| Pigeons at railway stations causing problems Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 17:59, 24th July 2026 |     |
From the BBC:
2,000 pigeons shot with rifles at railway stations
More than 2,000 pigeons have been shot at railway stations and depots across the UK in 16 months, the BBC has found.
Professionals with air rifles shoot the pigeons at night in an effort to prevent droppings becoming slip hazards or causing illness, but critics say the method is inhumane.
Of the stations managed by state-owned companies, York Station recorded 608 birds shot between January 2025 and April of this year - 152 of them on a single day.
The data was sourced under the Freedom of Information Act which does not apply to private companies, so it is possible other stations have culled more and the total is higher than the current figure of 2,019.
LNER was the most prolific train operator with more than 800 birds shot at its stations in the year and four months to March 2026 - three-quarters of those at York Station. "We do implement a number of deterrents and any other measures are as a last resort only," the operator said. "The safety of our customers and colleagues is our number one priority."
It said its higher totals on individual days – 152 on 26 January last year, and 97 on 21 February this year – were a result of large gaps between cullings.
Network Rail had 600 pigeons killed across Bristol Temple Meads, London Euston and Edinburgh Waverley stations.
South Western Railway ordered the shooting of 250, Transport for London had 147, and Northern had 143.
Scotrail and c2c did not kill pigeons at any of their stations.
(BBC article continues)
More than 2,000 pigeons have been shot at railway stations and depots across the UK in 16 months, the BBC has found.
Professionals with air rifles shoot the pigeons at night in an effort to prevent droppings becoming slip hazards or causing illness, but critics say the method is inhumane.
Of the stations managed by state-owned companies, York Station recorded 608 birds shot between January 2025 and April of this year - 152 of them on a single day.
The data was sourced under the Freedom of Information Act which does not apply to private companies, so it is possible other stations have culled more and the total is higher than the current figure of 2,019.
LNER was the most prolific train operator with more than 800 birds shot at its stations in the year and four months to March 2026 - three-quarters of those at York Station. "We do implement a number of deterrents and any other measures are as a last resort only," the operator said. "The safety of our customers and colleagues is our number one priority."
It said its higher totals on individual days – 152 on 26 January last year, and 97 on 21 February this year – were a result of large gaps between cullings.
Network Rail had 600 pigeons killed across Bristol Temple Meads, London Euston and Edinburgh Waverley stations.
South Western Railway ordered the shooting of 250, Transport for London had 147, and Northern had 143.
Scotrail and c2c did not kill pigeons at any of their stations.
(BBC article continues)
| Re: Pigeons at railway stations causing problems Posted by ChrisB at 18:46, 24th July 2026 | |
They're vermin frankly, and I am don't have a problem - although plenty do in the comments to that article.
So I ask the question - why do many see shooting them as an inhumane way of killing when no one has any problem with Halal killing of any animal??
| Re: Pigeons at railway stations causing problems Posted by TaplowGreen at 20:39, 24th July 2026 | |
They're vermin frankly, and I am don't have a problem - although plenty do in the comments to that article.
So I ask the question - why do many see shooting them as an inhumane way of killing when no one has any problem with Halal killing of any animal??
So I ask the question - why do many see shooting them as an inhumane way of killing when no one has any problem with Halal killing of any animal??
I think you'll find a lot of people object to the non stun slaughtering of animals, however they're equally wary of being accused of racism, "Islamophobia" etc which tends to be the unimaginative, yet predictable default response to the airing of such objections with the aim of shutting down the debate.
| Re: Pigeons at railway stations causing problems Posted by JayMac at 22:03, 24th July 2026 | |
And yet, those who irrationally hate on Halal slaughter (88% pre-stunned in the UK) are nearly always silent on Kosher slaughter for which pre-stunning isn't permitted at all.
Is it unimaginative and predictable to point that out?
Sod it. Its not irrational. It's nearly always islamophobia and/or racism.
| Re: Pigeons at railway stations causing problems Posted by TaplowGreen at 08:18, 26th July 2026 | |
And yet, those who irrationally hate on Halal slaughter (88% pre-stunned in the UK) are nearly always silent on Kosher slaughter for which pre-stunning isn't permitted at all.
Is it unimaginative and predictable to point that out?
Sod it. Its not irrational. It's nearly always islamophobia and/or racism.
Is it unimaginative and predictable to point that out?
Sod it. Its not irrational. It's nearly always islamophobia and/or racism.
To put that % into perspective, based on the latest figures (2024), over 30 million animals were subjected to non stun slaughter- that is, had their throat slit whilst fully conscious and able to feel what was going on.
27 million halal, 3 million for kosher.
Chickens, sheep, cattle.
The dastardly Islamophobes/racists who make up the RSPCA have noted with concern that this represents a huge rise on previous years, and are calling for a removal of the religious exemption which allows for this brutal and cruel process to continue, a campaign which I am sure anyone who claims to have any interest in animal welfare will wholeheartedly support.
| Re: Pigeons at railway stations causing problems Posted by Mark A at 08:48, 26th July 2026 | |
It'd be good to keep this on topic for what is a transport forum: purpose-built dovecots aside, a combination of e.g. pigeons and buildings isn't a positive one and needs to be addressed, and we can add grey squirrels and brown rats to that catalogue too.
Mark
| Re: Pigeons at railway stations causing problems Posted by Electric train at 09:19, 26th July 2026 | |
Pigeon guano is corrosive, it destroys masonry, attacks paint thus increases steel rusting. The guano also contains diseases and toxins which are a risk to human health; breathing this dust can cause infections like Cryptococcosis, Histoplasmosis, and Psittacosis.
When I was working I had been around when the pest control teams have been working, the use of birds of pray does keep the numbers down to an extent by scaring the pigeons away, but there are times when the pigeon population is large culling with lethal force is the only option.
When we had a pigeon infestation in traction power substation in the larger Southern Region 'cathedral' substations it could take an environmental cleaning team 2 - 3 weeks or longer to remove the guano and then the substation maintainer can make good the damage caused to the electrical equipment enclosures
| Re: Pigeons at railway stations causing problems Posted by TaplowGreen at 09:36, 26th July 2026 | |
When I was working I had been around when the pest control teams have been working, the use of birds of pray does keep the numbers down to an extent by scaring the pigeons away, but there are times when the pigeon population is large culling with lethal force is the only option.
Please, no more "praying", we've been asked to stick to the subject and avoid religion!
.........that said, if anyone finds themselves near John Lewis in Oxford St around 0630 on Mondays/Wednesdays and in need of amusement, you may just spot me desperately sidestepping, waving my hand around and running (well, trotting) trying to avoid being crapped on by our feathered friends who congregate in enormous numbers at that time of day and target me whilst I nip through to Cavendish Square!
| Re: Pigeons at railway stations causing problems Posted by CyclingSid at 12:08, 26th July 2026 | |
How times have changed.
I am old enough to remember when the Min of Ag (then MAFF, now DEFRA) used to pay you for shooting pigeons. I believe the rate was 6d (=2 1/5 p).
