A trial project to use contraceptive-laced bird feed has been proposed to curb an increase in crow populations in Bandar Bukit Tinggi, Klang in Selangor.
This is to shift from Klang Royal City Council’s (MBDK) traditional culling methods towards a more humane form of population control, said councillor Chris Lee.
He said the drug that functioned as contraceptive was non-lethal.
“The oral contraceptive weakens egg yolk membranes to prevent hatching,” he explained.
He added that MBDK would receive a briefing in a month from the drug’s local distributor based in Shah Alam.
According to the American manufacturer’s website, the method has been used to control population of other pest birds such as pigeons.
MBDK Corporate Communications Department director Norfiza Mahfiz said the city council had discussed the matter with its Health Department’s sub-committee.
Lee said Bandar Bukit Tinggi, renowned for its vibrant commercial strips, night stalls and open-air eateries, had long battled the problem of a large population of crows.
“While the birds are a common fixture of city landscapes, their rapidly multiplying numbers have sparked mounting concerns among local business owners, shoppers and residents,” he said.
Last month, licensed shooters culled 3,083 crows in a day at Bandar Bukit Tinggi and its surrounding areas, bringing the cumulative total close to 6,000 for the year so far.
Lee said the main reason behind the increase in the crow population in Klang’s commercial zones was the ready availability of food in addition to trees in which they could shelter.
He said the problem was compounded by some eateries dumping food scraps into drains or failing to dispose food waste properly, thus giving the birds a surplus of food which in turn enabled their population to multiply unchecked.
He pointed out that the overpopulation of crows resulted in several urban management challenges that involved public health and hygiene.
“Bird droppings deface commercial properties, vehicles and outdoor dining furniture.
“It can also pose potential health risks as dried bird droppings can harbour fungal spores and bacteria,” he added.
According to Lee, the acidic nature of crow’s droppings accelerated the corrosion of metal fixtures, signage and building facades, causing high maintenance costs for property owners and the local council.
“Bird droppings often create unsightly mess in high-traffic pedestrian areas like tree-lined sidewalks and roads.
“Dead birds are also an issue.”
He said MBDK had relied on reactive measures such as shooting the birds, which was a short-term solution as new flocks would migrate to exploit the available food sources.
Ngu Leh Ping, a shop owner at Lorong Batu Nilam 4A, said parked vehicles also end up covered in bird droppings.
