Pigeons and wood pigeons are the new scourge for the Parisian area. With global warming these birds, originally migratory, have become sedentary and have made a base in parks and gardens in Paris and in the cities ofIle-de-France. They find food by pecking in the fields thus causing severe damage and considerable losses to farmers. An organic soybean farmer last year had his plot of land completely destroyed by the invasion of pigeons in search of food last spring. He wasn't the only one.
Another nearby field suffered the same fate and half of the harvest, worth approx 7 thousand euros, went up in smoke. The phenomenon is increasing from year to year. And it concerns approximately 300 farmers in Ile-de-France, according to the results of the latest survey carried out by the departmental federation of the Union of farmers (Fdsea). It is not enough. The scourge of pigeons is affecting more and more departments where cereal crops are abundant and close to cities. Roughly 2.700 farmers reported 4.400 cases in France, according to the Arvalis institute.
The plain of Versailles, the plateaus of Saclay and Roissy-en-France are the three black spots in the region, the most affected by the damage caused by pigeons. The ease with which they find food is a favorable context for their reproduction that takes place very quickly. In addition, pigeons living in cities have a survival rate of 85% versus 15% for those living in the woods. The solution to put a stop to the phenomenon is still to be found, including falconers, drones, sound emissions. The best protection for crops, at the moment, it seems to be the regulation by the hunters.