2 Possible Solutions On How to Solve the Pigeon Problem
When solving the pigeon problem, we can look at two possible solutions. The two potential solutions to the pigeon problem are increasing the numbers that die or reducing birth numbers. And looking at which of these two works best.
More so, many consider them the flying equivalent of a rat. Many believe pigeons make dangerous pets and should face elimination. Instead, let’s take a look at the two possible pigeon problem solutions.
Did We Lose Control Over The Pigeon Problem?
There is a lot of truth behind thinking the pigeon populations appear out of control, especially in densely populated urban areas. Like rats, pigeons are harbingers of disease, as they carry ticks, fleas, mites, and other germs wherever they go. Additionally, they breed at a phenomenal rate, much like their rodent counterparts.
As a child, I remember stern warnings from adults about never touching pigeons or feeding them. The pigeon problem continues to grow in many urban areas. Many cities carefully monitor the pigeon density to ensure it doesn’t exceed an average of 300-400 pigeons per km2. Of course, these numbers can vary depending on the city’s overall demographics.
Interestingly, when you search for the two words pigeon problem, you can see the issues. Related searches contain queries like, “where can I buy pigeon poison,” and “pigeon problem solvers” often appear frequently. Have we lost control of our pigeon population? Many people believe so.
Arguments For Reducing Reproduction
Reducing reproduction seems a more humane way of getting rid of pigeons than killing them. One of the most effective methods is implementing a pigeon contraception program. That is correct. Birth control for pigeons is available and can reduce a pigeon population by up to 50% within the first year of use.
Pigeon contraceptives come in a bait and mixed into their regular food supply in incrementally larger amounts. It works by disrupting the pigeon reproduction process. Males and females continue to mate, and females lay eggs. However, these eggs do not hatch, meaning that no chicks are born.
Another reproductive reduction method is using fake pigeon eggs. Moreover, this works when nests are accessible. You remove real eggs from the nest and destroy them, replacing them with phony pigeon eggs available online. Female pigeons will abandon these eggs. In some cases, pigeons can leave their nests after this happens a few times, never to return.
Challenges In Reducing Pigeon Reproduction
Pigeon contraceptive measures are typically effective in large buildings, such as universities, hospitals, warehouses, and factories. Unfortunately, one person in a neighborhood trying this approach is unlikely to have much success. When it comes to our pigeon problem, ensuring a human approach is paramount.
Many people oppose the dummy egg idea as they believe it to be inhumane since it requires destroying pigeon eggs. It is also not that easy to implement when nests are not accessible.
To be effective, building owners need to build pigeonholes that will attract the birds to nest there. It is then easier to remove the eggs and replace them with fakes. In addition, this is not a job you take lightly, as contact with pigeon dander and feces poses a potential health hazard.
Arguments For Increasing Mortality – A Pigeon Problem Dilemma
While many people balk at the idea of killing or culling pigeons to reduce their numbers, others see it as an ideal solution. They use chemicals that poison pigeons or shoot them. Some have devised traps that do not capture pigeons but also kill them.
They justify their actions because pigeons are pests that deserve eradication, just like any other vermin. Therefore, if people have no problem with poisoning rats, why should poisoning or killing pigeons be a problem?
Challenges In Increasing Pigeon Mortality
As mentioned, there is a substantial outcry from activists who do not accept that pigeons are pests and that culling them is acceptable, especially as it is often not humane. Thousands of birds die a slow, agonizing death if poisoned, not shot dead or caught in traps that starve or crush them.
While these activists accept that the pigeon population is out of control, this is not their preferred solution. It can also lead to increased mortality in other bird species as poison and traps do not distinguish between bird species, killing them all. Additionally, not all states permit killing pigeons as a means of population control. People who go ahead with this practice could get into legal trouble.
Killing pigeons does not solve the overpopulation problem. For every pigeon killed, another is born, so cutting one adult pigeon’s life short will not make a difference. Pigeons breed three to four times a year, with each reproductive cycle producing one or two chicks. These offspring leave the nest within 35 days.
When pigeons find a location with sufficient food, water, and nesting space, they may breed more than the average. As soon as one set of chicks departs their nests, adults might breed again. Therefore, killing pigeons is a temporary solution to a permanent pigeon problem.
Other Methods
The destruction of pigeon’s nests might disrupt the reproductive process, but this is only temporary. All pigeons need to do is find another location, build a new nest, and start again.
Other non-lethal methods, such as visual deterrents and haptic systems that prevent pigeons from landing and nesting on a surface, do nothing aside from getting the pigeons to move. They will become someone else’s problem, and population figures will keep rising.
Trapping and moving pigeons is also another means of passing the buck to someone else. In most cases, it backfires as pigeons have a phenomenal homing instinct and are likely to arrive back at your home before you do.
When it comes to our pigeon problem, we should always take a human approach and research alternative methods. After all, pigeons are birds and deserve the same respect as the rest of nature.
