For many years, a flock of up to 80 urban pigeons has taken up residence in the area of the P+M parking lot at the Mundelsheim exit of the A81. As the area around the bridge in particular was heavily contaminated with droppings, feathers and nesting material, pigeon barriers were installed there. However, urban pigeons are loyal rock breeders. The animals therefore remained on site. Even today, around a year later, some of the animals are still staying at their usual location and causing annoyance, for example by dropping droppings on the roofs of parked vehicles. As urban pigeons, unlike native wild bird species, are descended from domesticated animals such as breeding pigeons or carrier pigeons, they breed regardless of the season - up to six times a year. As a result, the population is constantly growing.
The animal welfare association Tierschutzverein Ludwigsburg e.V. has now tackled this issue in cooperation with the roads department of the Ludwigsburg district office. Based on the so-called "Augsburg model", a former construction trailer from the road maintenance department was converted into a pigeon loft and set up in the parking lot. The nesting and resting places provided there, as well as species-appropriate grain food and fresh water, attract the pigeons to move into the trailer. Volunteers from the animal welfare association look after the loft and replace the real eggs with plastic dummies. They also dispose of the animals' droppings, which will then mainly accumulate in the pigeon loft itself. Following a special health and hygiene management system, the loft is cleaned and regularly disinfected.
This approach prevents unwanted offspring and gradually reduces the population, as well as reducing the problem of contamination. This animal welfare-compliant approach of managed pigeon lofts has already been successfully implemented in more than 100 cities.
