Poison suspect in deaths

POISONED pigeons may have caused the mysterious death of the CBD's only family of peregrine falcons.

Since the Herald Sun reported the deaths yesterday there have been suggestions the rare birds were killed by a storm, a new strain of bird disease, or even malicious pigeon fanciers.

But Victor Hurley from the Victorian Peregrine Project said it is more likely the falcons died after snacking on pigeons poisoned by commercial operators.

He said his group was investigating similar incidents of sudden peregrine death in Melbourne.

"This year we've seen two other separate incidents," he said. "We've heard reports of companies poisoning pigeons on their sites and peregrines dying from eating those poisoned pigeons."

The Melbourne City Council doesn't poison its pigeons but it is believed individuals routinely lay baits to solve their own pigeon problems.

Ring secretary of the Victorian Homing Association Steve Letch said the dead Collins St falcons snacked on his homing pigeons a couple of times a year.

Mr Letch, who identifies and logs members' pigeons, said security guards at the Collins St Optus building found carcasses of his pigeons with identity rings still on. The Department of Sustainability and the Environment yesterday took delivery for autopsy of one falcon carcass.

But while the Collins St peregrines are gone another family of falcons is thriving. Perched on a 250m oil refinery tower in Altona a male and female peregrine have successfully hatched half their eggs in the face of thrashing storms, rain and gale.

Origin: Herald Sun Melbourne 16 November 2004