La Crosse to work with USDA to control city's pigeon problem

LA CROSSE, Wis. (WKBT) - La Crosse has entered into a partnership to help control the city's pigeon problem.

The city's parking department is working with the United States Department of Agriculture to remove pigeons from the downtown area. Nets will be shot over groups of pigeons to capture and remove the birds from the area.

The decision was made after the city approved more than $30,000 earlier this year to clean up pigeon droppings at a local parking ramp.

Parking officials hope the removal effort will help prevent costly cleanups in the future.

"Maybe we can get a better handle on keeping flock lower. We're never going to eliminate them all, but if we can get the flock lower maybe we can kind of stay on top of it,” said La Crosse Parking Utility Coordinator Jim Flottmeyer.

The program is expected to cost about $23,000. Dates for the program are not yet set up.