Barcelona's pigeon population exceeds recommended levels by four times

Barcelona exceeds the recommended pigeon population by four times, the city council announced on Wednesday. 

The density of pigeons in the city should be between 300 and 400 per square kilometer, but there are between 1,300 and 1,700 per square kilometer.

Health officials recommend that pigeon populations not exceed 400 per square kilometer to limit the risk of disease transmission to residents. 

To combat this overpopulation, the city council has identified 236 major pigeon feeders: neighbors who feed the birds every day, giving them more than two kilograms of food a day when they only need 30 grams. 

"By feeding them, we support a significant part of the population, more than half. If we stopped feeding them, they wouldn't be there," said Carme Maté, director of the council's animal services.

According to the city council’s calculations, the presence of feeders can triple or quadruple the number of pigeons in specific areas at certain times.

In an effort to reduce the practice, the city council launched a campaign this month to raise public awareness of the need to avoid it.

As part of the campaign, four pairs of informants will visit 40 locations where problems related to pigeon feeding have been identified. 

The campaign is aimed primarily at major pigeon feeders, but also at occasional feeders, such as those who share some of their food or drop crumbs.

Ciutat Vella is the district where the main points of conflict related to pigeon feeding are concentrated. 

The city council has identified nine other hotspots in the city, including Plaça Catalunya, Ciutadella Park and other squares such as Bella Dorita and Folch i Torres.