For a long time, city centers belonged to the pigeons. They perched on ledges, swarmed train stations, fluttered over marketplaces, and made historic facades their personal residences. In many French cities, this was almost considered a natural law. But now over Troyes, a different shadow drifts across the sky: that of the peregrine falcon.
And it disrupts the familiar order.
A falcon pair now officially lives on the city’s cathedral. High above, more than forty meters from the ground, a nesting box has even been installed. At first glance, this seems romantic – almost like a small return of wilderness between Gothic towers and old rooftops. In reality, however, there is also hard urban politics behind it.
Because pigeons cost money. A lot of money.
Their droppings erode stone facades, dirty public squares, and damage historic buildings. Municipalities invest enormous sums every year in cleaning and maintenance. Especially in cities with protected architectural monuments, the costs quickly add up. Suddenly, the idea sounds quite logical: Why not bring back the natural enemy?
The peregrine falcon is perfect for this. Known as one of the fastest hunters in the world, its mere presence unsettles the pigeons. Experts speak of the so-called “deterrence effect.” The birds constantly sense danger, change their flight paths, and gradually leave certain areas. No large-scale catching, no controversial sterilization programs – instead, nature solves the problem on its own. Pretty clever, actually.
What remains remarkable is the story of this return. In the 1970s, the peregrine falcon was almost extinct in France. Pesticides and destroyed habitats had drastically reduced the population. Today, the raptor is rediscovering cities of all places. And biologically, this even makes sense: tall church towers, modern skyscrapers, or industrial structures resemble the cliffs where these birds once nested.
The city replaces the mountain.
Some residents now watch the falcons with almost childlike enthusiasm. Ornithologists stand in squares with binoculars, families suddenly stop in front of the cathedral and look up. Something like this also changes the way people see the city itself. Amid asphalt, traffic, and concrete, the feeling returns that nature exists not only in the countryside.
The real fascination probably lies exactly in this. The peregrine falcon is more than just an elegant pest controller. Symbolically, it stands for a new idea of urbanity – a city that no longer completely displaces animals but tries to live with them.
And the pigeons?
They are slowly realizing that the sky over Troyes no longer belongs to them alone.
Andreas M. B.