First the peacocks, now the pigeons? The ACT government reckons, not quite.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
But it is another example of the government tackling so-called troublesome birds in the suburbs.
Territory and Municipal Services is trying to eradicate pigeons from three underpasses in Tuggeranong by pigeon-proofing crevices the birds use for roosting. Netting and spikes are being used to block the crevices.
TAMS denies the measure is to cut costs at the expense of the birds. Mini street sweepers were used to regularly clean the footpaths of the underpasses, but city services manager Jane Carder said that was no longer practicable, with cleaners unable to keep up with the volume of droppings that virtually re-appeared the day after cleaning.
''We've had an influx of pigeons in the ACT, so just about every underpass is becoming problematic with pigeons. Not only are there droppings on the floor of the underpass, they're also on the walls,'' she said.
''Some of the ones, like at Drakeford Drive, which we've already put pigeon-proofing on, that was quite disgusting.''
TAMS has installed spikes or netting on three underpasses - O'Halloran Circuit, Kambah and at two locations at Drakeford Drive, Kambah and Wanniassa.
Ms Carder said cleaning the droppings was no longer an option as the process kicked up a lot of dust which was unhealthy for the cleaner and the public passing by. Bird droppings could also carry harmful diseases.
''We've been getting quite a few complaints from the public. We tried the pigeon-proofing because these birds are only roosting there, they'll move off into other areas. The pigeons are still around.''
The Canberra Times was supplied photographs which showed pigeons trapped behind the netting at the Wanniassa underpass. Ms Carder said the netting had at that stage not been secured and the pigeons would be released.
Pigeons were still gathering at the Wanniassa underpass on Thursday morning, trying to get back into the crevices. At least part of the netting had not been secured or had been ripped off.
Ms Carder said the bird-proofing at Kambah had been up for longer and been very effective.
She maintained that pigeon-proofing was the most efficient way to deal with the droppings and to prevent health problems for staff and the public.
''When you're dealing with workplace health and safety, you always look at trying to get rid of the problem,'' she said.
And Ms Carder said the pigeon solution was different to that of the peacocks being relocated out of Narrabundah because they were not being removed.
''The pigeons are still flying around, they're just not in the areas we don't want them to be,'' she said.
Canberra Racing Pigeon Combine secretary Peter D'Arcy agreed there were a lot of feral pigeons in Tuggeranong.
Mr D'Arcy said the pigeon racing fraternity would not be unhappy to see the pigeons eradicated altogether, not least because a new disease - pigeon paramyxovirus - had been detected in Victoria and NSW and would inevitably make its way to feral pigeons in Canberra. Racing pigeons were being vaccinated as a preventive measure.
''We'd be happy enough not to have feral pigeons exist there at all,'' he said.
But some locals have expressed dismay at the removal of the pigeons' roostings rather than the removal of the droppings. One resident said her children referred to the Wanniassa underpass as ''pigeon bridge'' and were sad to see them moved on.