Pigeon flock could be given contraceptives after taking over city’s market

Pigeons could soon be fed contraceptives in Norwich Market after mounting concerns around the size of the flocks.

Norwich City Council is reportedly considering the measure as traders and shoppers had called the pigeons a nuisance and a health risk. But the issue has divided residents, with some encouraging pigeons to stay by feeding them.

The contraceptives would be stocked in bird feeders and mixed with grain to provide a humane and non-lethal population control method in order to curb the growing flock size by making them temporarily infertile, according to the BBC.

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Trials of pigeon contraception have been used across Europe with success. The City of Brussels cut its pigeon population by 66 per cent berween 2019 and 2023. Meanwhile, a two-year trial in Malta using contraceptive-laced feed cut the feral pigeon population by around 30 per cent, according to a recent pest control report.

The contraceptive issue was raised as part of a debate in a City Hall meeting on Tuesday, met with opposition from dozens of pigeon supporters, including one person who wore a pigeon mask.

The council resolved to ask the cabinet to explore the introduction of fixed penalty notices for individuals who, after prior warning, persistently and intentionally feed pigeons with seed or similar food, in order to deter regular feeding that contributes to fouling and damage, according to the meeting agenda notes.

They also said they would explore ways in which changes to the provisions market can influence the use of the gardens and control pigeon numbers, and continue to explore the introduction of humane, non-lethal methods of managing pigeon populations as recommended by reputable animal-welfare organisations.

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Concerns were raised that the contraceptives could be eaten by other birds, particularly endangered species, or that predators might consume them through their prey, spreading the hormones through the environment through bird waste, according to the BBC.

Previously the council attempted to scare off pigeons using a hawk named Hazel, bred and trained to deter rather than hunt pigeons. The four week pilot was supported by councillor Carli Harper, cabinet member for finance and major projects.

She said: “We’re proud of our magical medieval market and want to help our traders make it the best market in England and Europe.

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"We’ve been told by some traders and residents the pigeons are pests, which is why we’ve brought in the Hazel on a pilot basis to see if she can stop these pigeons from bothering shoppers in a humane, safe way.”

Jenny Coupland, an activist from Peck Savers, said: “Norwich City Council, although no doubt well meaning, haven’t seem to have done any research about any of this across the board.”

She questioned the legality and the efficacy of the contraceptive idea. She cited research by Flo Blackbourn, part of the non lethal pest control service Humane Wildlife Solutions, which critiques the use of contraception on birds as a way of population management and points out it’s “not currently a licensed option in the UK.”

“We’ve formally and comprehensively informed the council of this, if they do go ahead and invest any resources into this idea, they do so in the knowledge that this just won’t work,” she said.

A council spokesperson said: “We are exploring a range of legal and humane ways of deterring the pigeons from our market as part of our wider plans to make it not only the best market in the UK but also Europe.”