A Cleveland man has been left angered after his pigeons were savagely attacked in their loft.
Sean Wardle, of Carlin How, visited his allotment just off Westray Street at around 10.30am yesterday to discover four of his tumbler pigeons without heads as well as four chickens lying headless on the grass.
Sean, 45, said: “When I first saw the chickens I thought it must have been a fox.
“Then when I saw that the wire mesh on the front of the pigeon loft had been damaged but the padlock was still on I knew there was more to it.
“I couldn’t believe it when I found the birds lying there with no heads. They were still warm and one of them was still flapping so it can’t have happened long before I got there.”
Sean has maintained the allotment for the past 25 years but has only kept the 45 pigeons their in the loft for the past two and a half years.
Despite never showing the birds professionally, Sean, who looks after the birds with his girlfriend Louise Neate, puts a lot of time and effort into their care.
He said: “The birds aren’t worth a lot but they mean a lot to me. I am doing something for a hobby and not harming anyone. I just can’t understand people.”
Sean Wardle of Carlin HowSean Wardle of Carlin How
Sean shares his allotment with a friend, Ryan Taylor, whose four chickens were also killed during the attack.
Ryan, 18, who only got the chickens about a month ago said: “I couldn’t believe it when I heard what had happened. They had just started laying eggs and I was planning on getting more.
“I also thought about getting some ducks and a goat for the allotment but now I will be thinking twice about it.”
Louise, 36, said: “I think it is an absolute disgrace that somebody could do this.”
Sean added: “The rest of the birds now won’t go back inside.
“They’re obviously scared about what has happened. I just think it is sick and I don’t know what someone would get out of doing this.”
Cleveland Police confirmed that an investigation is ongoing.
Anyone with information should call 101.
About Pigeon Patrol:
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 Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
PIGEONS roosting beneath a Redhill bridge have ruffled the feathers of residents and commuters.
Many birds have made their home under the bridge next to the town’s railway station, resulting in pigeon poo smattering the pavements and busy A25.
The Mirror was contacted about the issue by Reigate reader Sarah Ballingal.
She said: “It is usually bad enough, but when I walked under there on the morning of August 23 I couldn’t believe how bad it had become.
“The amount of feathers there was extraordinary.
“It was as though every pigeon in the town had been plucked there.
“It’s disgusting, a major health hazard and an appalling blot on Redhill’s already shaky reputation.”
She said new visitors to the town would not stay too long when they saw how bad things had become there. Other residents also feel aggrieved.
Gareth Hughes, who has lived for 20 years in nearby St Anne’s Drive, said: “It’s such an eyesore.
“There’s pigeons’ mess all over the footpath and road. It’s unhygienic as well as looking ugly.”
Mr Hughes said protective netting was needed to deter the birds.
Malcolm Collins, of Redstone Hill, said: “I’ve never yet been hit by pigeon droppings but its probably only a matter of time. There are up to 20 pigeons roosting under the bridge.
“I think some metal pigeon proofing strips were put up there in recent years, but things have got worse recently.”
Chris Denham, spokesman for Network Rail which owns the bridge, said: “Pigeons can be a menace.
“We usually schedule pigeon proofing for when other work is also planned as logistics like road closure orders are expensive and sometimes difficult to get.
“We tend to go for anti-pigeon mesh these days as it lasts longer and is more effective than the old nets.
“We will liaise with the local council and then decide on what measures, such as spikes and netting, will be implemented.”
Richard Dewar, Reigate and Banstead Borough Council’s outreach manager, said: “It is the responsibility of Network Rail to ensure pigeons do not colonise railway bridges and, as such, most bridges in the area have had pigeon proofing added.
“However, as the local authority, it is our role to report complaints about pigeon fouling to Network Rail.
“And where residents notice this problem under railway bridges, we would encourage them to report it to us online.”
Complaints can be recorded via the council’s website www.reigate-banstead.gov.uk. Alternatively call the authority on 01737 27600
About Pigeon Patrol:
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 Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Foot deformities are ubiquitous in urban pigeons – why? As you’ll know if you’ve spent any time watching the pigeons of towns and cities, something like one in every ten (or more) has missing or partial toes, or swollen toes, or other pedal deformities of some sort. And then there are really extreme individuals – the ones that are missing feet altogether.
Poor footless urban pigeon, encountered close to Kew train station. The right foot is completely absent; the left one had at least one toe, curled round such that the bird was walking on the toe’s lateral side. Photo by Darren Naish.
I’m talking here about the domestic form of Columba livia, the so-called Rock pigeon or Rock dove. And, while I’ve only noticed deformed pigeons here in the UK, it certainly isn’t a UK-only thing, as continental European and North American [UPDATE: and South American] people will confirm.
The bird in the photos here was able to fly around and feed itself, and it might be broadly described as ‘healthy’. However, note that it’s in pretty poor condition. The feathers on its head and neck looked terrible and its rectrices (the big tail feathers) were frayed and shabby. I reckon this is partly due to an inability to groom and scratch itself: obviously, birds use their feet to reach parts that they can’t get to with the bill.
