly feather-footed pigeons and cool colored pigeons walking around outside.

Also. The family of wild cats that live in our bushes love them.

 

[russ_watters]

When I was in college in center city Philly, I saw a hawk eating a pigeon. He was 10 feet from hundreds of college students walking by and was completely oblivious. It was pretty cool.

 

[~christina~]

I don't have a problem with pigeons, per se, but they're like anything else. Too many becomes a plague.

I do have to admit there are a little too many though but I do still enjoy watching the occational pigeon walking around and pecking at the floor.

The problem in cities is overpopulation of pigeons. It makes them more likely to be a vector of disease spread.

Hm..It is logical but the only vector of disease has been rats so far from my knowledge. ex. bubonic plague. Has there been any instances of pigeons being disease carriers then spreading the disease to humans??

But, I can't think of any reasonable way you could stop people from feeding pigeons.

They want to fine people up to $1000 for feeding them.

Maybe it's time to reintroduce coyotes and bobcats to the parks.

I think that people's pets would start dissapearing as well.

 

[matthyaouw]

Can anyone say bird flu!?

 

[apples]

pigeons taste good.

 

[jim mcnamara]

Pigeons here have evolved into a new species that exploits a new resource: spilled fast food fries. A few years back you could find squished and whole fries on almost any sidewalk any time of day.

Our pigeon population soared, no more errant fires. And a lot more smiling fat cats, too.
You can also see when you're nearing the town dump. It's herring gull heaven.

 

[Moonbear]

I think that people's pets would start dissapearing as well.

If they're letting their pets roam city streets and parks off-leash and unsupervised, then it's just controlling the stray animal population too...easier and more effective than trying to track the owners and ticket them.

 

[Mallignamius]

They are obnoxious demons.

I never thought anything of them until recently, when a couple cooed for hours on my roof above my bedroom window. Every morning. And afternoon. And evening.

I clapped my hands, and they tried to land on me. I threw rocks at them, but they didn't care. I sprayed them with vinegar, and they bathed in it. I climbed onto the roof and chased after them, but they circled around to the other end.

If you love the animals, don't feed them. And for God's sake, keep your bird feeders out of the reach of cats. I haven't seen one around here yet that isn't accessible to them. Which is why I discourage people from having them if they can't understand that.