MBPP officers using a trap at a hotspot near Penang Road, George Town, to catch pigeons. — ZHAFARAN NASIB/The Star
Signs put up to inform public on diseases, up to RM250 fines for feeding birds
PIGEONS are increasing in number and dominance, especially in urban areas these days.
On Penang island, just head over to town and even if you do not spot the tourists, you will not miss the birds.
Penang Island City Council (MBPP) is now ramping up its efforts to control the pigeon menace.
Councillor Quah Boon Lim, who is also the city council’s environment health sub-committee chairman, said the operation to trap the birds would be carried out four times a week, compared to twice a week previously.
He said the birds would be caught using new cages with remote-control operated doors.
Measuring 28cm x 92.7cm x 55.8cm, each cage would be set up with bait to lure the pigeons, he said.
“An enforcement personnel then presses a button to trap the birds. We have made this device from recycled chicken cages.
“Previously, we used nets to catch them but the pigeons are fast. Sometimes, we would come away without any birds,” he said, adding that the new method has worked.
Quah said the operation was a collaboration between the environmental health department, council enforcement unit and services department.
“We will carry out spot checks at hotspots and have even set up portable close-circuit TVs to check if anyone is feeding the pigeons.
“Bird repellent has also been installed at hotspots to prevent pigeon infestation.”
“We have noticed that it is mostly senior citizens who feed them,” he said, adding that the elderly folk were often unaware that their act was an offence tantamount to littering.
“We changed the signboards to emphasise that they should not feed the pigeons,” he said.
Quah said 28 pigeon hotspots in Penang island were identified, while 31 signboards stating “No feeding of birds or animals” had been erected in public areas.
He said the original board was a general sign stating that it was prohibited to feed animals, but the new one specified pigeons and the list of diseases they could cause.
“The sign further specifies that there is a maximum compound of RM250 for those caught feeding pigeons.
“The city council issued 10 compounds between January and July this year,” adding that in a recent spot check, MBPP issued three compounds in a day under Section 47(1)(g) Street, Drainage and Building Act 1974 for littering in public.
Quah hoped the new signage would stop people from feeding the birds.
“Pigeons only turn up because there is food.
“We have to continue to come up with innovative ways to get rid of these birds as they are smart and will eventually figure out our strategy.”
He said the cages would work for some time, but the birds might learn to detect when enforcement officers were turning up.
“The only way to ensure the pigeon population decreases is to work with the public and create awareness on diseases the pigeons can bring about,” he said.
Besides catching the pigeons, Quah said MBPP was also trying out “ovocontrol” – a method to reduce pigeons laying eggs by introducing a special type of feed.
He added that since 2018, the city council had been trapping pigeons and the numbers had been on the rise.
“In 2018, we caught 3,419 pigeons, followed by 2019 (3,811), 2020 (6,848), 2021 (5,572), 2022 (5,020) and 2023 (6,286),” he said.
