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Monday, June 28, 2010 | 2 a.m.
Related Story
Pigeon contraception
Clark County is hoping to curtail the thriving Las Vegas pigeon population, estimated at 750,000, using a birth control drug. For it to work, birds need to ingest the drug every day. The manufacturer of the drug, which is deemed humane by activists, says it will reduce the population 53 percent in a year.
Sun Archives
- Pigeons are his mark, the city his foe (10-29-2009)
- Man shooting pellets at pigeons prompts school lockdowns (2-5-2009)
- Family files suit alleging exposure to pigeon poison (12-3-2009)
- Pigeon problem a mess for homeowners (10-6-2003)
- Housing panel hears pigeon-trapping pitch (9-21-1999)
- Local man traps and sells the birds (9-20-1999)
Beyond the Sun
Birth control pills are often hailed as a key to the women’s liberation movement. Now, county parks workers are hoping the same approach will free them from constantly cleaning up after pigeons.
They complain the birds’ daily defecations have gotten way out of control at the parks — on benches, playground equipment, signs, sidewalks, park users’ cars, picnickers.
The theory is that Southern Nevada has a worse pigeon problem these days than most other places because its climate allows them to breed year-round and because the thousands of foreclosed homes in the valley have become roosting sites.
“When the homes are vacant and quiet, it’s the perfect setting for nesting,” says Michael Gardner, who has been in the pigeon control business since founding Pigeons Be Gone in 1998.
The county is going into the pigeon control business in the coming weeks — by feeding the birds a birth control drug.
First, maintenance workers will install feeders on the roofs of buildings in three parks — Robert Price Park, 2050 Bonnie Lane near Nellis Air Force Base; Paradise Park, 4775 McLeod Drive south of Sunset Park and Warm Springs Road; and Walnut Park, 3075 N. Walnut Road, off East Cheyenne Avenue.
Dropping just corn into the feeders at a specific time every day, parks workers will train pigeons until their flight to the feeders is habitual. Then the feed will be spiked with birth control pellets.
For the drug to work, birds need to ingest the drug every day, but Kevin Parker, the county’s park maintenance chief, is confident the plan will work.
“If we bring the food at 7 in the morning, they’ll be there at 6:45 waiting for us, like clockwork,” he predicts.
The county has purchased nine 30-pound bags of birth control at total cost of $1,688. They figure this is enough for three months, with each pound able to keep 80 pigeons from getting pregnant. Otherwise, they would be producing two hatchlings each.
After the new fiscal year begins on July 1, Parker said, the county will purchase more bird birth control for at least a year.
“It’s guaranteed to reduce the population 53 percent in a year, 86 percent after 28 months,” Parker says, citing numbers from a California bird birth control drug salesman.
The active chemical in the drug, which is marketed as OvoControl P, is nicarbazin, which has been used since 1955 to treat intestinal parasites in broiler chickens. Through a biochemical process not entirely understood, the drug also reduces the number of successful egg hatchings.
The drug’s entry into the realm of pigeon control, made more acceptable by the EPA’s decision in May to remove a “restricted-use” classification for OvoControl P, has resulted in few complaints, and some praise, from animal and wildlife groups.
The Humane Society of the United States commended the EPA decision as a way to control pigeon populations “humanely and effectively.” People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has also supported use of the drug.
In the neighborhood of Hollywood, Calif., the Argyle Civic Association started drawing pigeons to feeders in 2007. Since then, the population’s decrease has been dramatic, said Annette Ehrlich, association secretary.
“It used to be you would walk down to the corner of Argyle and Franklin (avenues) and there would be hundreds of those birds just sitting there,” Ehrlich said. “Now you see a small number, nothing like before.”
How it will work in Clark County parks is anyone’s guess. Some in the pigeon control business believe it won’t work at all.
“I’m glad to see them thinking about population control, but there’s no magic pill for pigeon control,” says Nephi Oliva, who operates Nevada Pigeon Control in North Las Vegas.
He estimates there are about 750,000 pigeons in the Las Vegas Valley. Studying a flock and going after its reproductive core is the first step to control, he says. Once the alpha male is out of the picture, the remaining pigeons are easier to “round up and take into custody.”
“You’re not going to get through this without some sweat. No device or drug is going to work. Pigeons are very, very robust,” he says. “They will survive. Clark County’s going to learn the hard way. There is no cheap fix.”
“Cheap” is, of course, a relative word, but out in Southern California the birth control approach has worked “beyond our wildest dreams,” says Laura Dodson, president of the Argyle Civic Association.
One of the problems there was that a local resident had been spending an estimated $80,000 on bird seed annually to feed pigeons.
“You’ll never stop those people, or people who want to take their kids to the park to feed the pigeons,” Dodson says.
Even though her association’s birth control program has been stopped for a year, because Dodson has been away caring for an ill relative and the group hasn’t been able to keep it funded, the pigeon population has remained low, she says.
“I remember when I started pushing for this, everyone on the board said I was nuts,” Dodson says. “Then when it started working within three to six months, the accolades came.”
how about shooting them and use them as a food source, I hear pigeon tastes really good.
Actually we need to help our pigeon population! And in return, we'll have a much easier time with their droppings.
