Town pigeon numbers hit hard by renovation

[The Local 492]

The number of town pigeons in Germany's towns and cities has fallen dramatically over the past decade, with the Berlin population down by two thirds from its 2001 level.

 

Figures from the nature protection society Nabu say there are only around 10,000 town pigeons left in the capital, down from up to 30,000 thought to have been there in 2001. And although there are no recent figures in Frankfurt, officials say that complaints about them have declined over recent years.

 

One of the causes is building renovation, which is undertaken without any consideration for providing space for birds to nest, Lars Lachmann from Nabu told the Frankfurter Rundschau newspaper at the weekend.

 

Click to read the full article.

[perdido 6,082]

Rats with wings!

[Tap 8,059]

Very slow news day!

[Mapleleafdude 4,291]

Schnaaaaaaaarch!

[Moondancer 5,720]

Why would you need to provide nesting space for birds that are happy to nest in U-bahn stations, under bridges, or on balconies with 4 twigs to make a nest.

 

Maybe the pigeons should move back to the forests? These are adaptable birds, and like rats and cockroaches, will survive what ever comes their way.

[Small Town Boy 6,671]

I've never really understood German environmentalists, and getting upset about a fall in the urban pigeon population is just yet another example. These animals are nothing short of disgusting.

 

Isn't there some sporting competition going on somewhere that you could report on? I thought I saw something on TV about it.

[bettina 132]

 

Figures from the nature protection society Nabu say there are only around 10,000 town pigeons left in the capital, down from up to 30,000 thought to have been there in 2001. And although there are no recent figures in Frankfurt, officials say that complaints about them have declined over recent years.

They must have all relocated to Munich.

[BobUK 4,654]

There are a lot less pigeons around here since the BayWa depot closed down.

[SillyOldSlapper 31]

They have all moved to our house We are totally overrun.

I would dearly like to meet someone with a bird of prey as running them out of town seems the best solution

[mike kelly 35]

a hawk will move them on in no time

[Erika N. 484]

 

I've never really understood German environmentalists, and getting upset about a fall in the urban pigeon population is just yet another example. These animals are nothing short of disgusting.

When the Fresh Kills Landfill, also known as the Staten Island Dump (New York City's principal landfill in the second half of the 20th century. It was once the largest landfill as well as the largest man-made structure in the world) was going to be shut down, there were actually protests against its closing from citizens concerned about the gulls, pigeons and other birds that ate there.

 

Never mind that Staten Islanders have some of the highest cancer rates in the entire USA.

 

Go figure!

[Guest]

 

Why would you need to provide nesting space for birds that are happy to nest in U-bahn stations, under bridges, or on balconies with 4 twigs to make a nest.

Not too different from people, really. We're not always too picky about where we "nest": Public sex - Where was your most daring shag?

[theGman 3,100]

JC - You managed to get an Adult Chat thread into a thread about pigeon population. Skillz bro.

[SillyOldSlapper 31]

Anyone have a hawk and need somewhere to fly it?? PLEASE :ph34r:

[Franticfrank 65]

Glad to hear this. Pigeons are the stupidest, dirtiest creatures imaginable. I'll be happy to see less of them.

[AmandaUCSC 1,152]

I'd like to know why there's a fox hanging out in my neighborhood in central Berlin? Poor guy strayed more than 1KM from Tiergarten (didn't they re-introduce foxes there?) and I'm not sure he knows how to get back. Saw him last week in front of an apartment building and then last night trying to hide in a bush near one of the banks by the canal. Not sure what he's eating, he looks scared.

[BobUK 4,654]

It seems to me that bird numbers, generally, have diminished, the dawn chorus is nowhere near as loud & varied as it was a few years ago.

[black1 1,686]

Here in Berlin we have a dawn chorus of crows. In Cornwall when I go back to see the folks it's a dawn chorus of seagulls.

[toko 474]

 

They have all moved to our house We are totally overrun.

I would dearly like to meet someone with a bird of prey as running them out of town seems the best solution

 

Black plastic ravens on your balcony do the trick. No kidding. At first i laughed, too. It works. They're scared shitless.

[chi-beth 53]

@Amanda

I don't think the foxes are just living near the Tiergarten these days. I have seen them near Gesundbrunnen and in Kreuzberg, often along the S-bahn tracks early in the mornings as well. There was an article about it in one of the Berlin newspapers earlier this year, their numbers are up and they are scavenging throughout the city. I used to be really excited when I saw them, but now I think it would be the equivalent of saying I was excited to see a raccoon going through my garbage in the US.