A falconer named 'Mickart' is hunting crows in Erdinger Stadtpark to manage their population, particularly near schools and senior centers, using trained birds of prey.
Since Ash Wednesday, a falconer known as 'Mickart' has been patrolling the Erdinger Stadtpark with a powerful air rifle equipped with a scope and silencer. His activities focus around schools, the Grainerweg, and the senior center, primarily in the early morning hours to avoid alarming children on their way to school. When he spots a rook resting in the trees within his licensed area, he takes a shot, which alerts the other birds to danger. Their panic calls attract the flock, as 'Mickart' retrieves the dead bird and allows his female desert hawk, Claudia, to feed on it, sending the rest of the crows scattering in fear.
The rook population in Erding is among the largest in Bavaria, with 1,800 breeding pairs in the urban area. This significant number has raised concerns about the growing influence of crows in the region, prompting local wildlife management authorities to implement measures to curb their population. By orchestrating a display of predation within the park, the falconer aims to instill fear in the rooks and thereby reduce their numbers, ensuring that the ecological balance is maintained while addressing public safety concerns near populated areas.
This method of wildlife management, combining falconry with strategic hunting practices, reflects a broader movement within Germany to find humane and effective solutions for managing urban wildlife populations. However, this approach has sparked discussions about the ethics of hunting within city limits and the potential impact on the local ecosystem, as communities weigh the benefits of controlling wildlife against the consequences of such actions on urban biodiversity and animal welfare.
