Pigeon Patrol

Pigeons could be losing their toes because of human hair

by Pigeon Patrol | Jul 20, 2023 | Bird Spike, Pigeon Predators, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons, Pigeons in the News, Raccoons, Sparrows, UltraSonic Bird Control

Once used to deliver messages, these days pigeons are often reviled as urban pests.

The birds, common in major cities such as Paris and London, can often be seen struggling to walk due to missing toes and deformed feet.

Now a team of researchers in the French capital have come up with an interesting explanation for the phenomenon.

Previous research had suggested pigeons lose toes due to infections or chemical pollutants, but a new study by scientists from the National Museum of Natural History (MNHN) and the University of Lyon suggests that human hair may in fact be a culprit.

Study co-author Frédéric Jiguet, of MNHN, told CNN he came up with the idea for the study after noticing mutilated pigeons as he walked through the Jardin des Plantes, a botanical garden, in Paris.

“Pigeons have a very bad reputation in Paris, and actually everywhere in the world,” said Jiguet.

“People get confused, they think pigeons are dirty because they see them wandering about with stumps for legs, wandering through rubbish.”

However, the birds are actually “victims of our pollution, of our activities,” said Jiguet.

Researchers studied the extent of pigeon toe mutilations at 46 sites around the French capital.

Jiguet and the team found that toe mutilation “tended to increase with the density of hairdressers,” according to the study.

Jiguet said pigeons could lose digits which get stuck in human hair, a phenomenon known as “stringfeet.”

“When they walk, they can trip on strings or hair,” he said.

“The string might just fall, but sometimes it forms a knot around a toe, and in the end the toe dies and falls off.”

Pigeons also have fewer toes in areas with more air and noise pollution, providing a useful gauge for the quality of urban environments.

Jiguet said that the study showed “the more human activity in an area, the less toes pigeons have” and “the more green spaces, the more toes they have.”

“It would be interesting to look in all major cities in the world, to look at how many toes pigeons have in order to estimate the quality of the environment and of the pollution,” added Jiguet.

The study was published in the journal Biological Conservation.

Source

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deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Bird Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.

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Wageningen study shows lasers prevent avian flu’s spread

by Pigeon Patrol | Jul 20, 2023 | 4-S Gel Bird repellent, Animal Deterrent Products, Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Law, Bird Netting, Bird Spikes

Wageningen University released the results of research on a poultry farm that suffered visits from wild waterfowl, which are a source of the avian influenza virus (AIV).

The study revealed that when the laser was in use, a 99.7% wild bird reduction rate was recorded.

Wageningen Bioveterinary Research (WBVR), part of the Wageningen University, previously discovered a mallard, which is a species identified as a high-risk bird for carrying the avian flu virus, was frequenting a free-range area of a poultry farm from sunset to sunrise. This was notable from November to February, the typical bird migration period and when the avian influenza virus is more prevalent. Therefore, chickens in the free-range area had increased exposure to the virus, due to the regular occurrence of wild waterfowl during this time.

The project leader of the study, and epidemiologist at WBVR, Armin Elbers, explained: “Several mallards came to visit the range between sunset and sunrise daily. They look for food and swim in puddles of water that are formed during the winter period by abundant rainfall in the range. While swimming in the puddles, the ducks may defecate. During the day, the chickens drink the same water, as we saw in the video camera images. In the cold winter period, the bird flu virus can survive in such water for a long time.”

Wageningen University & Research did a study with the laser bird deterrent manufactured by Bird Control Group. This study explored whether the laser system could be a successful biosecurity measure to prevent avian influenza viruses from spreading from wild birds to domestic animals. The laser bird deterrent system has been used worldwide in a variety of applications to reduce bird presence. The system spooks birds away by projecting a green laser beam across areas where birds aggregate. The birds see the green laser beam as a solid object and instinctively perceive it as a physical threat, causing them to flee the area immediately.

The WBVR study took place in the winter of 2019-2020. The laser bird deterrent system was deployed on a six-meter-high pole in the farm’s free-range area of 1.5 hectares. In that area, eight wide-angle video cameras were installed to record visits of wild birds. The laser bird deterrent was active in the free-range area between 5 pm, and 10 am when the laying hens were in the barn. Between 10 am and 5 pm, the laying hens were in the free-range area, and the laser was used to protect the grass pastures surrounding the farm. The study was carried out over two months: one month without the laser, followed by one month with the laser.

