To some, they’re a flying nuisance but pigeons are a big business in Senegal.
From his roof in a suburb of the capital Dakar, shopkeeper and pigeon racer Moustapha Gueye releases dozens of birds from the loft, who quickly fly out of sight.
“Here it’s a factory, I’m creating athletes,” he says.
He takes care of his winged friends every morning by training them and developing crossbreeds suitable for flying in hot weather.
“It is a sport created by Europeans, it was imported here. We discovered pigeon racing through the internet. But before we use to be pigeon breeders only,” Gueye says.
Though more popular across the continent, it is a growing sport in the West African country.
Today, there are some 350 pigeon racing enthusiasts in Senegal, who spend a lot of money. A pigeon can cost over 800 US dollars in the country.
“Currently I’m doing business with pigeons. I’ve earned several million CFA francs selling pigeons, I even bought a car through those pigeons,” he says.
“But the most important thing for me is the passion.
“It’s exciting to have pigeons, when you start participating in races, releasing a pigeon 400 km from its loft and it comes back, that’s something you can’t explain, it’s great!”
Taking flight
Pigeon racing has clearly taken flight in Senegal and continues to spread its wings.
Senegalese pigeon-racing enthusiasts are keen to turn others on to the sport, and some hope to ultimately turn professional.
But breeder and pigeon racer Oumar Johnson says some people take their dedication too far.
“When you’re too busy with pigeons, things risk going badly,” he says, adding that the pigeon-fanciers’ federation is considering less time-consuming races for youngsters.
Young people are nonetheless the future of the sport, Johnson says, adding that their devotion will make Senegal “one of the greatest pigeon-racing nations” one day.
“In Europe, you have to motivate young people to get involved,” he says.
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor or bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird 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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Contact us at 1 877-4-NO-BIRD,(604) 585-9279 or visit our website at www.pigeonpatrol.ca
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Dartmouth has a problem with pigeons and their droppings.
“They’re literally pooping in the lake,” said Emma Wattie, a water resource specialist with the Halifax Regional Municipality.
Feces from pigeons that roost under a bridge along Highway 111, between Lake Banook and Lake Micmac, has been identified as one of the bacteria sources in the water.
“There’s no barrier underneath, the bridge is essentially a throughway from the old canal system, the Shubenacadie Canal,” said Wattie. “Birds are literally roosting and their feces is entering the water.”
“There are hundreds of pigeons roosting underneath there,” said Jim Hunter, an environmental risk and compliance specialist with the municipality.
“It’s not only an environmental issue with the lake, it’s a problem for the paddlers as well going underneath the bridge.”
The municipality plans to force the pigeons out by installing environmentally friendly bird netting.
“It’s a nylon mesh, very fine mesh, that’ll keep any birds of any size in this area out and that way they won’t be able to roost any longer in that location,” said Hunter.
The project is expected to cost about $175,000 and will take four-to-six weeks to complete. The first step is for crews to clean and disinfect the entire underside of the bridge.
“The ultimate goal is that we have the pigeons roosting somewhere else — not under the bridge,” said Sam Austin, the area councillor.
“You think about that bridge, it’s not a natural environment, I mean a pigeon would maybe (roost) on a cliff, in a tree, something like this, normally, but under that bridge is pretty much a direct path from bird to lake.”
Vehicle and pedestrian traffic in the area will be unaffected while crews install the netting.
“For the people who paddle, or boat, on the lake, I would just urge you to be very cautious when you’re going through there, because one side is going to be closed and then they’ll flip to the other side and then the other side will close, so for the duration of construction, one of the lanes under the bridge is closed to boating,” said Austin.
It’s hoped less pigeons and what they leave behind will lead to fewer beach closures in the summer.
Halifax Regional municipality plans to force the pigeons out from under this Dartmouth bridge by installing environmentally friendly bird netting. The project is expected to cost about $175,000 and will take four-to-six weeks to complete. The first step is for crews to clean and disinfect the entire underside of the bridge. (CTV ATLANTIC / NATASHA PACE)
Halifax Regional municipality plans to force the pigeons out from under this Dartmouth bridge by installing environmentally friendly bird netting. The project is expected to cost about $175,000 and will take four-to-six weeks to complete. The first step is for crews to clean and disinfect the entire underside of the bridge. (CTV ATLANTIC / NATASHA PACE)
Feces from pigeons that roost under a bridge along Highway 111, between Lake Banook and Lake Micmac, has been identified as one of the bacteria sources in the water. (CTV ATLANTIC / NATASHA PACE)
Halifax Regional municipality plans to force the pigeons out from under this Dartmouth bridge by installing environmentally friendly bird netting. The project is expected to cost about $175,000 and will take four-to-six weeks to complete. The first step is for crews to clean and disinfect the entire underside of the bridge. (CTV ATLANTIC / NATASHA PACE)
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor or bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird 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.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products ten years in a row.
Contact us at 1 877-4-NO-BIRD,(604) 585-9279 or visit our website at www.pigeonpatrol.ca
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That pigeon in your neighborhood may not be your typical bird. Seattle Animal Control Officer Kevin Mack reports several “banded” pigeons found in the city recently.
“We’ve received at least two banded racing pigeons in the last couple weeks,” said Mack. “And I’ve had at least three sightings of banded birds that were moving through the city.
“These birds are essentially identical to local feral pigeons you see in the city, Rock Pigeons. But they really are domesticated birds and they usually have owners that want them back.”
People who race pigeons usually have a coop at their residence. They raise the birds, register them with their organization of choice, and then race them.
