Pigeons on the pill en masse in Heerlen, the population has decreased by 20%

The municipality of Limburg has suffered for years from the nuisance of urban pigeons. Animals are omnipresent, especially on the Bongerd and the Promenade. According the regional newspaper This is why the municipality of Heerlen decided two years ago to “sustainably repel” the running birds.

Special corn kernels

The birds are fed special corn pellets during the mating season, which runs from March to the end of October. The pellets have a layer of contraceptive on them. The method was developed by Vets for City Pigeons from Hasselt, Belgium. The anti-bird pill has already been successfully used in Leuven, Brussels and Kortrijk, among other places. There was also interest in Barcelona, ​​thanks to the bird pill, the famous Sagrada Família is pooping a lot less.

“You can also cage or cull pigeons. This method is much more sustainable, it’s long-term birth control,” says Pieter Cola of Vets for City Pigeons. against De Limburger. “Like the birth control pill in men, it is also longer lasting than abortion, if I may put it very bluntly.”

keep feeding

The number of pigeons in the center of Heerlen should decrease further. “After four or five years, there are usually 60 to 80 percent fewer pigeons,” says Cola. “I think we’ll see a nice number this fall.” The condition is that the municipality continues to pass the pill, but given the success, Heerlen does not intend to stop.

Heerlen was the first Dutch town where the control method was used. Recently, Groningen pigeons can also mate at will without consequences.