Vigil in Salzburg: City pigeons fight for survival!

Vigil in Salzburg: City pigeons fight for survival!

On June 20, 2025, a vigil took place in Salzburg, organized by the Association Against Animal Factories (VGT) and the ARGE Stadttauben Salzburg. The protest was directed against the inadequate care of city pigeons by the city administration. The participants in the commemoration called for urgent solutions and the establishment of a pigeon protection concept to support the animals in need. Feeding bans were cited as the main cause of the starvation of many pigeons, which participants consider scandalous.

The organizers emphasized that the city is not living up to its responsibilities. “We remember the many victims of city politics,” said one of the speakers. The vigil took place in front of Mirabell Palace, where the unusual image of grave candles for the pigeons was met with incomprehension by passers-by. The aim of the protest was not only commemoration, but also an urgent appeal to politicians to finally take action.

Demands for a sustainable solution

A central concern of the protesters is the creation of legal and controlled feeding areas. This demand is supported by the city of Augsburg's pigeon concept, which serves as a positive role model. In Augsburg, supervised pigeon lofts and species-appropriate feeding set new standards. There, eggs are even replaced with plaster eggs to help with population control.

By implementing pigeon houses, Augsburg has effectively reduced the problems with feces pollution and overcrowding. According to the reports, the pigeons live in purpose-built houses, which improves the quality of life of the animals and counteracts the challenges in urban places.

The situation in Salzburg

In Salzburg, on the other hand, the construction of a pigeon house has been discussed for years, but the last project was rejected. The city argues that the increase in illegal feeding caused by the feeding bans causes pollution and also attracts rats. Reports of overfeeding have also led to concerns about pigeon sedentary behavior and illness. At times, activists fed between five and 15 kilograms of grain feed daily at several locations.

The city has increased controls and imposed penalties in the past. A positive result of these measures is that no food residues have been found at the feeding places since March, which has led to an equalization of the pigeon population. The rat problem in these places has also reduced.

Collaborate for a solution

Despite the rejection of a central pigeon house, the idea is not completely rejected. Vice Mayor Kay-Michael Dankl said that several locations are being considered, and collaboration with students from the Salzburg University of Applied Sciences is being sought to develop structural solutions. A crucial prerequisite for implementation is the approval of the veterinary office.

The estimated annual cost of feeding and maintaining a pigeon house is around 200,000 to 300,000 euros, an investment that could be essential for both the welfare of the animals and the quality of life of cities.

The topic of city pigeons and their care once again highlights the challenges that many cities face in modern urbanization. Cities like Augsburg have already successfully implemented concepts that harmonize both animal protection and urban design. The Augsburg.de describes the concept, while further information can be found on the Stadttaubenprojekt Berlin. In Salzburg, however, it remains to be hoped that the protest will be heard and steps will finally be taken to improve the situation of city pigeons.