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About 100 cormorants have moved into one tree in East Perth, painting the surrounding area white with foul-smelling bird droppings.
Key points:
- A survey found bird droppings are a key issue for local residents
- The City of Perth has ramped up high pressure cleaning to little effect
- It is working with experts to devise possible deterrent measures
It is killing business for venues along Claisebrook Lake, including a nearby pub and at the aptly named Blackbird Restaurant.
The City of Perth has received a number of complaints but there is little it can do because the birds are protected.
Owner and manager of the Claisebrook Bar, Linda White, said the little black cormorants have nested in the area in previous years but this winter their numbers had "exploded" tenfold.
"People walking by cover their noses because of the smell," she said.
"Even when we've got the doors closed, as soon as you open it, the stench comes in.
"It is off-putting, especially when people are trying to eat."
Pedestrians hit by droppings
Ms White said several times a week passers-by would come in to use the venue's bathrooms in order to clean bird droppings off themselves.
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"I've been shat on like three or four times," said local man Skye.
"I walk around this place because I just want to avoid it.
"Also, why are they all just in this one tree? Why not anywhere else?"
Ms White said it was starting to have a huge financial impact on her venue as customers stayed away.
"Some people won't even come into the bar, they just say that 'the smell is absolutely disgusting'," she said.
"I have lost quite a lot of business due to that because people will come and they'll just say, 'I'm not staying here', and they'll walk off."
"We're here to help people have an enjoyable time, and they're not going to get that because of the smell."
City triples high-pressure hose cleaning to little effect
A recent City of Perth survey about the Claisebrook Cove area found the bad odour and bird droppings by the lake was a key issue for residents.
There have also been several formal complaints made to the city about the cormorants since April.
"The City is taking the situation seriously and has put a range of measures in place to lessen the impact of nesting season on the residents and businesses," a spokesperson said.
"Since April, more high-pressure cleaning has been scheduled with cleaning tripled from once per week to three times per week."
The city also conducted a deep clean of the area last Friday morning but people using the area that afternoon said it had barely made a difference.
"The sound was really loud, and then we noticed the smell," said pedestrian Danielle.
"It smells like rubbish bins really very strongly … and maybe urine as well.
"I will definitely walk around next time."
Law prevents removal of nests
Cormorants are native species protected under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016, which makes it an offence to interfere or disturb them.
The Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions have advised the city that if there are no eggs, fledglings or birds in a nest, the nest can be removed without a licence.
But each time the city has inspected the tree, all nests were occupied with eggs or young birds.
According to local cormorant experts, the nesting season runs from April to August and the nests should be empty after August.
"The City is working with experts from DBCA, WA Sea Bird Rescue and other Local Government Areas to determine appropriate options that might discourage the birds from nesting," the city's spokesperson said.
"The City has also consulted Evicom (Environmental Wildlife Management) and Bird Control Australia for possible deterrent measures for future nesting seasons."
"WA Seabird Rescue suggested the cormorants may have been forced to find alternative nesting sites because of habitat loss in the local area."
Local residents suspect the birds relocated their nesting site to East Perth after the City of Bayswater removed vegetation at Lake Brearley in nearby Maylands to prevent birds polluting the water there.
Linda White is among those in East Perth who have called for a net to be put over some trees near Claisebrook Lake next year so the cormorants nest further from the businesses there.