City pigeons in Bern
The city of Bern aims for a small but healthy pigeon population.
History
In the 1980s and 1990s, the city of Bern experienced a pigeon plague, with over 10,000 pigeons populating the settlement area of the city. As a result, a pigeon management was established that has had a positive effect: the pigeon population today still comprises around 1500 birds. The pigeon father, who had taken care of the city pigeons for more than 20 years with the support of the Bernese district police, gave up his work in spring 2011 due to old age.
A new pigeon concept
Pigeon control will be maintained. In December 2010, the Bern City Council decided to transfer responsibility for pigeon control to the Directorate for Safety, Environment and Energy and thus to Dählhölzli Zoo. A newly elaborated pigeon concept regulates the care, supervision and management of the pigeons, but it also names the contact points for the population in ‘pigeon questions’.
On the biology of the urban pigeon
The urban pigeon is descended from the rock pigeon (Columba livia). The rock pigeon was captured by humans, bred into a domestic pigeon and released into the wild as such. While the rock pigeon is threatened with extinction in declining populations, the urban pigeon has become a problem in many places.
What the rock doves found in the cliffs of the Mediterranean, the city doves find in the buildings of today’s cities all over the world. Here they find everything they need to live: Food and protected nesting sites.
The food spectrum of the rock pigeon ranges from seeds and buds to berries, insects and worms and is thus so broad that urban pigeons are very flexible in dealing with the food supply of cities and can easily feed on human waste or the food often offered.
Pigeons are capable of reproduction at the age of 6 months. Usually a pair of pigeons lives in lifelong monogamy. The male attracts his female to nest on ledges, crevices and caves (or ledges, crawlspaces and the inside of buildings). The partners build the nest together.
A clutch usually consists of two eggs, which are incubated by both partners for 18 days. Nestlings are hooted and fed crop milk by both parents. At 25 days they leave the nest, at 30 days the young are able to fly and shortly afterwards they are independent. A pair can raise several broods per year.
Rock pigeons live 10 – 15 years, urban pigeons 2 – 3 years.
Large accumulations of pigeons in places where they are fed undesirably. This can lead to noise pollution, soiling by pigeon droppings or uncontrolled breeding.
In many cities, the measures range from feeding bans, mechanical repellents such as nets, needles or wires as landing obstacles, to shooting, to active hunting by falconers. In Bern, the male pigeons are sterilised and the fertilised eggs are exchanged for artificial eggs in the pigeon lofts.
Frequently asked questions about the Bernese pigeons
We are still looking for new locations around the city to set up new lofts. Older buildings with attics that need to be converted are best suited. Thank you very much for your tip!
If you find an injured pigeon, please contact the gamekeeper (telephone 0800 940 100). For other problems, you can reach Tauben Bern from Monday to Friday, from 08.00 to 16.00, on the following telephone number: +41 79 363 47 88.
Pigeons trigger very different feelings in people: Some feed them, others need expressions like “beasts of the air”.
Those who feed pigeons with bread and grains with good intentions not infrequently drive them into diabetes. This is comparable to a person who eats too much carbohydrate.
As part of the new pigeon concept of the city of Bern, the city pigeons receive a species-appropriate, balanced mixed feed from Tauben Bern, in their pigeon lofts. In this way, the pigeon flocks can be cared for and nurtured in a controlled manner.
You can download the information sheet “Animal-friendly defence against pigeons” here:
Information sheet on animal-friendly defence measures (pdf, 82 kb)
You can download the rental contract for live traps for the Bernese urban pigeons here:
Loan contract live trap for the Bernese city pigeons (pdf, 90 kb)
There is no city where pigeons are not a nuisance. Because they are omnivores, because their droppings decompose buildings, because they multiply without restraint. The city of Bern is tackling the problem with a concept that is probably unique in Europe. Here, pigeons are not shot down or scared away, but cared for and nurtured.
Video from SRF Einstein – Pigeon dispute: hated and idolised
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