Elbers earlier discussed the study during the International Egg Commission webinar, “AI Prevention and Innovative Biosecurity Measures — How the Dutch Egg Industry is Tackling AI,” held in October 2020. He said at the time the results would be released soon.

Study results

The results of the study indicated that virtually no wild ducks visited the free-range area (99.7% prevention rate) when the laser was in use. There was also a reduction of visits from other wild birds in the free-range area during sunrise, and 10 a.m. (about 96% prevention). The research interpreted, “The overall (all bird species) efficacy of the laser for reducing the rate of wild birds visiting the free-range study area was 98.2 %.”

When the laser was not in use in the free-range area, a significant number of geese would visit the surrounding grass pastures during the day.

Elbers concluded: “In this study, we confirm the high efficacy of using lasers to reduce the daily number of wild bird visits to the free-range area of a layer farm situated in an AIV-hotspot area. Given this high efficacy, the application of these lasers becomes a viable alternative for the prevention of introduction of avian influenza infections in poultry.”

Industry knowledge and future perspective

“For free-range poultry farms located in high-risk avian flu virus areas, which had repeated introductions of avian flu virus in the past, we believe that a laser could be helpful as a preventive measure to keep wild birds away from the farm during the high-risk period (October to March). Poultry farms with strictly indoor accommodations have also been infected with avian influenza virus in the past due to their location near wetlands. Using a laser during the high-risk period could offer a solution to this problem too by keeping wild waterfowl away from the vicinity of the barn,” Elbers stated.

The laser bird repellent has already been deployed at a poultry farm, Orchard Eggs, in the U.K.

Daniel Hoberichts, the owner of Orchard Eggs, understood the biosecurity measures that had to be taken to protect his poultry. He uses the laser bird repellent to prevent the chickens and staff from being exposed to the avian influenza virus.

Hoberichts explained: “Our birds are housed across 50 acres of orchard and we want to do everything to keep them safe from infection. Once we heard about the AVIX Autonomic it seemed like an ideal solution to complement all of our other biosecurity measures.” The laser bird repellent helped reduce bird presence by more than 90%.

Source

Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products ten years in a row.

The fellowship of the wing: Pigeons flap faster to fly together

by Pigeon Patrol | Jul 20, 2023 | Columbidae, Doves, history of pigeons, MBCA, pet bird, Pigeon Control, Pigeon Droppings, Pigeon Patrol's Services

New research publishing June 18 in the open-access journal, PLOS Biology, led by Dr Lucy Taylor from the University of Oxford’s Department of Zoology now reveals that homing pigeons fit in one extra wingbeat per second when flying in pairs compared to flying solo.

Birds that fly in ‘V’-formations, such as geese, are able to conserve energy by flying in aerodynamically optimal positions. By contrast, in species that don’t fly in formation, such as homing pigeons, the costs and benefits of flocking have been less well understood.

The research indicates that flying with another bird requires more energy compared to flying solo. ‘The results of this study were completely unexpected. Energy is the currency of life so it’s astonishing that the birds are prepared to pay a substantial energetic cost to fly together,” said lead-author, Dr Lucy Taylor.

The team used high frequency GPS and accelerometer bio-loggers to measure how pigeons changed their wingbeat patterns when flying in pairs compared to flying solo. The accelerometers act much like fitness trackers but, instead of measuring steps, the researchers measure wingbeats. ‘The increase in wingbeat frequency is equivalent to Usain Bolt running the 100m sprint at his usual speed, whilst fitting in nearly one extra step per second. The pigeons are flapping faster when flying in pairs but hardly going any faster,” said Dr Taylor.

The increase in wingbeat frequency is likely to be related to the demands of coordinating flight. Dr Taylor said: ‘Imagine trying to coordinate with and avoid hitting another small object travelling at around 44 miles per hour. This is nearly two times faster than an Olympic sprinter, and the birds can move up and down as well as left and right. For a pigeon, flapping your wings faster will both give you faster reactions and greater control over your movements, and will help keep your head stable making it easier to track where the other bird is.’

