Pigeons on the pill in Barcelona

An overpopulation of pigeons in a town near Barcelona has led the town hall to take the decision to control the birds through contraceptives. The scheme, which was announced on the town hall website, was launched yesterday (July 13).
The birds will be fed the pills through automatic dispensers around the Catalan town of Badia del Valles. The pills, consisting of 10 grams of Ovistop, is a corn seed product covered with a contraceptive, ensuring that the birds will take their medicine regularly.
It is hoped that the scheme will eliminate around 80 per cent of the pigeon population within the next four to five years.