Authorities in Krakow, Poland’s second-largest city and main tourist destination, have announced plans for a program designed to reduce the urban bird population. The initiative will distribute specially treated corn laced with pills through custom-built feeders positioned in areas where the winged residents gather most densely.
For centuries, flocks of pigeons congregating in Krakow’s historic center have created one of the city’s most recognizable scenes. The birds are so woven into local culture that legend tells of a witch who transformed the knights of Henry Probus, a 13th-century high duke, into pigeons that pecked stones from St. Mary’s Church, turning them into gold.
But what was once folklore has become a modern urban management challenge. City officials say the program responds to growing complaints about droppings on buildings and pavements, plus damage to public infrastructure.
The approach represents a gentler alternative to traditional population control methods. Rather than trapping or removing birds, the contraceptive feed will gradually reduce breeding rates and lower the number of pigeons in public spaces over time.
Krakow is implementing the program in partnership with academic researchers and an animal welfare organization. Przemysław Baran, a veterinarian working on the project, says the initiative addresses more than just nuisance concerns.
“Every day, we receive 20-30 pigeons that need medical attention, and we are not the only center that deals with such pigeons,” Baran explained in a video. “We decided to find a systematic solution.”
The program’s funding came through the city’s participatory budget process, where residents propose and vote on projects to be implemented with municipal resources. Initially launched as a pilot, the contraceptive feed will be placed in selected locations hosting the largest bird populations.
Sabina Janeczko, Krakow’s animal welfare officer, has assured residents that the pills pose no health risks to humans.
The method isn’t entirely unprecedented. Similar programs have been tested in other European cities, including Brussels, as urban centers across the continent search for ways to manage wildlife populations without resorting to lethal measures.
Poland has increasingly turned to creative solutions for its urban animal challenges. Last year, the coastal city of Gdynia began planting fragrant flowers like hyacinths to repel wild boars encroaching on residential neighborhoods. Krakow itself tested high-tech boar traps in 2021 and later appealed to residents to stop feeding the animals.
Meanwhile, the mountain resort town of Zakopane installed reinforced rubbish bins designed to withstand bears and created a specialized unit tasked with keeping the animals away from populated areas.
The pillbeing used in the pigeon program, nicarbazin, prevents eggs from hatching without harming the birds themselves. The compound is delivered through treated corn dispensed in specially designed feeders that ensure controlled distribution.
