Street pigeons are a common sight in many European cities. In fact, a visit to a major European city just would not be the same 16 encountering them: bathing in fountains, perching on historic buildings, and flocking in public squares. In Barcelona, however, the birds are now threatening to 17 the city’s historic center, pooping on monuments, buildings, and even tourists.
The city council originally proposed 18 the pigeon population by gathering the birds and shooting them. But that idea led to strong protests from numerous animal rights groups. After heated debates and discussions, the government was finally persuaded to consider another 19 effective method: giving the pigeons birth control.
In 2016, the city council decided to put its 85,000 pigeon population on a birth control pill to block the formation of eggs in birds. Starting from April 2017, the pills were placed in 40 bird feeders 20 throughout the city. It was predicted that there would be a decrease of 20 percent in the pigeon population in the first year and between 70 and 80 percent in four or five years.
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