The pigeons are not getting enough fiber in their diet. In the old days, ya' see, pigeons ate more fiber. And as a result, their defecations were firmer, more like rabbit pellets or little raisins.
So let's just improve the bulk and roughage in our pigeon breakfasts with more oatmeal, their lunches with more grains and less fat, and then let's slip some increased amounts of fiber into their evening meals too.
The results will be the easier-to-sweep chunks of drier, firmer chunks, not the slippery, smelly splatterings that seem to just slip between the tines of our forks.
Where can i buy this stuff? Im tired of all these useless animals hanging out on my roof and crapping all over the place. Time to start sniping them with my pellet gun I guess...
Give the kids some pellet guns and put a 25 cent bounty on them. Save a bundle and provide good recreation for the kids over the summer.
What about the pigeon problem that the pig farm is creating? Why not use some of this birth control there too?
How about the poison corn they use in other areas? These things are not birds - they are disease-infested flying rodents and serve no useful purpose whatsoever. I don't care what PETA or any other animal-rights nutcase says - just use them as target practice or serve em a helping platter of corn (poisoned, that is).
What a warm and fuzzy way to control the population. Food for thought; Lets pass out condoms to all the horny gophers in town, and get our parks back. The hoboes have been complaining about the pigeon mess on their favorite benches.
Well, gorsh, I thimk it's important to put the cart before the horse. Let's admit there could be a problem and perhaps a solution to another problem also!
We do need food, right? Well maybe squab IS worth $25 a plate along w/ rice, a serving of mustard greens and a fruit salad w/ walnuts.
And these stinky things would disappear, we'd benefit from jobs for the homeless that could not be transported offshore, and some excellent cuisine feature stories about cats, bats and rats!
St. Louis Squab
Preheat solar oven to 350.
Wrap squab w/ bacon, toothpick to hold to breast.
Bake 45 min to an hour.
Serve on toasted white bread, crusts removed and dipped into olive oil. Spicy sweet BBQ sauce on side.
Best w/ leafy green veg, rice pilaf and white wine.
Careful not to crunch into bird shot. Those pesky little balls can bust a tooth easy!
Denver Cat
Preheat solar oven to 350.
Wrap cat w/ bacon, toothpick to hold to thigh.
bake an hour or two depending on the size and preference.
Serve on bed of rice w/ corn and bell peppers.
Sweet spicy BBQ sauce on side.
Best w/ cold beer.
Careful not to get scratched.
Dine our Way to a Cleaner Community
Eat that problem cat!
Dog gone good pot luck!
Fresh squab flies in daily!
I hear it tast like chicken
A lot like chicken. Of course, that's to be expected; they're cousins.
Now quail are a bit gamier; so're pheasant and chukar, but squab is chickeny. Maybe those nuggets they import are from downtown Mexico City. I hear they got 'em by the jillions.
Our BB rifle is cheap birth control for pigeons and their flying rat cousins, doves.
A few dozon hawks should do the trick.
They need to curb welfare pregnancies first.
Here's a real cheap birth control product for the pigeons: sodium cynaide. Try it out.
Reminds me of a great song - "Poisoning Pigeons in the Park" by Tom Lehrer. Ahh, how I miss the 4hour live Dr. Demento show.
For those interested, you can find the song on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhuMLpdnO...
But Americans wanted these Pigeons. Truth be told; there was a time when North America had 0 pigeons. The first pigeons were released out of a cage to populate North America back during the original 13 colonies in Boston Massachusetts. Somebody went through great efforts to bring pigeons out here, why would you want to mess with them? It was hard work transporting them here on a wooden sail ship. Now all of a sudden you people want the pigeons to magically go away? Why can't Americans make up their minds.
Why can't the County come up with a population control for the third generation welfare baby factories who just sit home ,get pregnant ,and collect welfare?. They're more of a nuisance the the stupid pigeons.
If you get rid of all the pigeons who will leave all their money in the casino on 6/5 blackjack??
OOPS this article is for the birds; my mistake.
hooo haaa haaa Castle you got 'em!
Whackin our money maker back from a 3-2 to a 6-5.
God I hate weasels.
But that Tom Lehrer was probably the one funniest comedian to ever do comedy. boftx is right. World went down-hill when Doctor Demento faded away.
Airweare...PLEASE tell me you're NOT a chief here in a 5 star eatery.....though...I love your imagination.
I just had a nightmare of a thought seeing those pellets falling into our water supply.
Sorry..."chef"
I understand honestly that county want to reduce the population in a humane manner, buuuuuut, what about the laid off employees. Why do animals get a better treatment?
Yo boomer,
not to worry. I do have several lines of mobile solar cooker/eatery franchises available in some select cities:
SkyMiner Diner
The Greener Beanery
Galaxia Gastrique
They're all modeled on a BBQ plan w/ precooked meats, pre-wrapped burritos, solar hot-water tables for self-serve and fresh veggies, fruit and blender drinks with photovoltaics and solar thermal providing the juice.
Squab is one of our best sellers in Madrid, Buenos Aires and Amsterdam. Keeps the kids busy.
YUMMY!!!!!