Several birds were recently found poisoned in Ames.

Ames Animal Shelter and Control received several phone calls about pigeons and crows having convulsions and seizures on sidewalks and in parking lots downtown, Lorna Lavender, director of the shelter, said.

She said none of the birds that were brought to the shelter recovered. Some died on their own, while others had to be put to sleep.

Tim Hanks of ISU’s Wildlife Care Clinic said a pigeon that was having a seizure was brought to the clinic, but the cause of the seizure was not determined.

In addition, a small falcon that was thought to have been poisoned actually was not, Hanks said. It only had broken carpals.

“We never found out who was poisoning the animals, but we know what was used,” Lavender said.

Corn baited with a chemical frightening agent called Avitrol was used to poison the birds, she said.

Lavender said Avitrol is one of the recommended methods for population control.

However, it may not be the best option. “It’s certainly not a humane death for the bird,” she said.

JoAn Lafayette, office manager for Dian Pest Control, said Avitrol can cause poisoning and death if improperly mixed.

It is a restricted-use pesticide, she said, and requires a special license to purchase.

The poisoning apparently has stopped, Lavender said.

Lavender said the shelter employees hope to work with business owners and residents to find other solutions to the bird problems “so that we can co-exist.”

Lavender said none of the business owners she spoke with enjoyed the idea of poisoning, but they said the shelter has not been able to work with them on developing other solutions.

“I think it’s really too bad that we don’t look for natural solutions,” said Terry Lowman, owner of Cafe Luc’s on Main Street.

His suggestion, he said, is to let cats loose downtown.

Other solutions, like poisoning or cutting down trees, he said, are not ideal solutions.

“There’s just too many of them,” Lowman said. “They’re a health hazard.”

However, he said birds do not create as much of a problem now as they have in past years.

“Droppings is the biggest problem, especially from pigeons because they carry disease,” Lafayette said. “It’s rather nasty.”

Lavender said downtown business people work hard to clean up feces deposited by the birds.

She said the shelter has received complaints about sparrows and starlings but not about the pigeon population downtown.

The shelter does not personally handle bird control, Lavender said, but they do provide information and referrals.