Pest management operation to protect people and palms

An operation to reduce the city’s feral pigeon population begins this week.

Hamilton City Council’s Parks and Open Spaces Manager Sally Sheedy says the operation will focus on the Hamilton Lake Domain, where feral pigeons have become a problem and present a risk to the health and safety of members of the public.

“The pigeons roost in the mature Phoenix Palms at the domain, and it’s their excrement which creates a health and safety issue,” says Ms Sheedy. “The build-up of the pigeons’ excrement is adversely affecting the Domain’s Phoenix Palms.”

“The excrement is unsanitary, smelly and slippery, and it’s building up on footpaths and picnic tables. It also has the potential to transmit diseases.”

Ms Sheedy says Council’s Parks and Open Spaces Unit has contracted pest control firm Rentokil to carry out the cull. The company’s staff members are trained professional marksmen who will use silenced air rifles.

The cull will be undertaken across six nights in December after the domain has been closed to the public, and the fallen birds will be removed immediately.

Ms Sheedy says all lakeside residents and relevant organisations have been advised of the cull, and a similar operation was successfully carried out in 2009.

“We can assure the community we have taken the humane and responsible option to deal with this problem and will be managing it as effectively and efficiently as possible.”

Ms Sheedy says a second phase of the operation may be implemented in January.