Pigeons’ days numbered as Shire moves to conserve heritage

After several attempts by the Shire of Narrogin to reduce the town’s feral pigeon population, licensed pest control technicians will now be bought in to address the growing issue. The pest birds have accessed several historic buildings in the centre of Narrogin, including the Horden Hotel, where they have been nesting and breeding. Increasingly large flocks have been observed wheeling through the sky above the town, leading to community concern. Pigeons carry and transmit a variety of diseases. The acidic excreta of the birds can also decay and erode masonry, particularly in urban environments where the food scraps that form part of their diet result in pigeon waste having a higher acidic content. “The effluent from our pigeons is certainly causing damage to the heritage buildings in town, not just shire buildings and public but also commercial buildings, predominantly in the main street,” Shire of Narrogin CEO Dale Stewart said. “So we’re working with owners of buildings to reduce and remove the pigeon problem.” A pest control service has been engaged to target pigeons with a painless narcotic agent, Alpha-chloralose. A common rodenticide, ingestion of the chemical depresses the central nervous system. The chemical will effectively puts the pigeons to sleep, allowing them to be collected, removed and dispatched humanely. “Pigeons are feral animals and are declared as such by DPIRD,” Mr Stewart said. “We’re hoping to work with licensed contractors in the coming month to make a huge dent in the pigeon population.” The engagement of the contractors comes after several attempts by the Shire to manage pigeon numbers. “Over the years we’ve tried numerous methods, such as getting in licensed shooters with night scopes, removing pigeons in that manner, and we had some success but not ongoing success,” Mr Stewart said.