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Reducing the availability of food to control feral pigeons: changes in population size and composition
Author(s) -
Senar Juan C,
Montalvo Tomás,
Pascual Jordi,
Peracho Victor
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
pest management science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.296
H-Index - 125
eISSN - 1526-4998
pISSN - 1526-498X
DOI - 10.1002/ps.4272
Subject(s) - culling , abundance (ecology) , population , biology , food composition data , composition (language) , population size , ecology , geography , food science , environmental health , medicine , linguistics , philosophy , herd , orange (colour)
BACKGROUND As feeding by humans is one of the main food resources to pigeons ( Columba livia ), there is general agreement that public education that aims to reduce the food base may be the most feasible way to reduce pigeon abundance. However, except for the classic example of Basel, the method has rarely been tested or implemented. We provide results from a 1 year study in the city of Barcelona where we tested the effect of public education on pigeon population abundance and composition. RESULTS The quantity of food provided by people to pigeons was significantly reduced during the study. Feral pigeon density was reduced by 40% in the two experimental districts, but no variation was detected in the control district. Detailed analyses in one of the districts showed that the reduction was mainly related to the reduction in food availability but not to culling. Pigeons captured at the end of the experiment were larger than at the start of the study, but body condition was reduced. CONCLUSION Results show the effectiveness of public information to manage feral pigeon populations in a large city, and that control operations can exert important selection pressure on the population, leading to changes in population composition. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry