Pigeons are a symbol of peace and are also said to be quite clever animals. Nevertheless, they have a reputation as “rats of the sky”. Are pigeons really that dirty?
First is the question of how dirty rats are. I think this “rats of the air” comparison comes from the fact that they have at least two things in common: They are present in large numbers, in places where a lot of people live. And they both live more or less from the food waste that people produce and simply leave behind in the city. Otherwise, rats, like most birds – and like us – transmit a wide variety of bacteria to other living beings. Most birds have mites in their feathers and can cause allergic problems in humans. There are cases where diseases have actually spread from pigeons to humans, but these usually affected people who lived in frequent and close contact with pigeons. Pigeon breeders, for example.
Dr. Schmidt explains the world
Stephanie Schoell
As a polymath of the nd editorial team, the science journalist Dr. Steffen Schmidt has an answer to almost every question – and if he doesn’t, he answers another one. All episodes can be listened to on: dasnd.de/schmidt
What if pigeons settle on my balcony? Will I then possibly have pests on my plants?
Plant pests are unlikely to come from birds. Most insects that live on plants are specialized on these same plants. It happens very randomly that something like this is transported from one balcony or garden to the next by birds.
The excretions, on the other hand, are often considered a problem for buildings.
At least for older buildings that have cornices and such. Modern glass palaces – pigeons can hardly sit down anywhere, so nothing happens there. The problem is that some birds collide with the glass and break something and die.
These city pigeons are actually a new subspecies. The original, natural source of these animals is the rock pigeon. That’s why they like to nest on house walls and not in trees. During feudal times, domestic pigeons were kept for meat production by the upper classes. They were actually only allowed to be kept by landlords. And then the carrier pigeons – they also come from the same source. They were a popular hobby for the working class in the post-feudal period – i.e. racing pigeons.
Could you still eat pigeons today?
City pigeons probably not because of their somewhat complicated nutritional situation, but in principle yes. I think that pigeons are definitely present in upscale gastronomy.
I read that there are even city pigeon managers.
There is an almost religious argument going on: there are some pigeon fans who think that well-fed pigeons aren’t such a big problem. However, a Swiss study says quite clearly the opposite, namely that the most important management measure against too many urban pigeons is a feeding ban. But of course this doesn’t work well in a big city because the management of daily waste is often weak, as can be seen quite well in Berlin.
And have you ever seen a pigeon chick? Not me.
No, I haven’t yet. They sit in the nests and wait for their food. And when they fledge, they are no longer chicks.
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