The impact of this is more than cosmetic, since birds with a poorly maintained or unrepaired plumage are disadvantaged in flight relative to tidier individuals, and less able to keep themselves warm and waterproofed. And a bird that isn’t able to groom parts of its plumage is also at risk of being unable to keep on top of parasites like ticks and feather mites (see the ‘pigeon’s eye view’ Tet Zoo article linked to below). And, as has been demonstrated through various experiments, birds with shabby-looking plumage are less attractive as mates (Clayton 1990), so a bad-looking pigeon is likely to be a non-breeding pigeon. It’s also worth noting that (like many animals), pigeons preferentially use one foot more than the other as goes the way they land and perch and sit and so on (Fisher 1957), so individuals that lose or damage their preferred foot might end up being doubly disadvantaged (imagine being right-handed, and then having to rely only on your left hand for evermore). I don’t know how concerned people are about the emotional well-being of animals like urban pigeons (or how far they’re prepared to go in admitting that non-human animals have feelings and states of mind), but I think we can be fairly confident that the most severely deformed of these birds are – at least at times – miserable, unhappy and frustrated.
Several ideas have been put forward to explain the many foot problems seen in urban pigeons. Some probably lose toes after getting them tangled in litter or anti-pigeon netting, or after they’ve injuries received from anti-pigeon spikes installed on signs and ledges. Fine wire, string, cotton thread and even human hair can all cause problems for birds when caught on or around digits, and some people say that interaction with fine thread and string and so on is the primary cause of pigeon foot damage. It’s also sometimes suggested that the deformities result from infections received after standing on excrement, and also that the birds become damaged through interaction with chemicals used on roofs and building stone. But the ‘chemical injury’ idea is unlikely to be correct, since (A) exactly what sort of chemicals are we talking about here, and why have they been used on buildings in the first place?, and (B) a chemical would basically have to be a powerful acid or alkaline agent (hydrochloric acid, or a very strong bleach) before it might damage a bird’s feet. For completeness, note that hereditary deformities like those reported for some captive populations of other pigeon species (Flach & Cooper 1991) might also explain some of the abnormalities observed in urban pigeons.
Other hazards that might affect an urban pigeon. At left: voracious park-dwelling pelicans! (photo: PA). At right: deceased Wood pigeon (Columba palumbus) following encounter with motor vehicle; note ‘terror-moulted’ lack of rectrices. Photo by Darren Naish.
Pigeons are not, of course, the only birds that end up with damaged feet. You might recall the foot-lacking Rock pipit Anthus petrosus I featured here recently…
I’ve been photographing pigeons a lot lately, but pigeons of a different species from C. livia. More about that another time. For previous Tet Zoo articles relevant to some of the subjects covered here, see…
About Pigeon Patrol:
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 Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
ANDERSON, S.C. — The Anderson City Council plans to consider Monday how to deal with a pigeon problem in the pavilion at Carolina Wren Park.
The council is expected to vote on whether to hire an animal control company to install a net inside the pavilion, which is downtown.
According to the agenda for Monday’s evening, a “recurring nuisance with pigeons nesting in the rafters” has developed at the pavilion.
“There have been some attempts to cease their interest in the pavilion through cleaning and installing an ultrasonic bird repellent with a strobe light,” according to the agenda. “But those efforts have been unsuccessful.”
City staff said the pigeons and their waste can cause property damage and pose a health risk, and cleaning up after them can be costly.
The city sought bids from pest control companies, to see how much it would cost to install a net inside the ceiling of the pavilion.
Orkin Pest Control bid $28,000, Trehel Corp. bid $16,899 and the low bidder was Animal Control Experts at $11,385.
If the council approves the expenditure, the money to pay for it would come from hospitality tax revenue the city collects.
About Pigeon Patrol:
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 Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
A senior Coast Guard officer urged anyone planning to use fireworks, flares or Chinese lanterns to contact the marine rescue centre in Valentia, in advance.
“We would encourage people to advise Valentia of what they intend to use, and to give them the details of where, when and what duration their event will be,” said Dermot Sheehan, deputy officer in charge of the Goleen Coast Guard unit.
He was speaking after the unit spent 90 minutes scouring the rugged coastline at the southern tip of the Mizen peninsula, on Saturday morning, after reports that a flare had been sighted.
It was later discovered that the flare had been released to mark a racing pigeon ‘liberation’, near Barleycove.
The alarm was raised around 11am, when a person with a holiday home near the scenic Three Castle Head, a few miles west of Barleycove, reported seeing a trail of smoke and a flare, and that its trajectory suggested that someone was in distress near the coast, or or just off shore.
The marine rescue centre, at Valentia, tasked Goleen Coast Guard, and its members were deployed along the coastline, from Barleycove to Dunlough Bay.
As the operation continued, the occupants of several yachts reported to Valentia that they had seen nothing unusual. Coast guard members eventually spoke to a backpacker, who solved the mystery — they had seen a flare being set off as hundreds of pigeons were released from a truck, parked on The Causeway, near Barleycove.
The search operation was stood down.
Mr Sheehan said the holidaymaker did the right thing by raising the alarm.
“The person should be commended for being so observant and civic-minded,” he said.
“You should never be afraid of making that call. If you are in doubt at all, our advice is to alert the authorities and let us check it out. And don’t hesitate. Minutes can be vital.”
He also said that those involved in released the racing pigeons may not have been aware of the protocols around the release of flares, especially near coastal areas.
About Pigeon Patrol:
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 Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
People who enjoy gambling have something in common with pigeons.
That is according to research, which suggests human gamblers and pigeons are 35% more likely to take greater risks when there is a chance of a big win.
Is it worth the gamble? Credit: Nel Pavletic/PIXSELL
Birds are distantly related to humans, yet we still share the same basic psychology that drives risk-taking. This may be due to a shared common ancestry or similar evolutionary pressures.
When people gamble, they often rely on past experiences with risk and rewards to make decisions. What we found in this study is that pigeons used these past experiences in very similar ways to guide their future gambling decisions. Any big wins we’ve had in the past are memorable and stand-out when we are making our decision to gamble again.
– DR ELLIOT LUDVIG, FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK’S DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY
The pigeons and human volunteers were testing with four options – two that led to high-value rewards and two that led to low-value rewards. Humans were rewarded with points and the birds were rewarded with food.
The study, published in the Royal Society journal Biology Letters, was conducted in collaboration with the University of Alberta, Canada, and part-funded by the Alberta Gambling Research InstituteCredit: John Walton/EMPICS Sport
For each high or low reward level, one safe option resulted in a guaranteed fixed reward, and one risky option yielded a 50/50 chance of a better or worse outcome.
Both birds and humans were found to be 35% more likely to take a gamble on the high-value rewards.
About Pigeon Patrol:
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 Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Some employees at GM’s Delta plant sent us pictures of dead pigeons and their feathers scattered around the facility.They want to know what is killing the birds and what could be left behind.
6 News Nick Perreault talked with General Motors about the issue.
General Motors spokesperson Erin Davis confirmed a facilities manager did find a dead pigeon on the grounds and adds Rose Pest Solution has been brought in to address the problem.
Again a facilities manager found one pigeon not hundreds, but employees disagree.
6 News was told by a former Rose Pest employee there have been hundreds of pigeons in the past few years that collect around ceiling fans near the paint part of the plant.
The company would leave out material for the pigeons in hopes of preventing them from returning.
Though that former employee said that material is not intended to the kill the birds, but says General Motors has been a client for years addressing this problem.
Aside from the obvious health concerns to employees, being around feces and potential dead birds, Erin Davis says this could cause a delay in work.
If mechanical equipment is cover in bird feces, they’d have to wash down all their equipment and wait some time before they can resume working.
Rose Pest Solutions and General Motors along with environmental engineers are handling the issue and hope this doesn’t spread any more.
About Pigeon Patrol:
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 Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
The Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System has a problem. The myriad mirrors that reflect the sun’s searing rays onto towers that generate electricity also create a death ray that fries anything in its path, namely poor innocent birds flying through the desert. But don’t worry. They’re working on it.
Following a rather alarming Associated Press report about the fried bird problem, I reached out to BrightSource Energy, the company that operates the Ivanpah solar plant, to find out exactly how they were going to stop killing so many birds. According to the AP, the plant’s death ray zaps one bird every two seconds. The AP also reports that BrightSource is spending $US1.8 on a mitigation fund that could be used to spay and neuter cats. Because maybe fewer cats mean fewer cat-related bird deaths which somehow offsets the solar death ray bird deaths? Whatever.
They have other (read: better) ideas, too! NRG Energy, the majority owner of the Ivanpah project, is working with local wildlife organisations and investigating a number of avian deterrent efforts, including the same kinds of systems that airports use to keep birds away. Some of the options under consideration include anti-perching devices, waste and water containment systems to keep birds from looking for food near by, replacing conventional lighting with anti-bird LEDs, and sonic deterrent methods. The company’s communications director Jeff Holland explained the progress of these efforts in an email:
As to the efforts currently underway, the waste and water containment is actively being done daily and the heliostat repositioning is complete. The sonic deterrent has been purchased and is in the process of being tested on site. The lighting on the towers are now being turned off at night and bids to replace the current ground level lighting with LED were returned this week and will be purchased and installed.
To its credit, NRG appears to be taking the wildlife problem pretty seriously. Holland told me that his company has spend “$25 million for our desert tortoise program, and in developing a high quality, scientifically valid, and robust avian plan.” And let’s not forget that solar energy is a very good thing and this facility is producing quite a lot of it. Bummer about the dead birds, though.
About Pigeon Patrol:
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 Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
A bird control spike, also called an anti-roosting spike or roost modification, is really a device composed of lengthy, needle-like rods employed for bird control. They may be mounted on building ledges, street lighting, and commercial signs to avoid wild or feral birds from perching or roosting. Birds can establish large amounts of unsightly and unclean feces, plus some birds have very noisy calls that may be bothersome for nearby citizens, especially during the night. Consequently, bird control spikes are utilized to deter these birds without leading to them harm or killing them.
Bird control deterrent spikes are usually around 1 feet (30 centimetres) lengthy, and work by reduction of the region readily available for birds to find. This forces bigger types of birds, for example seagulls, pigeons, crows and vultures, to land elsewhere. Because the birds don’t touch the spikes, the birds go unscathed.
Referred to as “the very best (kind of) stand-alone bird deterrent”, bird control spikes can be put along ledges, walls, on the top of business signs, closed circuit television cameras as well as in rain gutters, to be able to prevent birds from perching around the surfaces. Bird control spikes are most typical in city centers and seaside areas, where feral birds tend to be more common and more prone to enter into conflict with humans. In addition to being accustomed to control wild birds, bird control spikes see limited use within stopping bigger climbing creatures for example squirrels, raccoons and snakes from crossing a place.
Some bird control deterrent spikes are electrified, utilizing the same principle being an electric fence to improve effectiveness, and also the distress call from the shocked bird can scare others in the region. However, such products cause unnecessary injury to birds, and therefore are therefore illegal in certain areas, like the Uk. Sharp-expected bird control spikes are illegal in a lot of the relaxation around the globe, and therefore are unacceptable for areas that are regularly available for humans. Consequently, some companies manufacture special blunted spikes to be used where sharp spikes are harmful or illegal. However, the blunt spikes are less efficient at removing birds, and can’t block climbing creatures.
Pigeon spikes have totally changed the. Those are the best, safe preventives from roosting pigeons. After first bursting to the scene in 1995, these amazing pigeon spikes are actually the standard.
Pigeon control is indeed a problem for a lot of companies and home owners. Pigeon waste can cause any adverse health hazard and nesting pigeons could affect your company as well as your home value. Though you should control pigeon nesting, it’s essential to get it done inside a safe, humane way.
Nearly invisible once installed, the incredible pigeon spikes deter pigeons from nesting in your roof, ledge, and fence or elsewhere they’re installed. Pigeon spikes really are a strip of dense spikes constructed of stainless that prevent pigeons from nesting in your yard without doing harm to them.
Pigeon spikes are economical and the very best protection readily available for pigeon control. Pigeons can transport a variety of illnesses varying from salmonellosis, t . b etc. Pigeons, apart from their threat to humans and domestic creatures through disease, their waste, nesting materials and dead carcasses may cause mite and insect contaminations which create further hazards for humans and animals.
Building proprietors are too acquainted with the harm that pigeon waste may cause for their structures along with other property. The waste, nesting materials and pigeon down also block gutters and rain pipes and can result in harm to your building consequently.
The nuisance and dangers natural in almost any area where pigeons are nesting is apparent and real and that’s why many property proprietors are utilizing pigeon spikes to manage the issue without doing harm to the pigeons. This humane method of pigeon control may be the only effective way of relieving your condition without downloading copyrighted movies or harming the pigeons physically.
Many large structures and complexes have used pigeon spikes for quite some time, formerly, they weren’t designed for home owners. The pigeon spikes offers highly economical, simple to install pigeon spikes for companies and home owners alike.
Now you can safeguard your home, your employees, your family, buddies and business contacts with these pigeon spikes and freeing yourself from the health problems and also the damage to property connected with nesting pigeons. These pigeon spikes are simple to install and can securely finish your condition with undesirable pigeons along with other nesting birds.
About Pigeon Patrol:
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 Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Glasgow 2014 was undeniably the biggest Commonwealth games so far, with over 1 million tickets to 250 medal events being sold, and many millions more watching worldwide. And when events that large attract crowds of those numbers, unfortunately, you will usually find pests and birds looking to scavenge on what’s left behind.
NBC Bird and Pest Control Solution’s Scotland division stepped up to the challenge ahead of them; providing complete pest control services for the entire two week duration of the games. This included servicing fly units in Hampden Park’s catering and restaurant areas, as well as ensuring that over 250 pigeons were ethically moved from the stadium ahead of the athletics.
As the UK’s leading bird control specialists, NBC’s years of experience in ethical bird control was called upon, and using a combination of their techniques, they kept Glasgow’s local birds at bay throughout the games, and the spectators safe to watch the spectacular sporting events uninterrupted.
Having worked at Hampden Park for over 6 years, the teams existing knowledge of the stadium came in handy. When the football pitch was replaced with a running track, the disruption caused to the existing deterrents allowed the pigeons a window of opportunity. They quickly re-inhabited the stadium, causing problems for staff and customers, as well as creating a mess on the seating and athletics areas.
Without disturbing the construction project, the team worked quickly and efficiently to ensure that the problem was dealt with; with all eyes on Hampden Park, it was imperative that the stadium was kept clean and bird activity to the bare minimum.
Starting early at 4 a.m. so as not to disturb staff and customers, the expert team would begin. The most effective way to eradicate growing pigeon activity is using falconry, and NBC’s expertise in this area paid off; with several hundred pigeons finding somewhere else to go for the duration of the games.
NBC’s ethical bird control services are the UK’s leading, with years of collective experience making them fully equipped to tackle any bird problem.
Whether a site is industrial, retail or even an airport, NBC’s 18 years’ worth of experience working with birds means there is not a lot that they haven’t seen or dealt with. With free and comprehensive site surveys and advice on legislation, NBC’s bird deterrent services cover from all angles, with a 5-year guarantee on all bird proofing installations, leaving a site with complete peace of mind.
About Pigeon Patrol:
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 Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Posters urging people not to feed pigeons have been placed on trees
INCREASING complaints about pigeon fouling has led councillors to try to stamp out bird feeding in Maida Vale.
