Toronto's 'Planned Pigeonhood' birth control pilot project confuses locals

Toronto will soon see if its mission to decrease the city's pigeon population — dubbed operation "Planned Pigeonhood" by some — has successfully worked. 

In May 2023, the City installed feeders with a bird birth control known as OvoControl across several urban rooftops in Toronto in an effort to keep the city's booming pigeon population under control. 

The contraceptive, which is made into a wheat-flour kibble, works by allowing pigeons to lay eggs that aren't fertilized. Since there is no embryo inside, the eggs never hatch, which helps to bring the pest's population down. 

With the pilot project now nearing its one-year mark, the City is set to assess the progress of the contraceptive as well as the overall impact of the program to determine future steps in controlling Toronto's chronic pigeon issue.

We (humans) are always doing something to destroy wild life. I just saw a blurb on the news here (no details) that in order to control the Pigeon populations in Toronto they are planning to put "birth control" in bird feeders! How they are going to stop other birds eating it?🤨

— Lesley McLeod (@lesleymac725) February 4, 2024

As opposed to trapping or poisoning the birds, the City calls the contraceptive a "humane strategy" in decreasing the presence of pigeons across Toronto — an issue that has only gotten worse in recent years around major intersections such as Yonge Street and Finch Avenue. 

Hope it doesn’t affect the birds of prey that possibly use them for food.

— Elizabeth Wallace (@GurnECow) February 5, 2024

Reactions to the program have been mixed, with some questioning the cost of the project — estimated to be around $24,000 a year — and others expressing concern for the contraceptive's possible impact on other wildlife. 

The program costs approximately $500 per site with each location targeting a flock of around 150 birds. So far, the automatic feeders have been placed in multiple wards throughout the city, including University-Rosedale (two sites), Beaches-East York and Don Valley North, with an additional site planned for Spadina-Fort York later in February. 

The City of Toronto initiated a pilot program using automatic bird feeders to dispense OvoControl® to pigeons. OvoControl, a non-toxic, safe, effective, and humane contraceptive is used in other cities as well to reduce pigeon populations safely. pic.twitter.com/AC5lHuFP90

— Planned Pigeonhood (@OvoControlP) January 17, 2024

The program is expected to decrease the targeted pigeon population by 50 per cent annually. 

What about unintended consequences? Giving wild animals drugs that are then consumed by it's predators such as the hawks and falcons? Did they publish the review study for the public to look at? I didn't see one linked.

— Wayne Sabourin (@WISGameMaster) February 4, 2024

In 2019, Vancouver's transportation network, TransLink, similarly attempted to control its pigeon issue at eight SkyRain stations, which were regularly plagued by the birds causing service delays or walking along the tracks.

Our pigeons are part of our city family — we should care for them.

— Kathleen Gorman (@Kfinleygorman) February 4, 2024

The project comes just a few months after City Council adopted changes to include limits to the number of domestic pigeons that are permitted to be owned.

..... Are they giving pigeons birth control? pic.twitter.com/NtfmSHOu1u

— Josh Beaulne (@joshuabeaulne) February 5, 2024

Under the bylaw, anyone keeping domestic pigeons in Toronto must keep no more than 30 domestic pigeons on a property, with allowances for an increase to a maximum of 50 during breeding season.