Contraceptive birdfeed to curb ‘pigeon plague’ in Barcelona

BARCELONA has rolled out a programme to cut the number of pigeons in the city, which currently sits at around 85,000.

Birdfeed containing traces of a contraceptive for pigeons will be strategically distributed using 40 dispensers.

Usually when the population gets too high, the council would start to cull the birds, much to the annoyance of animal rights groups.

However Barcelona Mayor Ada Colau announced the initiative as an “ethical way to control the pigeon population.”

The programme is expected to cost around €250,000 a year experts predict it will reduce pigeon numbers by 80 per cent in four to five years.