Posters urging people not to feed pigeons have been placed on trees around Wymering Road by Westminster Council in an attempt to drive down the bird population.
Cllr Thomas Crockett, who is backing the scheme, said: “I think trying not to encourage them into the area is probably half the battle and if they don’t find it as easy to find a ready supply of food, they’re not going to breed as easily”
Cllr Crockett said he had received a number of complaints about pigeon fouling since he was elected in May, adding: “Somebody said his car ended up looking like a Jackson Pollock painting, which I thought was a nice way of putting it, although rather him than I.”
In 2007 the council introduced a byelaw that banned pigeon-feeding in the north terrace of Trafalgar Square to reduce the population.
The former Mayor of London Ken Livingstone had earlier introduced a ban on feeding in the main square in an attempt make the area “more pleasant for public use”.
At the time, animal welfare groups said the ban was inhumane and would starve the birds to death.
Cllr Crockett said they had no plans to introduce a ban in Maida Vale, adding: “Strictly speaking it’s littering, but it would be bonkers to enforce that, as it’s well-intentioned.
People leave their leftover or stale bread around the base of trees. They do it, I’m sure, because they love animals and think they’d rather feed it to the birds than just throw it in the rubbish bin, but perhaps without realising that they’re not much fun.”
He added: “It’s just a question of not encouraging them in the area and thinking maybe it’s not particularly nice for them either, because you see these horrible mangy things flapping about.”
Council street cleaners have been using high-pressure water hoses to blast away the build-up from pavements beneath trees.
Cllr Crockett believes the pigeon problem is racking up an ever-increasing bill and said: “Not only are they dirty, they make mess themselves. And this costs all council tax payers’ money
About Pigeon Patrol:
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 Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
The first time I saw him he had a paint brush in his hand working on the blonde’s kitchen. Saw him again the next day and still didn’t ask his name.
The third time I saw him he was standing in Jack’s parking lot on Quintard. He was in a painter’s white T-shirt and pants, had stopped for breakfast.
But before he fed himself, he had pigeons to feed. He does that most weekday mornings, flinging bread crumbs into the Verizon parking lot next door. Pigeons come by the dozen, fluttering to a “two-point” landing to peck, strut, and all but eat out of his hand.
He was there again the next time I was at Jack’s for breakfast, feeding his pigeons. It was when he headed for his own breakfast that I recognized him.
I walked out to meet him, told him who I was, and he had been on Mike Snider’s painting crew that had painted our kitchen a month or so back.
He told me his name was Felix Padilla, but said he didn’t remember me, wasn’t sure he remembered being in my house.
“We paint a lot of houses.”
That’s when I asked Felix Padilla about the pigeons and did he do this every morning.
“Every morning, every morning.”
Why?
“I’m an Apache and we’re nature’s people. I go through at least three loaves of bread a day, feed the pigeons here, feed the squirrels in the park, doesn’t matter. I love animals. I’m an animal freak. Doesn’t matter, dog or bird or squirrel, whatever.
“I’ve been feeding the wild since I was a little kid. Even the baddest dog will come to me, doesn’t matter. They sense your aura and your soul. Animals can read you just as soon as you step into their world.
“Out west where Apaches lived, cowboys and other people would bring horses for us to break. We’d have them riding in an hour or so.
“Show a little respect, show a little love, give ’em a little space, then they come to you and show you love.”
One thing here is Padilla didn’t come from “out west.” He was born in Sidney, Neb. Lodgepole, a wide place in the road, was his childhood home.
“Hadn’t been for World War II, I’d probably be on the reservation. My grandfather was born on the reservation but, then went off to war. After the war he settled in Nebraska.
“Most of my family lives out in Utah now. My grandmother is out there. Believe it or not, Geronimo was a distant cousin.”
Geronimo spent most of his life fighting the “white man” and Padillo finds it a bit ironic that . ..
“They named the baddest helicopter in the world after us, the Apache.”
A graduate of Saks High School, hanging on to 12-inch blocks (one in each hand) figured into a paint brush in one hand.
“I’ve been painting since I was 20 years old. I was working on a masonry crew, toting 12-inch blocks and mixing mud. A fellow by the name of Randy Poppin was painting a house for Jack Cotton Realty.
“He and Jack were talking and one of his painters hadn’t shown up. Heaviest thing I’d ever seen a painter carry was a gallon of paint so I went up to Poppin and asked if he could use some help.
“He asked me if I could paint. I told him that I could do what he was doing. That’s where it started.”
“But what I really am is one of God’s people. I have faith in God and believe in Jesus.”
Somewhere in our visit, he left the bread crumbs with the pigeons and turned toward Jack’s with:
“I’m hooked on Mountain Dews and Dr. Peppers, which is not good. I’m getting fatter and fatter, uglier and uglier, and older and older.”
As he opened the door to Jack’s, I wondered if he would have a Dr. Pepper with his biscuit.
Thanks for visiting.
