Submitted Ideas

Pigeons on piers cause bad water quality and resulting beach warnings/closures

Posted by Capt.David Bacon | California, United States

Growing populations of pigeons make coastal piers their homes because of good roosting opportunities and are polluting nearshore waters with their droppings. Water quality testing is commonly done from piers and decisions are made regarding beach safety warnings and closures. Increases in pier pigeon populations are impacting beach goers’ recreational opportunities. This problem is replicated on many piers, so the problem is widespread and a solution would benefit a great many people in a great many places.

I have a bait & tackle shop on Goleta Pier near UCSB and the place is overrun by pigeons which have no natural deterrent to roosting on and under the pier. Some folks enjoy and feed these birds, so eradication would not be a universally popular solution. Goleta Pier and my shop would be a good study location and a place to work out solutions which might benefit coastal communities.