Pigeons on the Pill

Pigeons in Hollywood have been gobbling up "contraceptive kibble" since August 2007, and L.A. Unleashed recently followed up on the story, reporting that the nicarbazin-laced pigeon feed, called Ovocontrol P, seems to have been effective in reducing the pigeon population. Pigeons in one monitored area previously numbered 438; after four months, the pigeon population in that location was less than 40 birds. Neighborhood organizers attribute the drop in pigeon numbers to natural attrition and a reduced birth rate.

Organizations such as the Humane Society and PETA have approved the use OvoControl P, which impedes egg development, as a humane method of pigeon population control. According to Innolytics, the company that produces OvoControl, "all avians are considered sensitive to the product," and several techniques are recommended to reduce exposure by songbirds. Innolytic's Web site also states that "OvoControl is considered 'practically non-toxic' by [the] EPA."

--D.W.

Sources:  Los Angeles Times, L.A. Unleashed, Innolytics