This is a measure to reduce the plague in a controlled manner and minimise the damage caused by these species.

The Consell de Mallorca has declared a temporary hunting emergency to regulate the populations of wood pigeons and doves given the damage and risks caused by these species on the island, which are causing serious economic damage to the island’s agricultural and livestock sectors and population centres.

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The Consell de Mallorca declares a temporary hunting emergency

The resolution, published today in the Official Gazette of the Balearic Islands (BOIB), which has been adopted by the Hunting Service of the Department of Environment, Rural Affairs and Sports, will allow hunting within reserves during an extraordinary period in August.

They have reported that this is a “prudent and proportionate” measure and that it aims to reduce the “plague” in a controlled manner and thus minimise the serious economic damage it causes to cereal and olive groves, as well as the impact these species are having on vines, a highly valued local product. The aim is to reduce the damage caused to livestock, to certain population centres and to the public and architectural heritage.

The second vice-president and councillor for the Environment, Rural Affairs and Sports, Pedro Bestard, explained that “some bird species are disadvantaged by urbanisation and agricultural changes, while others know how to take advantage, adapting to human activities to the point of proliferation that is detrimental to the environment. At this point, it is often referred to as a plague, and this is the situation in which pigeons and wood pigeons find themselves at present.

Effects on livestock and population centres

The livestock sector also suffers problems due to the accumulation of nests and droppings in roosts, consuming livestock feed and, at the same time, posing a health risk.

In this regard, the island’s director of Hunting, Sebastià Perelló, explained that “pigeons and wood pigeons transfer this health risk to the human environment” and, to this end, added that “the proliferation of both species has negative effects on swimming pools, furniture and roofs of public and private buildings”.

“This problem is so global and widespread that most of the island’s town councils are affected and are looking for measures to combat the situation,” says Perelló.
On the other hand, technicians in the field of conservation of public and architectural heritage have already made an appeal in view of the degradation that the façades of buildings of great heritage value are suffering, due to the corrosion caused by the accumulation of excrement.

Another scenario affected by the uncontrolled proliferation of these species is airport navigation, endangering the safety of air traffic, due to the risk of aerial collision they represent.

Permitted time period

For all these reasons, the Consell de Mallorca has declared a hunting emergency between 4 and 31 August. Specifically, pigeons and wood pigeons will be allowed to be hunted in hunting reserves on the 4th, 8th, 11th, 15th, 15th, 18th, 22nd, 25th and 29th, in conjunction with the general hunting period. It should be borne in mind that within the general regime, woodpigeon hunting starts on 22 August and pigeon hunting on 1 September.

The time period has been selected by combining technically analysed variables and seeking a prudent and proportionate approach, taking into account the dates and the land within which the control is to be carried out.

The ultimate aim is to reduce the populations of wood pigeons and doves, without causing a great impact beyond traditional hunting, so that other control measures become exceptional.

Finally, the Consell de Mallorca has thanked the farmers and hunters for their work, recalling that hunting under the general regime, and in accordance with current regulations, is “the most conservative control tool that exists and allows the reduction of these populations”.

The island institution also recognises the work of mayors and municipal technicians who have to deal with this problem on a daily basis in complicated scenarios, and wants to set up a direct advice line to support them and ensure that this task of species control is carried out as effectively as possible.