‘Sad and inhumane’: Yishun resident finds nearly 30 pigeons, most of them dead, lying near HDB blocks

The pigeons were either dead, or twitching and having tremors. Some pigeons were also found on the grass patches between Block 436 and Block 438 in Yishun Avenue 11. PHOTOS: MS AISHAH

SINGAPORE - Close to 30 pigeons, many of them dead or unconscious, were found on grass patches and in the common areas between Block 436 and Block 438 in Yishun Avenue 11 on the evening of May 22.

A resident, who wanted to be known only as Ms Aishah, said some of the birds were struggling, flapping their wings while on the ground.

The administrative executive, 28, also spotted children playing nearby at around 6pm that day, when she was on her way to pick up her younger brother from school.

The pigeons were still there when she returned to check four hours later at 10pm. “This is my first time seeing dead pigeons in the area,” said Ms Aishah.

She contacted the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres), which arrived at the scene within the hour.

“It’s very sad and inhumane to see not just a few but about 20 dead birds lying around where people were walking, some with their pets, and with stray cats and children around. It’s not safe,” she said.

“Some of the kids who were playing where the birds were found were very young, maybe less than four years old.”

An e-mail sent to Ms Aishah from a Nee Soon Town Council spokesman said there was a “scheduled pigeon treatment” on May 22 to manage the pigeon population, which has caused hygiene problems and inconveniences to residents.

The e-mail, seen by The Straits Times, stated that cleaners would usually be present during and after the treatment to clear the dead birds. It added that the town council was “disheartened” to hear that the cleanup was not done in time.

The spokesman added that the cleaners were given a verbal warning to be more alert during such operations so that the dead birds do not pose a danger.

In response to queries from ST, the spokesman said the town council takes an “active and balanced approach” in managing the pigeon population, to address the conflicting demands of residents on such issues and to protect them from getting sick due to the bacteria in pigeon droppings.

“It is important to note that pigeons are known to transmit a wide range of diseases through their droppings,” said the spokesman. “People with lower immunity are more susceptible to getting infected.”

The town council’s approach includes preventive measures such as the use of spikes to prevent pigeons from nesting and roosting, and efforts to discourage pigeon feeding and improper food waste disposal, said the spokesman.

“The town council also works with the National Parks Board (NParks) to apply humane practices for pigeon population management operations in our town wherever possible,” added the spokesman. “However, the issue of overpopulation of pigeons persists.”

An independent survey conducted by the Municipal Services Office in 2022 showed that Nee Soon GRC ranks among the lowest in residents’ satisfaction relating to bird nuisance at 52 per cent, compared with the national average of 60 per cent, said the spokesman.

Acres co-chief executive Anbarasi Boopal told ST that 20 pigeons were found dead when the non-profit’s wildlife rescue team arrived on the night of May 22, while seven others were taken in by the team and treated.

The birds were observed to be twitching and having tremors, unable to walk or stand properly and had their eyes closed, said Ms Anbarasi, who added that this aligns with the effects of a drug called alpha-chloralose (AC), which can be used to cull birds.

“It makes the birds lose their ability to control body temperature, or defend themselves from danger by flying away or moving,” said Ms Anbarasi.

“Many times, we have observed these birds falling prey to other animals, or drowning in drains or canals, or dying from being cold for too long.”

Some of the birds that were still alive upon the wildlife rescue team's arrival were put in a cage. PHOTO: MS AISHAH

Senior Minister of State for National Development Sim Ann told Parliament in 2021 that NParks had been working with town councils to encourage them to move away from the use of toxins and to adopt animal control measures and practices that are humane and safe.

Yet Acres has rescued over 1,000 poisoned birds in the past two years, noted Ms Anbarasi.

It has also been reaching out to town councils since 2020 to end the use of AC for pigeon control, as it is not only inhumane and ineffective, but also works indiscriminately on any animal consuming it, said Ms Anbarasi.

She added that AC could have been mixed into food bait fed to the pigeons, as the rescue team has observed rice and bread being tossed to the birds by control operators.

“While we are glad there are additional efforts such as the tray-return policy by the National Environment Agency and intensive prominent educational signs on pigeon feeding by some town councils, we hope more measures are put in place to bring the pigeon population down effectively, using the food-reduction approach and ending feeding by residents,” said Ms Anbarasi.

“Culling them without reducing food sources will cause an increase in population, as more food will be available for fewer pigeons to breed successfully.”

Acres has reached out to Nee Soon Town Council to better understand the issue and hopes to conduct site visits in the future, added Ms Anbarasi.

In response to queries from ST, NParks group director of wildlife management Adrian Loo said rock pigeons are not native to Singapore and are an invasive species that competes with the native species.

“Their droppings dirty the environment and cause disamenities such as the soiling of clothes,” said Dr Loo.

He said the agency takes a science-based approach towards the management of invasive bird species, which includes active population control measures such as trapping and culling, habitat modification like targeted tree pruning, and undertaking studies to understand the ecology of pest birds.

NParks also works with town councils and other agencies to reduce food sources such as by tackling high-rise littering and managing waste at food establishments, said Dr Loo.

Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.