Coldiretti: i piccioni si “mangiano” il 70 per cento della produzione di girasoli in Valdinievole

In brief

Pigeons are destroying 70 percent of the sunflower production in Valdinievole, according to the agricultural organization Coldiretti.

Lorella Pellis reports that the large number of pigeons affects crops at multiple stages of growth. The birds damage the plants when they first sprout from the ground and again when the sunflowers are ready for harvest. During the harvest period, the pigeons feed on the flower heads to consume the seeds.