Despite the costs of fitting in one additional wingbeat per second, the birds consistently chose to fly together, suggesting that they were able to gain other benefits from flocking. Birds flying in a pair were simultaneously able to improve their homing accuracy, meaning that they could conserve energy by flying shorter routes home. Combined with increased predator protection from safety in numbers, this research suggests that the overall benefits of flocking outweigh the immediate energetic costs of changing wingbeat patterns.

Source

Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products ten years in a row.

Ever wondered why cities have so many pigeons?

by Pigeon Patrol | Jul 20, 2023 | Columbidae, Doves, history of pigeons, MBCA, pet bird, Pigeon Control

Some people feed pigeons bread crumbs or keep them as pets in rooftop coops. Others see the animals as pests, carriers of disease or simply “rats with wings.” But whatever you think about these birds, there’s one fact no one will argue: Pigeons are everywhere.

Have you ever wondered how one kind of bird managed to take over urban areas as far apart as Washington; London, England; Mumbai, India; and Melbourne, Australia? Or why it is that pigeons are so plentiful in cities and not eagles, turkeys, hummingbirds or vultures?

Well, the first thing you need to know about pigeons is that they’re actually doves. Or doves are actually pigeons. Scientifically, there’s no difference between the two.

“In some languages, there isn’t even a separate word for ‘pigeon,’ ” said Colin Jerolmack, a scientist at New York University who studies human societies.

There are still pigeons living in the wild today. They evolved on the shores of North Africa and the Mediterranean Sea, where they make their homes on rocky ledges and cliffs. And it was this natural love for hard surfaces that made them a perfect fit in urban areas.

“They actually really like concrete, marble and stone, so they prefer to live and build nests not in the trees and shrubs and grass, but alongside buildings,” said Jerolmack, who wrote a book called “The Global Pigeon.”

But perhaps the biggest reason you’ll find pigeons in cities around the world is because humans brought them there.

At least as long as 5,000 years ago, the people of an ancient Middle Eastern civilization known as Mesopotamia started putting out houses for these birds. As the birds became more tame, people began breeding them for food in areas where other wild animals had become scarce.

Later, people learned that they could also use pigeons to carry written messages over long distances, thanks to the birds’ homing instinct.

“You can take a street pigeon in D.C. and drive it down to North Carolina and release it, and, more often than not, it’ll find its way home,” Jerolmack said.

As you can see, pigeons can be quite useful. It’s been only in the past 80 to 100 years that people started disliking the birds, Jerolmack said. And much of the dislike comes from misunderstanding.

For example, there’s really no solid evidence that pigeons pass diseases on to people. And once you get to know them, you might change the way you think.

Did you know that pigeons mate for life, for instance? Or that once their chicks hatch, both parents take turns feeding their young a liquid produced in their digestive tract called “crop milk?”

Anyway, humans have only themselves to blame for the pigeons cooing on every corner.

“We bred them and domesticated them, and kept them in cities as we developed cities,” Jerolmack said. “So they’ve always been here, from the beginning.”

Source

Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products ten years in a row.

Pest advice for controlling pigeons, gulls and other birds

by Pigeon Patrol | Jul 20, 2023 | Bird Spike, Pigeon Predators, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons, Pigeons in the News, Raccoons, Sparrows, UltraSonic Bird Control

Sick of sea gulls? Petrified of pigeons? Bothered by birds? Have you been stepping in excessive amounts of bird poo around your home or business?

This guide is packed full of everything you need to know about bird management in the UK. The guide includes why we sometimes have to control birds, how to deter birds, and how to get rid of them if you have an infestation.

Whether you’re thinking about doing some DIY bird control or you’re looking to enlist the help of a professional bird management company, this guide is for you.

We love British birds. Every wild bird and their eggs in the UK is rightfully protected by law under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

There are hundreds of species of birds in the UK. Having birds visit your garden is a wonderful treat, and we’re all happy to see them.

Unfortunately, a few species of birds come into direct conflict with humans when they take roost in or around our homes or businesses. These birds can cause real problems, including excessive nuisance and public health concerns.

Urban birds such as gulls and pigeons are great opportunists. Handed a ready food source and sheltered nesting site, these birds can grow rapidly and what initially attracted a few birds can soon become a thriving colony.

That’s when a professional can step in and help you control and manage pest birds.

The dangers: why control birds?