The race consists of driving the pigeon a pre-determined distance from their coop, setting them loose, and then seeing how long it takes them to return. Some pigeons are better at homing than others so sometimes they get lost on their way back. Other times they get injured or just plain tired.
The American Racing Pigeon Union is one of the most popular pigeon racing groups. You can tell the pigeons belong to someone who belongs to the group because they have bands on their legs with the letters “AU” on them.
The site also has good information about how to read the information on the band and some links to other organizations for birds with other types of bands.
The pigeon that is being sheltered at the Seattle Animal Shelter is from Jeanerett, Louisiana because its band includes the local club code. “2022” is the bird’s hatch year and the long number found on the other side of the band is the bird’s unique identifier.
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor or bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird 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.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products ten years in a row.
Contact us at 1 877-4-NO-BIRD,(604) 585-9279 or visit our website at www.pigeonpatrol.ca
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RENO, Nev. – Last month, a couple of pigeons strutting through Las Vegas wearing cowboy hats captured the attention of the nation. They also apparently captured the attention of some Reno copy cats.
In a tweet posted Wednesday morning, Reno City Manager Sabra Newby reported finding a pigeon in northeast Reno wearing a tiny sombrero.
“I look out the window and there’s a bunch of pigeons and one of them has a hat on,” Newby said. “Who knew. In Reno now we have pigeons with hats.”
Newby had been on a ride-along with the city’s parking enforcement team checking on abandoned vehicles when she saw the poor bird.
The Las Vegas pigeons became famous last month after a Facebook video went viral. Two of the birds earned the nicknames Coolamity Jane and Cluck Norris, inspiring a parody country song and entertaining social media commentary, as well as national media attention.
But Newby said she was dismayed that someone in Reno would harm pigeons here. One of the behatted pigeons in Las Vegas recently died.
“It’s not really that funny,” Newby said. “Because somebody captured the pigeon and ostensibly glued it on. We don’t support that kind of activity.”
Newby said she reported the pigeon to Washoe County Regional Animal Control Services.
“Reno cares about our animals,” she said in a written statement. “They need protection and don’t need to become a punchline.”
While Washoe County Regional Animal Control has no jurisdiction over wild animals, the director urged people not to glue things to pigeons.
“Washoe County Regional Animal Services finds this practice of affixing any objects on wild birds disturbing, inhumane and strongly discourages this type of behavior,” agency director Shyanne Schull said in a statement.
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor or bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird 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.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products ten years in a row.
Contact us at 1 877-4-NO-BIRD,(604) 585-9279 or visit our website at www.pigeonpatrol.ca
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Greg Pigeon called a television station and told them: “That’s my crow.”
And a peculiar story in the British Columbia news got even more peculiar.
The interesting tale involves a Cariboo resident, a young guy on a bike and a crow “attack” in Vancouver, a video on the Internet, multiple news reports about that video, and now, contradictory stories about where this simultaneously pesky and charming bird named, Crow, with no fear of people and an orange zip tie around its foot, really came from.
According to reports, East Vancouver locals say the crow in question fell from its nest as a baby and people there nursed it back to health.
The crow stuck around and now it’s like their friendly neighbourhood crow, a sort of precocious feathered mascot of the community, hanging out at racetracks and soccer fields, entertaining children, flying around and brazenly pecking items from people’s pockets.
The bird apparently goes by many names down in the Lower Mainland: Crackers, Mr. Jack, Canuck and Jerome.
An East Vancouver resident who was featured in the reports calls him Crow. This is what Pigeon, a 108 Mile Ranch resident, calls him, too.
But Crow was raised in the Cariboo, Pigeon claims, not in Vancouver.
The way Pigeon tells it, hefound Crow in the spring at his parent’s farm near Clinton. The baby bird fell from its nest and Pigeon’s son, Steven, took care of it when the family brought it home to 108 Mile Ranch, and raised it like a pet.
“It learned how to fly eventually,” says Pigeon. “It flew around our house and visited our neighbours and they got to know him.
“He just kept coming back. Eventually, he disappeared.”
Before the bird went missing around August, Pigeon tied an orange zip tie around its left foot to distinguish it from other crows in his yard.
Pigeon says there’s no doubt the crow on the news is the same crow. After all, he asks, what are the chances there are two strikingly social, heart-winning crows flying around B.C. – with the same colour zip tie on the same foot?
Reached via e-mail and asked about the likelihood of Pigeon’s crow being the same crow in the Vancouver news reports, Tom Dickinson, Dean of Science at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, says the orange strap on the bird’s leg is “a perfect match” and he suspects it is the same bird and Pigeon’s story is true.
“Only two ways to get there: fly or hitch hike,” explains Dickinson, whose research includes bird communities in high elevation forests.
“It isn’t that far to go, especially if there is favourable wind and weather. But given how tame this [crow] looks, it is at least equally likely he was foraging inside a truck bed (or the like) and maybe didn’t get out before the door slammed and found himself in Kerrisdale.”
Pigeon shares a similar theory. But no matter how the bird made its way south, he just hopes Crow eventually makes his way back up to the Cariboo, and hopes no one hurts him in the meantime.
“If he seems to be a pain the butt, the main thing is ignore him and he’ll find someone else. If you feed him, he’s going to continue staying around.
“If he’s in 100 Mile, let me know,” Pigeon adds.
“He’s more than welcome around our house. We enjoyed having him around.”
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird 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.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products ten years in a row.
Contact us at 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD, (604) 585-9279 or visit our website at www.pigeonpatrol.ca
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