Police launch investigation after pigeon killings in major UK city | UK | News
Police in a major British city have launched an investigation into a series of pigeon killings after flocks of the birds settled at a train station. The pigeon population at Manchester Victoria reached an “unmanageable” level last October, leaving Northern Trains with no choice but to hire a firm to shoot them with air rifles, according to reports. However, the operation went awry when pest controllers left a large number of injured birds at the transport center to slowly die from their injuries, and one of them was found “stuck upside down” on a ledge and in a “critical condition”.
Pest control company Ecolab is under investigation by British Transport Police following a cull that killed nearly 100 pigeons housed at the 19th-century station. Volunteer group Manchester Pigeon Rehab told Telegram: “The injuries were very serious [that a] His leg had to be amputated by the vet. a member of the public [also] reported that a pigeon was stranded on the day of the culling [in November]. “When the bird was taken into care, a pellet was found stuck in its neck.”
Northern Trains, which was nationalized in 2020, had to cancel the culling decision due to incompetent murders.
The railway firm reportedly told Manchester Pigeon Rehab that culling was a necessary “last option” to prevent the birds “posing a risk to colleagues and customers” and insisted it had exhausted “all other reasonable means of reducing the risk to health and safety”.
A British Transport Police spokesman said: “Officers received a report on Friday 6 February of pigeons being culled at Manchester Victoria railway station in October 2025.
“Investigations into the circumstances of the extermination continue.”
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In a statement, Northern Trains said: “This pest control activity was carried out at Manchester Victoria station last year as pigeons became uncontrollable and posed a risk to colleagues and customers.
“This was carried out by a licensed and specialist subcontractor following investigations and risk assessments.
“We use a range of other methods to deal with pigeons at stations across our network. “We are reviewing footage posted on social media and apologize for any inconvenience caused.
“Since the issue was brought to our attention in December we have instructed our contractors to cease operations and no further culls are planned at Manchester Victoria.”
A spokesperson for Ecolab added: “Ecolab supports its customers in providing clean, safe and healthy environments. Our services are provided under contract and in accordance with applicable regulatory and licensing requirements.”
