A recent pigeon cull in Cospicua will likely have little effect on the area’s “infestation”, according to ornithologist Natalino Fenech.
“This is just a short-term measure. In a few months the pigeon population will be back to what it was before,” Dr Fenech said.
He was contacted for his reaction to a pigeon culling exercise near the old Rialto cinema in Cospicua on Monday.
Mayor Alison Zerafa Civelli said the exercise was conducted by the Health Department after it received complaints from residents about what one resident described as a “flying rat infestation”. Ms Zerafa Civelli said the council had also received complaints about the situation, but could do little to quell the pigeon population rise.
“We received notice from the authorities, requesting the police’s assistance in conducting some exercise,” she said.
Photos of the cull, uploaded on Facebook, showed men not wearing uniforms but carrying air rifles and escorted by police officers. Resident Carmel Bonanno commented it was about time action was taken.
“We have always had pigeons in this neighbourhood, as long as I remember. Every once in a while it gets to a point where it is unbearable. We cannot live in their filth,” he said.
Dr Fenech, however, insisted such measures were not effective solutions. He said there were three things authorities could do to keep the pigeons in check: control nesting sites, limit their food supply and use contraceptive feed.
Dr Fenech said pigeons used abandoned buildings and roof lofts to nest and these could be sealed off. Ensuring scraps of bread were not left out for them to eat was also important. Contraceptive feed would also ensure they would not multiply, resulting in a gradual, but effective, decline in numbers.
Writing on Facebook, another resident said the area around the old cinema was totally infested and that the pigeons were dirtying pavements, cars, clothes hanging on washing lines and even the water inside storage tanks.
“I don’t hate animals but this level of filth is unacceptable,” he said.
Last year a similar cull in Sliema had drawn criticism from some residents but was also described as the only option left by mayor Anthony Chircop.
Mr Chircop had said the council had tried a number of other methods, including contraceptive pills and placing cages on rooftops, but to no avail.