Pigeon Population Decline with OvoControl P

Pigeon population problems pooping out?
June 9, 2008

In today's This Week Ahead column, we catch up on what's happening in Hollywood--not with celebrities but with pigeons:

How have the efforts to shrink the pigeon population in Hollywood using birth control gone since announcing it last July?

Since August, some of the area's estimated 5,000 pigeons have been eating pill-shaped kibble known as OvoControl P from feeders on rooftops, making Hollywood the first area to try the contraceptive since it was given state approval in late July.

About 300 pigeons flock every morning at daybreak to eat up the contraceptive kibble, which contains nicarbazin, an ingredient that stops an egg from developing. OvoControl P has been registered with the state Department of Pesticide Regulation and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and is approved by PETA and the Humane Society.

Laura Dodson, president of the Argyle Civic Assn., a neighborhood group leading the effort called Citizen Pigeon, said that they raised enough money from local businesses and residents -- over $50,000 -- to install five rooftop automatic feeders. They’ve also installed cameras to monitor the birds eating online.

After four months, the 438 pigeon regulars in one spot dropped to just below 40. Some through attrition, but pigeons are "just having less babies now," Dodson said.

The original date to reduce the pigeon population by 50% was 2012, but Dodson said that pest control and wildlife officials think it could happen within the next two years.

The pigeons are disliked in the area, currently under millions of dollars in renovation efforts, because of the messy droppings.

Italy, though, is taking a different approach on cracking down on the birds.

--Francisco Vara-Orta

Humane Society of the US Supports Pigeon Birth Control

As the pigeon population steadily is declining on its own most likely due to extreme difficulties pigeons are facing surviving on our planet, the HSUS is in full support of the birth control drug for pigeons OvoControl P. The following article is in their newsletter:

‘Birth Control’ for Pigeons Now Available Without a Prescription
EPA reclassifies OvoControl P® as general-use

WASHINGTON — The Humane Society of the United States praised the recent decision by the Environmental Protection Agency to remove the "restricted-use" classification for OvoControl P, a promising birth control agent for use in pigeons.

"We are extremely pleased with the Environmental Protection Agency's decision to ease restrictions on OvoControl P," said John Hadidian, director of Urban Wildlife Programs for The HSUS. "General-use approval will make OvoControl P more readily available to communities and businesses that want to control pigeon populations humanely and effectively."

OvoControl P is an edible pellet treated with nicarbazin, a chemical that effectively reduces egg hatching rates in birds when used in combination with exclusion and other humane measures. It was originally registered by the EPA in 2008 as a "restricted-use" product, a designation that limited the sale and use of the product to licensed applicators only.

The new classification means that it will no longer be necessary to have a special license to purchase and use OvoControl P. OvoControl is also registered for use in Canada geese and Muscovy ducks under the more stringent label restrictions.

The HSUS' Wild Neighbors program promotes nonlethal solutions to conflicts between people and wildlife. For many years, pigeons have been subject to lethal control through poisoning, trapping, shooting or other inhumane methods. The HSUS supports the use of birth control technologies as a way to humanely control animal populations and decrease the likelihood of conflicts.

OvoControl is available through distributors or directly from the manufacturer, Innolytics, LLC. Visit ovocontrol.com for more details. Click here for more information from The HSUS on solving problems with pigeons.

The Efficacy of OvoControl P

One of the most common OvoControl® questions is, "how well does it work?" The answer to this question actually has two parts, 1) how well does OvoControl interfere with egg hatchability? and, 2) how quickly will OvoControl reduce the population of birds?

Egg Hatchability
The active ingredient in OvoControl, nicarbazin, interferes with egg development and acts as a contraceptive in birds. The egg hatchability effects of nicarbazin are well documented and characterized in the scientific literature and the data is indisputable - if a bird eats the bait daily and in an adequate quantity, the eggs will simply not hatch. As occurs frequently in nature, birds will abandon a failed nest and try again.

Population Effects
The rate at which a pigeon population declines depends on a range of variables, primarily related to site-specific characteristics. Controlling variables in a free ranging population of birds is obviously challenging. Nevertheless, the data reported in the US (Linda Vista) is consistent with what has been reported in Italy. The absence of successful reproduction, in combination with natural attrition, reduces the population of birds at a rate of approximately 50%, annually.

OvoControl reduces the population of birds - gradually and predictably - all without the risks of a toxicant or need to remove dead or dying birds.

For more details, see the new 2-page white paper for OvoControl Efficacy on the company website at www.OvoControl.com.

OvoControl® is a registered trademark of Innolytics, LLC, Rancho Santa Fe, CA.

Reduce Pigeon Numbers by Feeding?

Reduce pigeon numbers? Feed them ’til they’re too fat to breed
Mar 26 2008 by Barry Gibson, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

COUNCILLORS want to cut the number of pigeons in Huddersfield town centre – by feeding them.

The new plan was discussed at a meeting last week and if the proposal goes ahead, Kirklees staff will feed the pigeons between 7am and 8am at two locations at opposite ends of the town centre.

Brook Street and outside Wilkinson’s on New Street are possible locations.

Clr Tony Brice was at the Huddersfield Town Centre Sub Group meeting where the plan was discussed.

The Lindley Conservative said: “By feeding them, the hope is we will have a few, well-fed pigeons that don’t lay as many eggs. It’s the same system that’s been used in Trafalgar Square in London.”

But members of the public who feed the pigeons will be slapped with a fine.

Clr Brice said: “There will be quite a few enforcement officers who will fine anyone caught throwing bread to the birds.

“The message will get through eventually and people will stop feeding them.”

Clr Brice – who joked that his preferred solution to the pigeon problem would be to release a hawk in the town centre – said the birds were no more than vermin.

He said: “They carry a lot of disease, they are rats with feathers. You wouldn’t feed a rat if you saw it but people do feed pigeons.”

The plan is expected to go to Kirklees Council’s Cabinet for approval soon.

It is the latest idea to rid Huddersfield town centre of pigeons.

In July 1997 council officials suggested a cull by shooting the birds or catching them in traps.

But the council backed down after an Examiner poll found 64% of people against the idea.

Two years later the council spent £6,000 on netting at the railway bridges on John William Street and Fitzwilliam Street in a bid to stop pigeons roosting there.

In 2001 Kirklees decided to build special nests for the birds, and then remove the eggs before they hatched.

Later that year, councillors decided to fix five-inch long steel spikes to the balcony of Huddersfield Town Hall to stop pigeons nesting there.