Latest news with #Koeniz
Metro
14-05-2025
- Metro
Speed camera catches a duck doing nearly double the limit twice in seven years
If a speeding driver got caught out breaking the limit once, it stands to reason they would drop their speed to avoid being caught out a second time. But this repeat offender can probably excused for being caught twice in the same location – considering it probably has no understanding of speed limits in the first place. A speed camera in Köniz in central Switzerland automatically snapped a radar image of a speeder travelling at 52kph (32mph) in a 30kph (18mph) zone. But when police looked through the camera's images, they found that the culprit was in fact a mallard. And it's also thought this duck is a repeat offender – as a similar-looking bird was captured flying in the same spot, at exactly the same speed, exactly seven years ago. The town's municipality first thought the picture was either edited or a late April Fool's joke. But local police said it was impossible to manipulate the images or radar system. This is because the computers are calibrated and tested every year by the Swiss federal institute of metrology, and any pictures taken by the speed cameras are sealed. More Trending In a Facebook post, Koeniz officials wished the public 'a lot of fun' in making sense of the 'curious coincidences' which brought the same bird to the same location exactly seven years apart. 'We wish you a lot of fun sensing about curious coincidences, criminal machinations of animals and the maximum flight speed of ducks,' the post read. According to Ducks Unlimited, most waterfowl fly at speeds of 40-60mph (64-97kph), with many species averaging roughly 50mph (80kph). But in 2024 a duck was captured flying at almost 103mph (165kph), thanks in part to a helpful tailwind. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Eurovision fans want 'justice' for Switzerland after semi-finals chaos MORE: I was on easyJet's Eurovision flight and it was gloriously unhinged MORE: Town horrified by mystery of 'exploding' birds found dead in their gardens
BBC News
14-05-2025
- BBC News
Lights, camera, QUACKTION!
A traffic camera in Switzerland has caught the same lawbreaker travelling almost twice the speed limit on two occasions - but the culprit was not a human in a car - it was a police say they spotted the mallard (a wild duck) going 52km per hour in a 30km zone on 13 April this year. But they also caught a very similar-looking duck triggering the traffic camera's speed alert system on the same date in 2018. What's more, the duck was going the same speed on both occasions. Locals have been wondering if the feathered felon is trying to break its own personal speed record, and some have even speculated that the police are attempting to prank the residents of Koeniz. But authorities say traffic cameras are tested each year and pictures cannot be tampered with. Safe to say there are no actual laws about ducks (or any other animals) speeding on public roads, so the mallard will not face any criminal charges. Other birds caught on camera... In 2019, traffic officers in London had two uninvited assistants helping them keep an eye on the A102 - also known as Brunswick Road. They were even given names.A spokesperson from Transport for London said: "Our cameras usually give us a bird's eye view of traffic across London, but we'd like to thank our new colleagues Graeme and Steve for helping out at beak times". In 2023, Rodney the emu was spotted on a doorbell camera near his home in Kent after he had escaped. Police officers were called to help with his rescue after he looked like he wanted to visit his neighbour's property. Rodney's owner Sarah said she was "delighted to have Rodney back home again".She said the six-month-old bird escaped after one of her children let him out of the garden by mistake. This parrot decided to play peekaboo with a CCTV camera in Brazil. The traffic monitoring company posted the footage from a camera on a highway in Curitiba on social media, calling it a "special visit."The bird seen in the footage is a turquoise-fronted Amazon parrot, also known in scientific communities as Amazona aestiva.
Telegraph
14-05-2025
- Telegraph
Duck caught by Swiss speed camera for the second time
When traffic police in the Swiss town of Koeniz sifted through the latest batch of speeding offenders, they couldn't believe what they were seeing: it had happened again. For the second time in seven years, a wild duck had raced past the camera at 32mph, breaking the 20mph speed limit and setting off the flash. The mallard, which was described by the town council as 'a notorious speeder and repeat offender' was caught flying low through Oberwangen, on Wangentalstrasse on April 13, 'probably in a hurry'. 'We know this for sure because she was picked up and flashed by the radar at that moment,' the town council said. Remarkably, it is believed it to be the same duck caught travelling at the same speed in the same location on the same date seven years earlier. The council said: 'Colleagues at the police inspectorate were astonished when they looked at a radar camera image from April 13 2025. A duck had indeed been caught in the speed trap again. Seven years to the day later, at the exact same spot and at exactly the same speed.' The previous incident made headlines around the world in 2018. Police denied that the images could have been fabricated. The town council said: 'According to the police inspectorate, it's impossible that the image or the radar system were tampered with. The computers are calibrated and tested annually ... and the photos are sealed.' It added: 'We hope you enjoy pondering curious coincidences, criminal activities of animals and the maximum flight speed of ducks.' Speeding in Switzerland involves strict penalties. Exceeding the limit by more than 20kph (12mph) in a non-built up area can lead to a fine of 240 Swiss Francs (£214). Much faster, and the driver can be charged with a criminal offence. At higher altitudes, mallards fly at between 40mph and 60mph, according to Ducks Unlimited, the American charity. The fastest a mallard has ever been recorded flying was 103mph. The animal in question was migrating across southern Minnesota and south-east North Dakota in April last year, helped by strong tailwinds.
BBC News
14-05-2025
- BBC News
Speeding duck: Switzerland traffic cameras catch flying mallard
A duck has been caught speeding on traffic cameras in the town of Koeniz in central police said the mallard - a wild duck - was snapped on radar images on 13 April clocking in at 52km (32 miles) in a 30km to the mystery, authorities said the duck was likely a repeat offender and shared an image of a similar looking duck travelling in the same spot, at the same speed and on the same date in has been speculation about whether the "notorious racer" duck incident was a belated April Fool's joke, but the police inspectorate said it is impossible to manipulate images on the radar system. Authorities said traffic cameras are tested each year by Switzerland's Federal Institute of Metrology and the photos taken are a Facebook post, Koeniz officials wished the public "a lot of fun" in making sense of the "curious coincidences" seven years in the making."We wish you a lot of fun sensing about curious coincidences, criminal machinations of animals and the maximum flight speed of ducks," the post comments have asked what the penalty will be for the "racer duck's" transgressions.
