Council discusses pigeon problem

By Danica Baker
Herald Staff Writer

January 28, 2008 10:28 am

— CLINTON — The Clinton City Council has authorized City Administrator Gary Boden to take action on the city pigeon problem.
Second Ward Councilman Mike Kearney, a former member of the Rules and Regulations Committee, said the committee has been discussing the pigeon overpopulation problem in Clinton and has contacted a pest control service. Kearney said the Presto X Company offered the city a recommendation to place extermination materials, in the form of poisoned corn bait, on several rooftops throughout the city.
He noted that Archer Daniels Midland officials have tried both corn bait and trapping, and said baiting probably is the most effective and cost-efficient option.
He said Parks Director Tom Krogman expressed a concern regarding the city’s liability in applying the chemical and Kearney noted that one has to be a trained applicator to use the chemical. Kearney said he feels the city should hire a company to apply bait in several downtown buildings in an effort to reduce the number of pigeons in the city.
Mayor Rodger Holm said he doesn’t think there is any question the city has an excessive population of pigeons and by reducing the number of pigeons, the city would see benefits in the form of less bird droppings and a reduced health hazard to the public.
Holm suggested the city consider placing bait in the Lyons area as well. Kearney said the city could try out the program on three or four buildings and judge its effectiveness.
First Ward Councilman Bob Soesbe, also a previous member of the R&R Committee, said the group did a lot of study on the issue, but the question is if the city has money in the budget to begin the program. Boden stated he thinks the city has the capability to start the program in the current budget.
At-Large Councilman Mark Vulich agreed the city has a pigeon overpopulation problem, but issued a concern about how the city would deal with the cleanup. He said the city performed baiting before and had many complaints about dead and “crazy” pigeons. Vulich noted Iowa City has a pigeon program and he would like to know what success the city has experienced. He added if the city goes forward with the program, officials should consult the Downtown Partnership regarding a possible financial contribution for the program.
Kearney suggested the city try out the program and see what the results are. Boden said the city could begin the program on a trial basis, and if the results are successful, the city could budget more for the program in the future. He added the city could deal with a contractor to help with the cleanup.
A motion to refer the issue to Boden for administrative action on the pigeon problem was approved.
According to the minutes of a recent R&R Committee meeting, Kearney explained that regular corn would be placed at a station, and once the pigeons are used to feeding there, the corn would be exchanged with corn laced with a pesticide. He also noted the price for the untreated corn is $400 per treatment and $600 per treatment for the treated corn.
The Avitrol Corporation, makers of the pesticide in question, “Avitrol,” states an estimated 150,000 people in the United States contract the common cold or flu-like disease histoplasmosis each year die to fungus bearing droppings associated with infestations of pigeons and starlings. According to company information, Avitrol is applied as a chemically treated bait and is used as a chemical frightening agent to remove pest birds from a given location.
“Birds eating the treated bait will be affected in a manner that will artificially cause them to emit distress and alarm cries and visual displays by their species. This will frighten the flock and cause them to leave the site,” the Avitrol Corporation states. Avitrol is used to control house sparrows, pigeons, starlings, crows, blackbirds, grackles, cowbirds and gulls. The company claims there is no secondary poisoning caused by larger birds eating smaller birds that have consumed the bait, but states Avitrol is toxic to all vertebrate species that eat the chemical.
The company states the application of Avitrol “appears to be humane based on scientific evidence,” but “clinical signs of convulsive seizures will affect public acceptance of this chemical repellant.” It suggests users “arrange to pick up dead and dying birds promptly” because failure to do so is the most common cause of public complaint.