About Pigeon Patrol:
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 Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Whereas humans are risk averse for monetary gains, other animals can be risk seeking for food rewards, especially when faced with variable delays or under significant deprivation. A key difference between these findings is that humans are often explicitly told about the risky options, whereas non-human animals must learn about them from their own experience. We tested pigeons (Columba livia) and humans in formally identical choice tasks where all outcomes were learned from experience. Both species were more risk seeking for larger rewards than for smaller ones. The data suggest that the largest and smallest rewards experienced are overweighted in risky choice. This observed bias towards extreme outcomes represents a key step towards a consilience of these two disparate literatures, identifying common features that drive risky choice across phyla.
About Pigeon Patrol:
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 Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
ESCANABA — The City of Escanaba’s newly resurfaced tennis courts are not only loved by our local athletes, but also the seagulls. Until recently, these birds were perching on the court’s lights and dropping waste on its surface.
To address this issue, the city purchased 3 to 4 inch bird spikes. These spikes were installed on top of each of the court’s 22 lights. As an added bonus, the city was able to change a few old bulbs while they were using the bucket truck. The bird issue was brought to the city’s attention by community members.
“We’re always looking to take feedback from the public,” said City of Escanaba recreation director, Tom Penegor. “In this case, it was something that we could do, tried, and did and it’s working and hopefully they’ll last a long time.”
The entire bird spike project cost less than $500.
About Pigeon Patrol:
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 Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
WENATCHEE — The BB gun that triggered a lockdown Friday of Confluence Health’s Wenatchee Valley Medical Center was set to be used for the first time to scare pigeons off the roof, Wenatchee Police Chief Tom Robbins said Wednesday.
Officers from local law enforcement agencies locked down the busy center around 4:30 p.m. Friday after a witness reported seeing a man with a rifle butt extending from under his coat. The incident ended after 90 minutes with no injuries or arrests.
Robbins said the BB gun was brought to the medical center by an employee of the facility’s maintenance department. Scaring away pigeons is not his primary job, said the chief, but pigeons had become a maintenance issue on the roof.
“It’s my understanding that they had not used the BB gun before, but thought it might be a way to scare the pigeons away from the area,” said Robbins.
The BB gun was carried by the employee to the medical center’s maintenance shop but had not yet been used, said Robbins. When the employee was eventually contacted, he was not on-site and had left the facility. A maintenance worker said the state Department of Fish and Wildlife had indicated the BB gun would be an acceptable way to deal with the pigeon problem, Robbins added.
A law officer and maintenance staffer located the BB gun and brought it to the incident command team for verification.
About Pigeon Patrol:
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 Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
A man faces charges after Cranston police said Wednesday he hit a 9-year-old girl in the back with an arrow while trying to hit pigeons.
Daniel King, 27, was charged with criminal negligence, a felony. He was arraigned at Kent County District Court and is being held as a probation violator at the Adult Correctional Institutions.
Lt. Matthew Moynihan of the Cranston Police Department said the incident happened at about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Moynihan said the girl was walking her dog near Bain Street when she was struck in the back with an arrow. Police said the arrow ricocheted off the ground and hit her.
Moynihan said the victim removed the arrow herself, but was taken to Hasbro Children’s Hospital.
Moynihan said it was a regular bow-and-arrow hunters use, and that King was using it carelessly.
About Pigeon Patrol:
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 Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Feral pigeons beware: robotic peregrine falcons and bald eagles could soon be patrolling the skies near you.
Remote-controlled birds of prey that scare flocks of smaller birds from airport landing strips, farms and anywhere else they are a nuisance are being tested in the Netherlands.
Birds of prey have long been used to control bird populations. The instinct of smaller birds is to flee an area that they believe to be the hunting ground of a bird of prey. The method is believed to be more effective than others such as spikes and gunshots, but hiring the birds
About Pigeon Patrol:
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 Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
LEBANON, Ore. (KOIN 6) — It took 45 people to knock down a fire at a rural Lebanon property that spread from a chicken coop to a nearby shop.
The fire, at 40487 Snow Peak Dr., took the lives of one chicken, and 15-20 doves and pigeons.
Luckily, someone walking by spotted the fire and alerted the property owners, and no people were hurt.
Crews used a strike team brought in water tankers and a total of 18 vehicles from Albany Fire, Scio-Crabtree Fire, Brownsville Fire, Sweet Home Fire, and the Oregon Department of Forestry.
Crews brought the two-alarm fire under control at roughly 7:00 a.m. Damage to the neighboring shop is estimated at $70,000, while the loss of the chicken coop is valued at $1,500.
About Pigeon Patrol:
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 Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
It is so wonderful to see some progress taking place in downtown North Battleford with it coming back to life with all the numerous renovations going on. Far too many business places have been closed for so long. It was sad to see compared to other provincial cities and little towns.
But, will it take care of the over population of pigeons? They do create a real problem in the whole downtown area. Years ago they got started at the grain elevators, now the elevators are located outside the city, but not the pigeons. Those flat roof buildings must be in a real mess of pigeon droppings, feathers, nests and the odd dead pigeon. The rains come and wash all the filth down on the public streets.
Pigeons can be carriers of all sorts of dangerous germs, which the public and business people are exposed to. It would be nice to see a clean-up done before the new businesses start to operate.
When pigeons become a nuisance on the farmer’s vacant buildings, the farmers do not go for all that messy clean up. They quickly do away with the pigeons completely. Any more moving in will get the same treatment.
