Police have launched an investigation after 100 birds were shot at Manchester’s Victoria Station in a mass railway culling.
Northern Rail contracted an extermination squad to use air rifles to shoot the pigeons inside the station in after-hour raids in October last year.
They claimed the nesting population had become ‘unmanageable’ and posed a ‘health hazard’ to commuters passing through the 19th-century station.
Although commuters might have found the birds a nuisance, many were left disturbed after seeing injured birds limping around outside the station – as many were left injured, but not dead, by the pellets and suffered slow, painful deaths.
Footage shared on social media showed injured birds struggling around the station, including one bloodied bird that was found ‘trapped upside down’ on a ledge in ‘critical condition’ on October 28.
Some members of the public even rescued the birds and reported sightings of injured pigeons to local animal welfare charities, including Manchester Pigeon Rehab, a Facebook group which campaigned against the culling.
Northern Rail said that the culling, which took place over two months at the end of last year by ‘marksmen’ from pest control firm Ecolab, has now stopped.
The circumstances of the cull are now under investigation by the British Transport Police.
Members of the public stepped in to help pigeons under attack, sharing photos to social media of injured birds
Many commuters witnessed flightless birds during the cullings. The ‘marksmen’ failed to dispatch some birds, leading them to suffer slow, painful deaths
The pigeon population at Manchester’s Victoria Station (pictured) became ‘unmanageable’ and posed a ‘health hazard’ to commuters, according to Northern Rail
Northern Rail announced they had stopped the culling, as British Transport Police launched an investigation into the circumstances of the shootings
A spokesperson for Northern Rail told the Daily Mail: ‘This pest control activity was carried out at Manchester Victoria station last year, as the pigeons were becoming unmanageable and posing a risk to colleagues and customers.
‘This was undertaken by a licensed and specialist subcontractor, following surveys and risk assessments.
‘We use a number of other methods to deal with pigeons at stations across our network.
‘We are reviewing the footage posted on social media and are sorry for any distress caused.
‘Since the issue was brought to our attention in December we have instructed our contractors to cease activity and no further culls are planned at Manchester Victoria.’
A spokesman for the British Transport Police said: ‘Officers received a report on Friday February 6 of pigeons that had been culled at Manchester Victoria railway station in October 2025.
‘Enquiries into the circumstances of the cull are ongoing.’
The Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981 protects all wild birds in Great Britain, including pigeons. Anyone that intentionally kills, injures, or destroys their nesting without the correct licensing could be prosecuted.
A spokesman for Ecolab told the Telegraph: ‘Ecolab supports our customers in maintaining clean, safe and healthy environments.
‘Our services are delivered under contract and in accordance with applicable regulatory and licensing requirements.’
Manchester Pigeon Rehab are a group that helps protect Manchester’s bird species and campaigned against the cull.
They said in a statement shared online: ‘We are happy to announce that following our campaign regarding Northern Rail’s pigeon cull, confirmation has been provided that the cull has been cancelled.
‘We are submitting FOIs to gain further confirmation and follow up on any additional pest control activity – we are continuing to ask for anyone with information to reach out to us.’