When Ford’s 122-hectare assembly plant in Hermosillo, Mexico, started having pigeon problems, it was time to hire someone fit for the job. That someone was El Charro, a two-foot-tall hawk who patrols the skies and scares off pigeons that disrupt daily operations in the plant.
‘El Charro’ means Mexican Cowboy, and in a report by The Wall Street Journal, he’s been helping Ford’s factory personnel since July 2025. Before that, the assembly plant had another hawk named Chalino, but his stay was short-lived after he met another hawk mid-duty and they flew away together, never to return. El Charro, meanwhile, has been consistent. He is fed before every shift and patrols the grounds for around two to three hours, even pointing out pigeon nests to be removed.
Beyond posing a health risk to factory workers, the pigeons also get into light structures and factory equipment, causing delays. They even leave droppings on newly painted vehicles, which workers need to buff out. Before settling on falconry, Ford’s plant managers tried other solutions, such as playing loud sounds of larger birds and hanging predator replicas similar to a scarecrow. Neither tactic worked. The pigeons even memorized the factory’s daily routine, waiting for the doors to open before flying in.
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Since El Charro’s patrol work, the plant has seen an 80% reduction in pigeon activity around the area. Today, El Charro has logged more than 300 flights and over 1,170 hours on duty, with no signs of retirement anytime soon. The hawk has become a necessary employee at Ford’s assembly plant, and a popular one at that, with many workers asking for photos with him whenever he’s with his owner.
For now, El Charro continues to use the assembly plant as his hunting ground, and as for the pigeons, they’ll be flocking elsewhere. So, if you happen to get a new Hermosillo-assembled Ford vehicle, just know that a hawk was there to help keep your paint shiny and bird-dropping-free.