Another blight on the city’s landscape is the gopher over population. They seem to be all over any vacant grassy area in the city. Those unsightly holes and mounds of soil dug up on the lush green grass kill the beauty.
North Battleford is a good home city to all, once it is cleaned up.
About Pigeon Patrol:
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 Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
The ‘Scarey Man’ inflatable scarecrow is an electrically operated bird control scaring device based on the traditional scarecrow and operating from a battery power source. Scarey Man has its main application in the agricultural sector and is used to scare a wide variety of agricultural pests such as wood pigeon and the corvid family (crows, rooks etc.). Scarey Man is also commonly used as a bird control device to scare seagulls in both urban and rural applications, waterfowl and herons from lakes and ponds and birds from fruit and vegetable crops.
The Scarey Man inflatable scarecrow is a 5’6” tall inflatable man constructed of heavy-duty and brilliantly coloured PVC. Scarey Man is fully automated and inflates every 18 minutes for 25 seconds throughout daylight hours, switching off at night. Alternatively an optional pre-set timer can be fitted providing 4 set periods of operation every 24 hours. During operational periods the device inflates and deflates as well as emitting a loud noise. Scarey Man can also be used at night via an optional extra light sensor which will illuminate the unit over and above its standard operation. Both noise and illumination can be switched independently. A variable timer is also available as an optional extra which allows the user to adjust display frequency.
‘Scarey Man’ Deflated
Scarey Man inflatable scarecrow is operated via a 12-volt battery with the unit running for 14 days between charges. A ‘battery low’ indicator light is provided to alert the user when the unit needs to be re-charged. The battery can be housed either inside or outside the base unit with the internal battery housing being impervious to most weather conditions.
Most bird control scaring devices, static or otherwise, fail to be effective as a stand-alone deterrent and need to be complimented with other scaring and anti-perching products in order to be effective. The main benefit of Scarey Man over traditional static bird control devices is that the product incorporates movement, sound and visual stimulus in one unit. Although there are minor disadvantages inherent in the use of Scarey Man, (such as the fact that the device can be blown over in strong winds when sited in exposed areas), the product appears to offer the potential to be effective in many different applications and for the control of a wide range of species.
‘Scarey Man’ Base Unit
Scarey Man has been used to great effect in numerous countries worldwide including the USA and Canada, Australia and many European countries. Scarey Man will act as a scaring device for both birds and animals. Bird species that it has been used to deter include crows, collared doves, seagulls, cormorants, pigeons, starlingsand magpies. The unit has also been successfully used to deter protected species of birds and waterfowl such as swifts and swans.
Although Scarey Man was designed with the protection of crops in mind, there are numerous other applications for the device. Scarey Man can be used to stop herons from predating on fish in fish farms and fishing ponds, making the device a good commercial option for fish farmers and fishing clubs alike. Scarey Man has also been trialled by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds(RSPB) as a scaring device to deter gulls from competing with nesting terns. Scarey Man can be used as a bird control device to deter birds from exploiting fruit in vineyards and orchards as well as protecting ground-hugging fruit crops such as strawberries. There are many other applications for this device, including urban applications, making it an extremely versatile bird control device with low running costs and the added advantage that the product is completely humane and non-lethal.
DEFRA’s view:
The Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) is the UK’s Government body that oversees the Wildlife and Countryside Act and produces legislation to which the pest control industry must adhere. The following information is taken from a document provided on DEFRA website entitled: ‘Review of international research regarding the effectiveness of auditory bird scaring techniques and potential alternatives’. By J Bishop, H McKay, D Parrott and J Allan.
“Predator models, such as scarecrows, are common, traditional methods used in attempts to scare avian pests. They mimic the appearance of a predator and so cause birds to take flight to avoid potential predation (Harris and Davis 1998). Most scarecrows are human-shaped effigies, usually constructed from inexpensive materials; Knittle and Porter (1988) report that simple scarecrows made from black plastic bags attached to wooden stakes are effective at deterring waterfowl from grain fields, as long as the effigies are put out before the birds arrive.”
“In general, however, motionless devices either provide only short-term protection or are ineffective as the threat from them is only perceived rather than real. In a survey of hatchery managers in the United States only one of the 14 hatchery managers who commented on the effectiveness of various control techniques said that scarecrows had a high success rate. Six said they had no effect (Parkhurst et al. 1987). Some birds may even come to associate them with favourable conditions (Inglis 1980).”
“To maximise effectiveness devices should possess biological significance, appear lifelike, be highly visible and their location changed frequently in order to extend the period of habituation (Vaudry 1979). The effectiveness of scarecrows may be enhanced if fitted with loose clothing and bright streamers that move and create noise in the wind (Vaudry 1979) – effectively becoming a moving visual.”
“Recently, several types of moving, inflatable human effigies have become commercially available. One of these, the Scarey Man inflatable scarecrow is marketed worldwide. Created by a Cambridgeshire farmer the Scarey Man is a life-size plastic effigy powered by a 12 volt car battery, that inflates rapidly, emits a high pitched wail and may illuminate at night. Inflation occurs about every 18 minutes and lasts for 25 seconds. According to the Pest-Away Australia website, one Scarey Man costs AU$1390.00 and can give up to 6 hectares of crop coverage. For smaller sites, the Scarey Boy is now available (Clarretts Ltd.).”
