A group of bird lovers believes a cover-up is involved in the death of a pigeon and the disappearance of up to 15 others at the Dunedin City Library.
Roland Beaulieu, of Dunedin, contacted the Otago Daily Times yesterday, claiming the pigeons and other birds were the victims of a poisoning operation at the library.
The dead pigeon was found lying in its nest, on a ledge outside the library's third-floor genealogy room, late last week, he said.
It was found by Mr Beaulieu's friend, Dunedin woman Cherrie De Vries, and her aunt, Rosemary Spain, of Rotorua, when the two women visited the library on Friday, he said.
The pigeon had been alive and well, nesting on its perch, next to a small window, the previous day.
The pair spotted what appeared to be bird feed, with black flecks in it, scattered on a nearby balcony, Mrs De Vries said.
The third-floor balcony could only be reached through a locked door, she said.
"Someone knows something," Mrs De Vries said.
However, Dunedin City Council acting library services manager Mike Collett yesterday denied any knowledge of a poisoning operation.
"Honestly, I can't comment because I don't have anything to say. I don't know anything," he said.
Council city property assistant manager Rhonda Abercrombie also denied a poisoning operation was under way.
"We know nothing about it and the council are not poisoning pigeons."
Mr Beaulieu said if it was not an official poisoning operation, then someone must have taken matters into their own hands.
The dead pigeon was almost impossible for contractors to reach, perched three floors above the walkway between the library and Town Hall, he said.
However, he suspected other birds had also been poisoned, but had died in more convenient locations and been cleaned up.
Mr Beaulieu, a bird lover who regularly visited the library, said there were normally up to 15 pigeons in the area, as well as other birds.
"Everything has gone.
"The sparrows have gone, the blackbirds have gone. There were about six different types of birds there, and the only ones left are the seagulls.
"It's a wipe-out," Mr Beaulieu said.