Pathogens and diseases

There are more than 110 pathogens reportedly carried by pigeons, and there is plenty of research to suggest other wild birds pass on diseases to humans.

Some of the more common diseases and pathogens that birds can spread:

Air-borne diseases	Food-borne disease
Chlamydia psittaci (Ornithosis)	Salmonella spp.
Cryptococcus neoformans	Escherichia coli
Histoplasma capsulatum	Campylobacter jejuni
Allergenic particles (bird fancier’s lung)	Listeria monocytogenes
	Vibrio cholerae

In 2019, two patients died in a Glasgow hospital who had contracted a cryptococcal fungal infection which was subsequently linked to pigeon droppings.

Diseases can be transmitted from bird droppings and the birds themselves.

When dry, pigeon droppings can become airborne in small particles, which can lead to respiratory complaints.

You should always wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) when cleaning up bird droppings.

Food-borne bacteria can be spread to humans if you have poor food hygiene standards or come into direct contact with droppings (wash your hands straight away)!

Pigeons, gulls, house sparrows and starlings have the potential to carry food-borne diseases – it is therefore essential to keep them away from food manufacturers and distributors.

Safety concerns

All bird droppings can be slippery and can cause a serious risk on pavements, particularly under roosting birds.

As funny as it might seem to see a gull steal someone’s chips at the seaside, gulls can pose a serious safety concern.

During the breeding season, gulls have been known to attack people unprovoked. Gulls have the potential to startle and even draw blood when they attack.

All birds have the potential to cause real problems on airfields. When birds are sucked into plane engines (bird strikes) – while rarely fatal – they can cause damage to aircraft and emergency landings.

Damage to property and brickwork

Bird droppings are acidic and can corrode and erode metals, stonework and brickwork.

Nesting materials birds use can block chimneys, flues and guttering, causing possible issues with carbon monoxide and damage to buildings as water overflows from blocked gutters.

Buildings covered in fouling looks unpleasant, can smell, and projects a poor image of a business, potentially ruining an organisation’s reputation. If customers spot evidence of a bird infestation on your premises, they may not want to do business with you.

A professional pest management company can help protect your building using proofing and bird deterrent measures.

Secondary insect infestations

Where birds go, so too go the parasites that live on them. Bird mites, ticks, fleas and beetles can all cause complicated secondary infestations.

If you have a current or past problem with birds, you may find you’ll suffer from a parasite infestation too.

These little critters can quickly multiply into thousands, leaving you feeling overwhelmed.

The relentless biting, itching, crawling sensation and lack of sleep are the physical symptoms that can propagate a whole host of secondary mental health issues.

Bird mites are parasitic arthropods feed on living organisms. It is the female mite that needs a blood meal to reproduce viable eggs. They are attracted to mammals by receptors for moisture, heat and CO2, and they often bite humans when their original food source has gone – like when the young birds leave the nest.

If you have a parasite issue because of a bird infestation, contact a professional pest management company as soon as possible.

Birds around businesses

If you have birds roosting in and around your business then you’ll want to seek professional help as soon as possible.

In the UK, allowing birds to infest a food business violates the Food Safety (General Food Hygiene) Regulations 1995, and could result in prosecution of the food company.

If you don’t address health and safety hazards, you could be putting your staff and customers at risk.

By investing in a professional bird management contract, you can save money in the long run by reducing damage to your property or stock.

The reputational damage caused by a bird infestation can be catastrophic. Bird droppings make any business appear unclean and imply a state to disrepair.

Would you choose to use a company covered in dangerous poo?

Find a professional to help stop bird infestations at your work and protect your business today.

Birds control licences and the law

The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 protects all wild birds, their nests and eggs.

However, specific exemptions permit certain species to be controlled by particular methods for specific reasons.

This exemption is given in the way of a wildlife licence issued by Natural England, Natural Resources Wales, Scottish Natural Heritage or Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs.

General licences are issued to allow certain actions to be carried out that would otherwise be illegal under the legislation, without the need for people to apply for a specific licence.

Individual licences are sometimes granted for specific situations not covered by a general license. These do need to be applied for.

The law only allows competent people such as professional pest controllers to deal with certain species.

You should always consult with a professional before you consider any form of bird control measures, as the list of birds that are considered pests can change regularly.

