**2. Case study of Texas Tech campus**

*Wildlife Population Monitoring*

in urban areas across the world [9].

thousands throughout many cities [10].

be straining on family and commercial businesses [7].

**1.1 Pigeon problem**

**1.2 Human impacts**

up pigeon excrement [22, 23].

**1.3 Impacts on other species**

rock pigeons became the first known domesticated bird [8]. Throughout history, these domesticated birds were honored for their reproductive ability and because they were an important food source [9]. As agriculture developed, the use of pigeons for meat dwindled, leading to the species escaping and creating feral flocks

Humans did not consider pigeons to be a nuisance until the twentieth century [10]. Pigeon abundance is positively correlated with human density [11]. Because of the increase in human abundance and activity, pigeon ability to exploit many different food types [5, 12] and this combined with low predation risks caused an increase in pigeon population growth [13]. Buildings found in cities closely resemble cliffs and pose a synthetic habitat for pigeons [14]. Moreover, cities provide a wide variety of resources for pigeons, from nesting [15] and roosting locations [5] to increased ambient temperature [11]. Nowadays, they can be seen roosting in the

With an increase in abundance comes an increase in economic impacts and health issues associated with pigeons. Each year in the United States, pigeons cause approximately 1.1 billion dollars in environmental and infrastructural damage [4]. For example, pigeons residing in cities that are surrounded by agriculture often steal grain from nearby silos [6]. One such warehouse lost 3 tons of grain a week due to pigeon theft [6]. Feral pigeons can also cause building damage. An individual pigeon can excrete up to 12 kg of excrement a year [16]. Due to their human-modified diet, feral pigeons typically have more acidic excreta compared to wild rock pigeons [17]. The compounding effects of high pigeon abundance, large amounts of excreta, and high levels of acidity can have devastating results for building structures. The acidity alone can cause structural and esthetic damage over time [7]. Feces and nest material can clog drainage systems, causing internal damage to buildings [7]. The costs to clean and repair structural damage caused by pigeons can

Damage to buildings is insignificant when it comes to health concerns that pigeons pose. Many citizens view pigeons as pests that can spread plague-like diseases via excreta, secretions, parasites, and dust from their feathers [7, 18]. Diseases can be spread by excrement and dust, and thus direct contact is not needed for transmission [19]. Diseases that can be potentially transmitted from pigeons to humans include aspergillosis, borreliosis, coccidiosis, chlamydiosis, equine encephalitis, influenza, paramyxovirus, paratyphoid, toxoplasmosis, and tuberculosis [19, 20], and some can potentially be lethal [18]. How often these diseases spread to humans is uncertain [7]. The most common pathogen transmitted to humans via pigeons is *Chlamydophila psittaci* [21]. The fungus *Histoplasma capsulatum* found in pigeon excrement is even more concerning [7]. With a large amount of excreta present in areas of high human activity, the possibility of humans becoming infected is high [7]. Maintenance workers have been infected with *histoplasmosis* after cleaning

Pigeons are a vector of several diseases that can be a hazard to domestic fowl and native species within cities. The paramyxovirus is a highly contagious respiratory

**40**

Reducing pigeon numbers requires a multifaceted approach based on robust ecological information. Texas Tech University (TTU) located in Lubbock, Texas has had a history with pigeons. In the 1950s, TTU would host annual pigeon hunts on campus to decrease pigeon abundance and to supply food for the Christmas celebration at Milan's Children's home [31]. In the winter of 1957, 475 pigeons were shot on campus for the annual hunt [31]. Today, the main campus has approximately 100 Spanish Renaissance adorned buildings [32] on a 744 ha lot [33]. According to the physical plant at TTU, around \$200,000 is spent each year cleaning up after pigeons on campus (Sean Childers, personal communication).

Because of the adverse effects caused by pigeons, TTU is conducting a detailed ecological study of their population residing on campus. The purpose of this study is to obtain estimates of population size. This will form a baseline to determine if there are significant decreases in abundance due to management strategies. Secondly, we will be able to recognize areas that have a high abundance of pigeons (hot spots), where we can then impose population reduction methods more aggressively. Thirdly, we will study how populations fluctuate throughout the year due to seasonal changes in the environment.

In 2017, we estimated abundance to be approximately 9819–13,757 pigeons [34]. We also found hot spots scattered across campus that had 649–750 pigeons [34]. To reduce the population, TTU is planning a management strategy that includes habitat modification and sterilization techniques. The estimated abundance can be used to determine if the strategy is effective and if there is a significant reduction over time. Hot spots in abundance can assist in determining where habitat modification and sterilization processes can be most effective in decreasing population size.

Along with enumerating pigeon abundance, we characterized population variation over time (**Figure 1**). By examining two buildings, the Experimental Sciences Building (ESB) and Holden Hall (HH), on campus that housed large pigeon populations, we found that there were daily and seasonal differences in numbers [35]. Abundance typically increased in the winter, except for ESB in the morning. Normally, morning counts for ESB were higher than afternoon counts [35]. Holden Hall pigeon abundance fluctuated from morning to the afternoon but increased throughout the year [35].

**Figure 1.**

*Seasonal counts in the morning and afternoon of pigeons on two buildings on Texas Tech campus in 2017. ESB = experimental science building, HH = holden hall. Standard error ± 1.*

Information on fluctuations in pigeon abundance can help when trying to organize a successful management plan. For example, we can determine if decreases in pigeon abundance are due to seasonal variation or due to management strategies, or when efforts to decrease abundance could be eased or made more active. However, to determine the most effective management for decreasing pigeon numbers, further understanding of ecology is necessary.
