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Hunting with Falcons is a traditional sport in Dubai. But so is keeping pigeons. This is a story of how these traditional sports clashed in Dubai as it used to be in 1978. Photo provided by Mike Scott
Pigeon Flocks grow in size according to the amount of food available.
Pigeon Lofts were a common sight in Shindaga in the early 1970s. Small flock of pigeons could often be seen flying over the Shindaga houses. They were not a problem. That situation changed in 1976 when National Flour Mills began importing grain.
Their Flour Mill was built next to the Falcon Roundabout in Dubai adjacent to Port Rashid. Grain Silos were built inside Port Rashid and conveyed the grain to the Flour Mill via an underground conveyor system that tunnelled under Al Mina Street. Bulk Grain Ships began arriving in Port Rashid and discharging their grain into open trucks. The trucks transported the grain to the silos where it was dumped into a hopper. From the hopper the grain was distributed to the silos by a open conveyor belt. Grain fell from the trucks during loading and transportation. Overnight the Shindagah pigeons' food source grew beyond any Shindagah pigeon's expectations. At the same time a Dubai Merchant began speculating in rice. Large quantities of rice arrived at Port Rashid, was stored then re-exported - at least for a little while. Then the bottom fell out of the world rice market. Rice continued to arrive at Port Rashid in large quantities but very little was being re-exported. Soon Port Rashid's storage sheds were filled with bags of rice. The pigeons moved in!
Pigeons began feed on the grain and rice. Their numbers increased dramatically. At the peak of the problem their flock size was estimated as 10,000 birds. They were ruining the stored rice by damaging the rice bags to get at the rice then covering the exposed rice with the droppings. The pigeons had eaten so well they had difficulty in taking off. Consequently vehicles collided with these normally agile birds causing damage vehicles' bodywork and windscreens. The first reaction in dealing with this pigeon problem was to engage a team to shoot the pigeons. That's when the second Pigeon Law was discovered.
Pigeons breed at a faster rate than they can be killed.
A female pigeon can hatch 2 chicks every three weeks throughout the year so a flock of several thousand pigeons can easily maintain its numbers. A solution was needed! Then someone suggested a falcon may do the job. Birds move away from areas where falcons fly was the advice. One of Port Rashid's local employees had trained falcons so the Port's management instructed home to buy a suitable falcon chick which he did - at a price. Falcons do not come cheap. He had the task of training the falcon while the Port's Accountant had to account for the falcon on the Port's Accounts.
Training a falcon takes time and requires giving the falcon constant attention. A special housing was built in the port for the falcon. Soon the falcon could be regularly seen "sitting" on the back of the passenger seat in his Trainer's Mercedes Benz being driven around the port. Eventually the day came when the falcon was ready to take up its duties. The falcon was brought into the port and released. It flew to the top of one of Port Rashid's lighting towers and surveyed its new domain. It waited patiently until it spotted a suitable prey, then took off. After a brief chase the falcon took its prey cleanly, landing near to its Trainer. Everyone moved closer for a better view. They saw the falcon had caught the biggest Seagull it could find! Meanwhile the pigeons went about their business unconcerned. The falcon was a failure.
