Talking Dutch: Catch the pigeon

It was nothing less than a catastrophe: een van de ergste veldslagen ooit – one of the worst disasters ever, according to one owner, who used an unusual word – veldslag – normally reserved for military disasters. 

It wasn’t quite as bad as the word veldslag – literally, a defeat in the field – seemed to suggest. After all, the birds had not been shot down from the sky. They might indeed still be alive. 

Here’s what happened, according to De Morgen. Een week na de start van de internationale vlucht uit Barcelona – One week after the start of an international flight from Barcelona zijn nog steeds duizenden duiven vermist – thousands of birds are still missing.

The marathon pigeon race from Barcelona to Belgium is an important event in the sporting calendar, and was first held back in 1924. When conditions are good, the birds cover the 1,075 kilometres at a speed of roughly 66 kilometres an hour.

Far from home

A week after the launch, the birds should all have been safely back in their coops. But almost two-thirds haven’t made it home. Amper 2.470 van de 7.907 opgestegen duiven – Just 2,470 of the 7,907 birds that took off zijn inmiddels door hun baasjes aangemeld op de website van de nationale duivenbond KBDB – have so far been confirmed by their owners on the website of the national pigeon association KBDB. 

So what’s happened to the missing birds? De duiven zijn verrast door de tramontane – The pigeons were surprised by a tramontane, een felle noordenwind – a strong wind from the north die plotseling de kop opsteekt in de Franse Pyreneeën – that suddenly springs up in the French Pyrenees en snelheden kan halen tot 180 kilometer per uur – and can reach speeds of up to 180 kilometres an hour, a pigeon fancier explained.

That wind caused the pigeons to drift off course. Net zoals bij renners in de Tour de France – Just like cyclists in the Tour de France is dat voor duiven het moeilijkste weer om in vooruit te geraken – this is the most challenging weather a pigeon can face. Dan kiezen ze de gemakkelijkste richting – So they choose the easiest direction, volledig de verkeerde kant uit – totally in the wrong direction en nog verder van huis – and even further from home. 

Some owners remain confident they will see their beloved birds again. Ik denk dat hij via Duitsland gevlogen zijn – I think he has flown over Germany, one distressed owner said. Als hij niet opgegeten is door een roofvogel – If he hasn’t been eaten by a bird of prey, komt hij nog wel – he’s going to come back home. Hij kent de weg van Barcelona naar Deurle – He knows how to get from Barcelona to Deurle.

Photo courtesy KBDB