Willcox AZ To Eradicate Pigeons ..

[TAWhatley]

Council approves pigeon eradication plan

By Carol Broeder/Arizona Range News

http://tinyurl.com/m63pj

The City of Willcox plans to hire a USDA Animal Control Officer to
round up pigeons and euthanize them.

City Council voted unanimously, with one abstention, at its meeting
last Monday to begin a pigeon eradication program in the city.

Councilman Jimmy Norris abstained from voting, saying that he had
pigeons at his business building. Former Mayor Mick Easthouse told the
council he was in contact with Jim Smith, a USDA animal control agency
about "the pigeon problem in town."

"Pigeons are disease-carrying animals," said Easthouse, adding that he
had talked to other business owners who "all agreed that pigeons are a
tremendous problem."

The officer surveyed where the birds are roosting, finding 3,000 to
5,000 of them in the area, he said.

Easthouse said that while there are "several methods of eradication,"
the officer plans to

"place large traps (that can hold as many as 100 birds) where they
roost and then they will be gassed."

"He will be targeting only pigeons, not songbirds. This will not be a
catch and release program. That will not solve the problem," Easthouse
said.

Other methods available to the USDA officer are poisoning and
shooting. While it is against city ordinance to discharge a firearm
within city limits, the USDA animal control officer would seek
permission of the Willcox Department of Public Safety before doing so,
he said.

The six-month contract states that the USDA will receive $2,500, based
on an hourly rate of $49 per person.

Information from the USDA that Easthouse gave the council states that
pigeon droppings "deface and accelerate the deterioration of buildings
and increase the cost of maintenance. Large amounts of droppings may
kill vegetation and produce an objectionable odor. Pigeon manure
deposited on park benches, picnic tables, statues, cars and unwary
pedestrians is aesthetically displeasing."

"Around grain handling facilities, feed lots, and dairies, pigeons
consume and contaminate large quantities of food destined for human or
livestock consumption. Pigeons may carry and spread diseases to
people, pets, livestock, and wildlife through their droppings," the
USDA information said.

Dr. Don Roberts, superintendent of the Willcox Unified School
District, spoke in support of the program.

The pigeons are "a severe problem at the two campuses," said Roberts,
adding that during the last holiday season, the school district had to
remove the ceilings, clean out the droppings, and seal the buildings
from the inside.

Mayor Woody Johnson asked about deterrents such as chicken wire or
raccoon wire.

"We've used those." Roberts replied. "Yes, it's helped but it hasn't
eradicated the problem."

A lengthy discussion ensued prior to the vote. Johnson said that a
recent Wings Over Willcox bird count listed only 60 sightings of
pigeons, or rock doves. He commented on the difference between that
number and the results of the survey done by the animal control officer.

Councilman Joe Long expressed concern that if poison were used, "the
neighbor's cat might be accidentally poisoned" if a bird eats the
poison and the cat eats the bird.

"I never knew we had a pigeon problem until now," said Councilman Phil
Stratton.

Councilman Jimmy Norris said that there is a pigeon problem in
Willcox, as evidenced by his own building.

"Pigeon eradication -- interesting idea, success doubtful," said Homer
Hansen, chairman of the Wings Over Willcox birding event held in January.

"They would need to ensure that they do not accidentally kill native
species, which is against the law."

"Also, this is never successful. They would have to trap the entire
county, and still wouldn't be successful," said Hansen, adding that
the city might see "a dramatic drop in the numbers for a few years,
but the populations would return to their original size after a period
of years, so the money would have been spent for short term 'gain' only."

He told the Range News that in the interim, "other bird species, most
likely the house sparrows and starlings, will increase their
population size due to the new 'space' available in the urban
ecological niche. But the main thing is that eradication programs in
other areas have never worked, and never will unless it is a continual
program."

Hansen said he feels that "additional research into previous programs
attempted in other municipalities across the nation may provide
insight into the challenges posed by such a program."

Conservation biologist Scott Wilbur, with the Tucson Audubon Society,
echoed Hansen's comments on the program.

"It's not likely to succeed over the long haul, unless it's an ongoing
thing," Wilbur said. "It is usually a big waste of time and money."

"Pigeons are no more disease-prone than any other birds," he said. "It
is true that it is not healthy to be in areas with large groups of
defecating birds, or rats for that matter. Then disease can spread."

Wilbur said the best form of pigeon management is to "control what's
brought them there in the first place."

"Find the attractant and then close it off," he said. "Eventually the
birds would go off somewhere else."

The eradication program was scheduled to begin on Friday, Aug. 18,
according to the contract presented to the council.

[TerriB]

Seems like there were some sane and informed voices bringing up that this solution would be, at best, short term and had could possibly harm other species. Unfortunately, those voices did not carry the day.

[Pigeonpal2002]

Yes, very sad There were some forward thinkers in that discussion, those that realize mass killings like this will never work. Why are these smart and sensible people never listened to??? I don't get it

[mr squeaks]

Only sane voices were Homer Hansen and Scott Wilbur!

Unfortunately, sometimes, small town minds only equal small time solutions! The "herd" mentality triumphed again!

Only time will show that their solution won't have the long term effect hoped for.

[andinla]

E-MAIL THEM AND QUICK.. IT DOES HELP HERE ARE THE EMAIL ADDRESSES..

Dr. Don Roberts, superintendent of the Willcox Unified School
www.willcox.k12.az.us
_____________________________________
willcoxchamber@vtc.net
_____________________________________
www.willcoxchamber.com
___________________________________


Andi

[Skyeking]

I am absolutely disgusted by this so-called resolution, I can't believe that these poor birds, that have been allowed to eat and live there, are now going to be put to death.

The amount of money spent on this holocaust, would be better spent on closing accesses to the buildings and moving them to another local. It has already been proved to be much cheaper in the long run, especially because that kind of pigeon control DOESN'T work,as well as lacing seed with birth control chemicals, or poison.

Thanks for the e-mail address, Andi, I have already sent one.

They better watch out, NAB's theory may happen to them.

[Feather]

Originally Posted by andinla

E-MAIL THEM AND QUICK.. IT DOES HELP HERE ARE THE EMAIL ADDRESSES..

Dr. Don Roberts, superintendent of the Willcox Unified School
www.willcox.k12.az.us
_____________________________________
willcoxchamber@vtc.net
_____________________________________
www.willcoxchamber.com
___________________________________


Andi

Thank You Andi, I was able to send e-mails except to the last one. I hope it's not too late.

Feather

[andinla]

IS

drdon@willcox.k12.az.us

Dr. Don Roberts superintendent of the Willcox

please everyone email them your thoughts on this situation...thanks

Andi

[Larry_Cologne]

"Around grain handling facilities, feed lots, and dairies, pigeons consume and contaminate large quantities of food destined for human or livestock consumption."

I would think part of the problem is the way the grain is handled.

My brother works at Kelly AFB, San Antonio, Texas. There were open railroad cars filled with corn, with flocks of pigeons eating the corn. Someone suggested shooting the pigeons. He suggested covering the rail cars with tarpaulins. Problem solved. In the end there were only the original old-timer pigeon inhabitants in the hangars.

I plan to forward this to the above-listed email addresses.

[TerriB]

Excellent observation, Larry! Sure hope the suggestion is well received.

[Geareduplyn]

I recently moved to Aiken SC. There is not a feral pigeon in the entire town. Anybody I ask seems to be completely ignorant about the fact there are no feral pigeons around here. Have they suffered the same fate as the the pigeons in Wilcox are going top suffer?