The City of Dauphin is launching a new downtown pigeon control program that aims to reduce the bird population through fertility management rather than traditional culling methods.
City council has approved a three-year pilot project that will combine an initial trapping and removal effort with the use of a fertility-control product designed to prevent pigeon eggs from hatching.
Deputy City Manager Lisa Gaudet said the initiative was developed in response to growing concerns from downtown businesses and residents about pigeon activity and the accumulation of droppings on sidewalks, buildings, signs and other public spaces.
“We’ve received an increasing number of concerns from downtown businesses and residents over the past several years regarding pigeon activity,” Gaudet said. “Council felt it was important to take a proactive approach before the issue became more significant.”
The program will begin this month with targeted trapping and removal efforts conducted by pest control company Orkin. Three automated rooftop feeding stations will then be installed in the downtown core to dispense specially formulated pellets that reduce pigeon reproduction rates.
Gaudet said the city does not have an official estimate of its pigeon population, but noted that pigeons are a common feature of urban environments across North America.
Council selected the fertility-control approach because it is considered a humane and long-term method of population management, she said.
“Historically, many communities relied on culling, but research has shown that removing birds often creates a temporary vacancy that is quickly filled by pigeons from surrounding areas,” Gaudet said. “Similarly, relocation is generally ineffective because pigeons have a strong homing instinct and often return to their original roosting sites.”
Instead of removing birds from the population, the pellet system gradually reduces the number of young pigeons entering the flock by preventing eggs from hatching. As older birds die naturally, overall numbers decline over time.
Gaudet said the method has been used in other North American communities and is supported by many animal welfare organizations as an alternative to lethal control measures.
While some reduction in pigeon numbers may be noticeable within the first few months, the city acknowledges the program is designed as a long-term strategy rather than an immediate solution.
“Communities often begin to see reductions within the first few months, with more noticeable results as the program continues,” Gaudet said. “We are hopeful residents and businesses will begin to notice improvements over the summer and into the fall, but the most significant population reductions are expected to occur over multiple breeding cycles.”
The city plans to evaluate the program’s effectiveness throughout the three-year pilot.
Gaudet emphasized that the goal is not to eliminate pigeons from Dauphin entirely.
“Our objective is to manage the population at a level that reduces nuisance issues, protects public infrastructure and improves cleanliness in the downtown area while using a humane and sustainable approach,” she said.
By Steven Sukkau, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Original Published on Jun 15, 2026 at 22:01
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