Shooters to blame for high pigeon numbers!

Malta was once the place for Peregrine Falcons nesting on their many sea cliffs around the island but sadly peregrines were shot on sight by an army of locals causing the local pigeon population to explode to such high numbers that pigeon droppings were making many towns and villages covered in the mess. Birgu local council were prepared to have a cull of pigeons but now they have backed down due to local protest.

http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/78321/birgu_council_abandons_pigeon_cull_after_government_intervention#.WUv10Lgg2kk

The peregrine Falcon in Britain is now moving into the towns and cities of Britain due to their high pigeon numbers which cost the local councils/public money £millions to remove the pigeons and the dirt left behind. Up to 260 pairs have now been counted which make up around 1/4 of the total population in Britain. This increase is saving many areas a lot of money as the pigeons are taken as food. Not everybody is happy as local pigeon fanciers hate the Peregrines for taking their private birds even when many become feral and increase the dirt in towns and cities and public cost!

Malta should ask the gun men of their island to pay for the clean up of these pigeons due to them killing the Peregrines in the first place. This would result in the gun men finally stopping shooting the falcons and an island population coming back to ‘naturally’ control these pigeons especially as the Peregrine falcon was once the National Bird – The Maltese Falcon!