Around Moergestel and surrounding regions, new bird flu outbreaks have once again triggered strict containment zones. As so often happens, every bird category is placed under the same umbrella. Including Racing Pigeons. Including the Dutch pigeon sport. Including thousands of dedicated fanciers who prepare their Pigeons daily with precision, discipline and passion for the coming season.
The restrictions are clear and uncompromising. Transport bans inside protection zones. Basketing suspended. Club activities halted. The Nederlandse Postduiven Organisatie is following official guidelines carefully and communicating transparently, as it should. Professional. Responsible. Structured.
But this is where nuance matters.
At PigeonBoss, we recently published the in-depth feature Racing Pigeons and Bird Flu, The Story Nobody Dared To Tell Until Now. Not speculation. Not emotion. Science. Under controlled research conditions, Racing Pigeons showed extremely low susceptibility to H5N1 infection. No clinical disease. No significant transmission. No evidence positioning Pigeons as a meaningful driver of spread to poultry.
That is not opinion. That is data.
Does this mean bird flu should be ignored? Absolutely not. Biosecurity in Racing Pigeons is non-negotiable. Shielding lofts from wild waterfowl. Strict hygiene protocols. Controlled transport. Responsible management inside restricted areas. This is how serious pigeon fanciers operate. This is how professional Pigeons are protected.
But it is time to clearly distinguish between commercial poultry production and the highly regulated world of Racing Pigeons.
The Dutch Racing Pigeons community is internationally recognized for its organization, traceability and structured transport systems. Race convoys are coordinated. Registrations are documented. Movements are controlled. This is not an uncontrolled bird market scenario. This is a regulated sport with decades of operational discipline.
Yet each outbreak automatically places Racing Pigeons inside the broadest legislative framework.
That calls for dialogue. For recalibration. For leadership.
Behind every restriction stand real pigeon fanciers. Men and women who see their Pigeons not as livestock, but as elite athletes. Training interruptions are not minor inconveniences. Rhythm is everything in Racing Pigeons. Conditioning, motivation and peak performance depend on continuity.
Still, the sport responds with maturity.
No recklessness. No denial. Compliance combined with informed discussion. The Dutch Racing Pigeons sector chooses responsibility while also insisting on fact-based evaluation. Science over fear. Evidence over assumption.
This issue extends far beyond Moergestel. It touches international Racing Pigeons transport, One Loft Races, exports, championships and governmental trust in a sport that has proven its responsibility for generations.
Let it be clear: Racing Pigeons are not a weak link in the bird flu narrative. The Racing Pigeons community is structured, traceable and scientifically grounded.
And when the facts are examined carefully, Pigeons present a very different risk profile than often portrayed.
At PigeonBoss.com, we will continue to follow this story with clarity and conviction. Not from panic. Not from sensationalism. But from deep respect for Pigeons, for pigeon fanciers and for the future of international Racing Pigeons.
This is not a defense | This is leadership in Racing Pigeons.
Jan de Wijs
The Pigeon Boss
Free Tip & Tricks
