- We’ll have to add “bird executioner” to our list of professions we didn’t know existed.
Limburg an der Lahn is a picturesque city in the state of Hesse in western Germany. But Limburg has a problem.
A problem in the shape of a pigeon.
Well, hundreds of pigeons, to be accurate. The birds have become such a nuisance that the locals are reaching the end of their rope.
The pigeons flock to Limburg’s parks, bother residents with their noise, and poop on everything. Recently, the local government held a vote on what they should do with the pigeons.
The referendum’s result was grim. Limburgers voted to kill every last pigeon town.
So, it’s an animal cull — nothing too outlandish. That is, until you hear about the absolutely ludicrous method Limburg intends to use to kill the birds.
With a Whack and a Snap
In order to eradicate its pigeon population, estimated to be 700-1,000 birds strong, Limburg intends to hire a falconer. Makes sense, right?
It might if the falconer used a, you know, falcon to catch the pigeons. But the thing is, there are no falcons involved whatsoever.
Instead, the falconer will construct a large pigeon that will be filled with tasty treats. It should work like a fish trap — it’s easy for the birds to enter but almost impossible to leave.
The bird-catcher will then enter the cage, armed with a wooden club. He’ll whack the pigeons on the head to stun them and then snap their necks.
A “falconer?” Sounds more like an executioner to us.
Yet, that’s how Limburg plans to take care of the problem. If everything goes to plan, the city is supposed to be pigeon-free in two years’ time.
Put It to a Vote
The bizarre pigeon-culling plan was originally devised already in 2023. Following a count of the birds early in the year (which produced the estimate of roughly 700 to 1,000 pigeons), the Limburg city council came up with the pigeon-whacking and neck-breaking plan.
At the time, however, the execution method came under fire from animal welfare organizations and activists. Admittedly, the opponents have a point — the city council’s plan certainly sounds cruel and unusual.
So, the council decided to put the plan to vote. They organized a referendum on June 9, asking the 36,000 residents of Limburg whether they’d like to break some pigeon necks.
Of those who voted, 53% supported the city council’s plan. The “Yes, kill the pigeons” option garnered 7,530 votes, reported Euronews.
So, people wanted broken pigeon necks, and that’s what they’re now going to get. Still, even the city council itself seemed surprised by the outcome.
“Today’s result was unpredictable for us. The citizens have made use of their right and decided that the animals should be reduced by a falconer,” said Limburg mayor Marius Hahn.
Yet, animal activists are still challenging Limburg’s pigeon plan on both state and federal levels.
Not Even Effective
Even if Limburg’s “falconer” got to start his grim work, it’s unlikely the city would be free of its pigeon plight. Past experience shows that bird genocide is simply not a very effective way to control the cooing and pooping things.
For a cull to work, you would basically have to kill every last pigeon at once. Otherwise, the pigeons will replenish their numbers by both making babies and having new pigeons arrive from elsewhere.
We’ve seen it happen before. The city of Basel in Switzerland, for example, killed 100,000 pigeons every year between 1961 and 1985.
Yet, each annual count showed that the pigeon population remained the same. Consequently, the city developed what’s now known as the Basel Method — and it actually works.
Instead of actively killing the birds, Basel chose to stop them from multiplying. First, the city warned its residents against feeding pigeons.
Then, it installed safe and cozy pigeon lofts throughout Basel. After the pigeons laid their eggs in the lofts, workers could easily dispose of them.
Like magic, the pigeon population fell by half within four years. The Basel Method has since been used successfully in many other cities in the German-speaking sphere of Europe.
The problem here is that the pigeon lofts cost money. Then again, we doubt Limburg will find a crazed pigeon-slaughtering maniac who is willing to kill birds for free, either.