You can be prosecuted in the UK if you illegally interfere with a bird, it’s nests or eggs and you’re not doing under a wildlife licence.

Signs of a bird infestation

What do you need to look out for to spot a bird infestation? Some bird species like pigeons and gulls have adapted to live around us.

By their nature, birds will normally be at height keeping away from us.

Here are the seven signs that you have a bird problem:

Spotting lots of birds settling on roofs or ledges
Loud bird noises and cries from young chicks
Finding nesting materials thrown about your home of business
Damaged stock from pecking
Bird fouling/droppings
Blocked guttering and drainage systems with feathers and nest materials
Secondary infestations from bird parasites (such as bird mites).

Types of birds that can be a pest

While most species of birds coexist with humans and rarely come into conflict with us, some species of birds in certain situations are considered pests.

It’s important to note that even species typically considered “pest birds” are protected by law.

Control of feral pigeon (Columba livia)

The feral pigeon is a widespread pest bird found in cities, towns and rural settings in the UK and around the world.

Pigeons can harbour a large variety of diseases and insects on their bodies. Its nests and fouling are also public health concerns.

Biology of a pigeon

Feral pigeons originally descended from domesticated rock doves. The population is supported by escaped racing pigeons.

Pigeons usually make their nests in bridges, buildings or any structures with easily accessible shelter.

Males and females help build nests out of grass, twigs, features and even litter such as plastics and wire. The nests can be quite large and quickly become thick with droppings.

Depending on breeding conditions, pigeons can have up to seven broods (birds produced at one hatching) in their breeding season between March and July.

Two eggs hatch in around 18 days. With access to enough food, the young pigeons will become independent adults in just 30 days.

More eggs can be hatched before the young have even left the nest, meaning a population can quickly grow.

Wild pigeons will live up to four years, relying on human food scraps and spillages, or taking from newly sown farmland.

Behaviour of a pigeon

You’ll often see pigeons in town centres feeding in huge flocks, ranging in size from 50 to 400-plus birds.

Pigeons have a social order, so the more dominant birds feed first and get the best breeding sites.

Management and control of pigeons

The best way to get rid of pigeons is to remove a food source.

Cover bins, clean up spillages and restrict access to food. Most importantly – don’t feed the pigeons!

Proofing with nets, spikes and mesh can stop pigeons perching and roosting in structures.

Scaring techniques rarely work with pigeons. Visual and audio scaring doesn’t tend to work very well or for very long. Pigeons adapt very quickly to new things.

Flying birds of prey regularly can be useful.

Lethal control can be an option when a bird has entered a food premises or overcome the proofing measures.

Culling pigeons to reduce flock sizes is rarely successful unless access to food is restricted, otherwise population numbers soon recover. This should only ever be done as a last resort and in accordance with a wildlife licence (general or individual) issued by an appropriate government department.

How to prevent and deter birds

All urban birds require is:

A nesting/ roosting sites (eg balconies, window ledges and roof areas of surrounding buildings)
A reliable food source.

Removing bird food sources or blocking off sites where they perch or roost is the best way to prevent birds causing a problem.

The number of birds attracted to an area will depend on what food is available.

All of these methods of proofing have their merits and some can offer a stronger and more lasting deterrent, but as with any method of control, they may become less effective over an extended period of time.

Flying a bird of prey can be a great way of deterring birds from a certain area.

For a heavy bird infestation, your professional contractor may have to employ methods of control such as egg and nest removal, shooting, trapping or flying of predatory birds.

Therefore if birds are being fed, more will be attracted to that area, so food sources must be kept to a minimum. Keep your bin lids closed and cover compost bins.

Source

Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products ten years in a row.

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Next Entries »

Pigeons could be losing their toes because of human hair

Wageningen study shows lasers prevent avian flu’s spread

Study results

Industry knowledge and future perspective

The fellowship of the wing: Pigeons flap faster to fly together

Ever wondered why cities have so many pigeons?

Pest advice for controlling pigeons, gulls and other birds

The dangers: why control birds?

Pathogens and diseases

Safety concerns

Damage to property and brickwork

Secondary insect infestations

Types of birds that can be a pest

Control of feral pigeon (Columba livia)

Biology of a pigeon

Behaviour of a pigeon

Management and control of pigeons

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