El Charro has one job at the factory. The pigeons have made it a full-time position.
The Riff. September 28, 2026
Ford has a pigeon problem at its factory in Hermosillo, Mexico. Pigeons were getting into equipment, interrupting light beams, and leaving their opinions on freshly painted vehicles. The bird version of graffiti taggers.
Ford tried speakers. It tried fake googly predator eyes. Eventually, somebody said, “What if we got the rest of the predator?”
Enter El Charro, a Harris’s hawk who patrols the plant and scares off the pigeons. He has reportedly reduced pigeon activity by about 80 percent.
I would like to see the meeting where they approved him.
“We need someone who can work across the entire facility.”
“Does he have manufacturing experience?”
“He’s a hawk.”
“Is he union?”
“How is he with teams?”
“He works well with his handler. The pigeons have given less positive feedback.”
El Charro has made more than 300 patrols. That’s considerably more time at the factory than I’d expect from an employee with the ability to leave through the roof.
He doesn’t have to catch every pigeon. He just has to show up often enough that 80 percent of the pigeons begin discussing other places to live. The other 20 percent are stubborn and apparently doing some self-help legal work to homestead the factory.
If I saw my natural enemy circling above my desk three times a day, I might start updating my résumé.
There’s something satisfying about the most effective solution being a bird. Ford can build hundreds of thousands of vehicles a year, but when the pigeons moved in, the answer turned out to be an employee who doesn’t know what a vehicle is.
I wonder how El Charro handles the ordinary parts of the job. Does he have a clip-on badge? Is there a tiny photograph on it, or do they just hold it up and say, “Yes, that’s him”? If someone asks him to attend a safety meeting, does his handler explain that he is the safety meeting?
And what happens during his performance review?
“Strong initiative. Excellent attendance. Continues to frighten coworkers, though the coworkers are pigeons, so we’re counting that as a strength.”
I do feel a little sympathy for the pigeons. They found a huge building with plenty of places to perch and immediately treated it like a condo development. Then management brought in a guy whose entire qualification was looking at them. He’s the Donald Trump landlord of the ’80s, but with feathers.
Still, if I bought a new Ford and found a pigeon had signed the paint, I’d want someone to do something about it. El Charro seems to be doing something. He clocks in, flies around, and lets everyone know he’s there.
I hope Ford gives him Employee of the Month. Put his picture up in the break room. The pigeons might see it through a window and leave another 10 percent sooner. Maybe they’ll add his silhouette to the logo.
But what will Ford do when El Charro meets the love of his life and starts having little Charros? Ford will probably give them a wrench when they pop out of the egg and explain the proper lug nut tightening sequence.
Don’t Pick What I Pick
Yesterday: 1–5. Detroit covered against the Jets. Cincinnati, Carolina, Baltimore, Seattle, and New England did not. After Saturday’s 6–0, apparently the picks decided to spend Sunday returning everything they’d borrowed.
ALL SPORTS: 1,102–1,113–7 · 11 net losses from .500.
TENNIS: 1–1
Tonight’s card is considerably shorter.
- Eagles ML at Bears. I’m asking Philadelphia to win the game, period. After yesterday, that feels like enough paperwork for one Monday night.
One hawk doing his job. One football team I’m hoping will do the same.
This isn’t called Pick What I Pick.
It’s called Don’t Pick What I Pick.
Please wager accordingly.
