Bird Control Pills: Barcelona Feeds Its Overpopulated Pigeons With Contraceptives

Pigeon poops are everywhere in Barcelona and the historical monuments are being covered by these. This problem prompted the authorities to take action, setting aside the culling option.

Mail Online reported that animal activists are rejoicing about Barcelona's recent decision regarding its problem with almost 85,000 pigeons pooping around the city. These birds have become overpopulated in Barcelona and authorities have finally figured out the way to control their number -- by feeding them with birth control pills.

Since animal rights activists led by the Commission for the Protection of Animals have been rallying against catching these avian creatures in nets and eventually killing them, the city government has decided to opt for a non-violent procedure by the use of contraceptives to decrease their population.

"We will be using nicarbazin which acts first on the younger birds," a council spokesman told the news website.

The said drug reportedly hinders the formation of eggs among birds.

According to The Indian Express, in the last 15 years, this method has been successful in Spain's Catalan municipalities and the cities Alicante and Valencia. This disgusting problem, apparently, has been haunting authorities all throughout Europe for years and years.

To start off the process, the group will be conducting a bird census from this December to January of next year. A total of 40 feeding dispensers with contraceptive food will then be strategically placed in different city locations by April 2017.

"It's predicted there will be a reduction of 20 per cent in the pigeon population in the first year and between 70 and 80 per cent in four or five years," the council spokesman added.

Animal rights groups are finally relieved to hear about this new procedure. According to reports, 152 of these groups have previously come against the "unethical" way of collecting pigeons in nets and killing them.