Pigeon Culling Underway in German Town as Locals Vote for Eradication of the 'Sky Rats'

Pigeons are known for being complex, intelligent animals, as well as a symbol of fertility, fortune, and prosperity in human society. Unlike some solitary birds, pigeons prefer to live and forage near or within human population centers, including cities and towns. Being a highly sociable animal, these avians have a track record of interacting with humans, to whom they show their unconditional affection and recognition.

Pigeon Culling in Germany

While the love for pigeons has been widespread in different countries worldwide, a recent development shows this is not always the case. According to reports earlier this week, pigeons have been considered "sky rats" in a German town, where locals on June 9 voted for the eradication of the birds. The vote will allow the brutal method of pigeon culling in the town of Limburg, located in the state of Hesse.

Animal rights activists were outraged by the outcome and planned to kill the birds, which came after over 53% of the residents of Limburg voted in support of the pigeon culling initiative, as reported by local media.

Global Pigeon Population

In recent years, scientists have estimated there are more than 400 million pigeons remaining worldwide, where most of them live in urban areas or cities. While this estimated global pigeon population seems large enough, it is relatively smaller compared to hundreds of years ago.

In the past, approximately 4 billion passenger pigeons once hovered the skies of North America, but they mysteriously disappeared by the end of the 19^th century. In a 2014 study published in the journal Science, scientists attributed deforestation and excessive hunting as the cause of the passenger pigeons' disappearance.

Pigeon Evolution

The pigeons that we see today mingling with our urban life are descendants of the wild bird rock dove (Columba livia). This breed of "feral pigeons" was first domesticated by humans more than 5000 years ago, according to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA). While the legality of killing pigeons varies for each country, there are some wildlife laws that protect these birds.

Pigeons in modern times are often seen wandering around cities, towns, and parks. Found on every continent except Antarctica, feral pigeons can be traced back millions of years ago before their descendants were domesticated by humans. Around 23 million years ago, the ancient bird species Gerandia calcaria existed and it is the earliest known pigeon, thriving across Earth's rainforests and even desert areas, according to scientists.

Currently, pigeons that are found in both urban and rural areas descend from C. livia, a member of the bird family Columbidae and also called the common pigeon or rock pigeon. According to the RSPCA, humans first domesticated this type of pigeon in ancient times, as mentioned earlier, for the purpose of breeding for food and training them to carry messages. Yet, these birds returned to the wild as seen until now.