Pigeon drama threatens by thunderstorm: thousands of animals wander off

NOS News•today, 21:37•Amended today, 21:45

After an international pigeon race in the southern French city of Narbonne last Friday, 20,000 pigeons are missing. They were probably disoriented by a thunderstorm. Pigeon fanciers fear a major blow. Millions are lost in the industry.

About 26,000 pigeons took part in the competition, a significant part of which were from Belgian pigeon fanciers. The Belgian Pigeon Federation is disappointed in the competition organisation.

According to the association, the organization did not take into account the weather forecast in the area. Thunderstorms were predicted and it was advised not to release the pigeons until Saturday. Nevertheless, the pigeons went into the air on Friday.

“Thunderstorms are just very bad for the pigeons,” chairman Pascal Bodengien told the VRT. “We take shelter ourselves when we are in a thunderstorm and that is also the case with pigeons. They are knocked down, get lost and have completely lost their way.”

The Dutch pigeon fancier Peter van Sintmaartensdijk also took part in the competition with eleven pigeons. Four pigeons have not yet returned to him in Papendrecht. “This is very annoying and does not happen often. The pigeons are released when it was heavily clouded, then they start to wander. There is something to criticize about the competence of the release committee.”

Yet Van Sintmaartensdijk is not angry. “I expect a few pigeons to come home tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. Fortunately, there is good weather now and enough food on the fields. But yes, there are also birds of prey.”

The chairman of the Belgian Pigeon Federation suspects that a large part of the pigeons are flying around in Germany. Most pigeons will not return to their owners in Belgium, says Bodengien.