“Australian testimonials on the Pest-Away Australia website state that the use of Scarey Man is effective at preventing crows from damaging melon crops. Andelt et al. (1997) tested it’s effectiveness at deterring black-crowned night-herons (Nycticorax nycticorax) and great blue herons (Ardea herodias) from a fish rearing unit in Colorado. Two manikins were programmed to activate for 35-40 seconds every 9-10 minutes from about 1700 or 2045 through to 0800 hours in order to frighten birds during their peak feeding times. Numbers of birds were reduced only during the first four nights of the trial. After that time, numbers of both species increased significantly. Birds quickly habituated to the manikins and so Scarey Man was deemed ineffective at scaring herons from the fish-rearing unit.”
“Stickley and King (1995) also used Scarey Man to repel double-crested cormorants (Phalacrocoax auritus) from catfish ponds. Ten mannekins were deployed, an average of one for every 14 hectares of surface water. Cormorant numbers dropped during the first week of use, but by the 11th day it was felt they were beginning to lose their effectiveness. Despite trying to enhance its effect by placing hats and camouflage masks on the devices, changing their positions and substituting shooters for Scarey Man, levels of birds could not be reduced further. Despite some habituation within two weeks, the overall conclusion was that Scarey Man could only be recommended in cases where cormorant depredations were a serious problem.”
“Other animated scarecrows have met with varying success. Conniff (1991) describes a jack-in-a-box device with inflatable arms, revolving strobe lights and amplified sounds (130dB, distance unknown) of horns honking, people shouting, shotguns and birds screaming. This scarecrow was declared ‘ineffectual’ against cormorants.”
“Another device developed and tested by the Denver Wildlife Research Centre (Cummings et al. 1986) combined an inflatable plastic scarecrow with a propane exploder. Costing about US$900 (or US$14/0.4 hectares (1 acre) based on a ten year life for the unit), this was effective for deterring blackbirds from sunflowers in some fields; it was less effective in fields where the birds had an established feeding pattern.”
“Ultimately, however lifelike, under most circumstances scarecrows do not present a threat that is sufficiently alarming to birds (Inglis 1980). Over a period of time birds learn that effigies or models do not represent an actual threat and are no longer alarmed by them. To increase the threat and therefore the habituation time, it is recommended that these devices be reinforced with other sound-producing or visual deterrents. Ideally, for example, scarecrows should be periodically reinforced by human activity.”
Price range:
The Scarey Man inflatable scarecrow is currently available in the UK and for worldwide distribution. The price of a basic unit is £320.00 + VAT ranging though to £395.00 + VAT for a unit with all the optional extras included.
User reviews:
RSPB – Coquet Island
The RSPB has trialled Scarey Man on one of its reserves off the coast of Northumberland. Coquet Island is home to approximately 30,000 pairs of breeding seabirds including 3 species on the RSPB’s ‘Red’ list (species of high conservation concern) and 5 species on the RSPB’s ‘Amber’ list (species of lower conservation concern). The increase in numbers of herring gull and black-backed gull was a cause of concern in relation to competition with the tern for nesting space and also the predation of tern eggs and chicks by both species of gull.
The RSPB employed a number of different bird control devices in an effort to deter gulls from impacting on the tern population and these controls included the use of gas guns, distress calls, human disturbance, ‘humming line’, scarer rope and Scarey Man. The following comments are taken from an RSPB document entitled ‘The effectiveness of different methods of deterring large gulls Larus spp. from competing with nesting terns Sterna spp. on Coquet Island RSPB reserve, Northumberland, England’ by P Morrison and RI Allcorn:
“Initially a traditional scarecrow, constructed from two sticks, a plastic head, a boiler suit and a fluorescent jacket, was used. This was erected after the puffins had arrived back. In 2004, an inflatable scarecrow, a ‘scary man’ was introduced. Once activated the scary man inflates and deflates five times every eighteen minutes. Scary man was modified in 2005 to be activated by remote control from a hide. There is a light and a siren attached to the inflatable, both of which can be operated independently of each other. The scary man was re-positioned regularly whilst deployed to maximize its effect. It cannot be used in strong winds, as it is easily blown over, reducing its effectiveness.”
“The original scarecrow had some success within the puffin nesting areas, with gulls avoiding the immediate proximity but had less success in reducing overall gull numbers on island.
“2004 was the first year that the scary man was used. It was targeted against gulls loafing on the south beach. Juvenile gulls flew off immediately after the initial inflation whilst adult herring gulls only flew on the fifth inflation. During the period when it was intended to deploy the scary man, there were few gulls on the intertidal zone and the weather conditions were unfavourable, rendering any judgements of its usefulness questionable. To be most effective the scary man needs to be positioned as close as possible to the sites the gulls use, but as all the control switches are on the scary man itself, the presence of the person setting up or activating the scary man tends to scare the gulls away. More trials need to be conducted to find out the true effectiveness, including night scaring trials (using the light and siren) and to investigate the potential for remote control or pre-programming (as done in 2005). A hide might be needed from which to undertake observations to assess its effectiveness, as otherwise human presence might confound the results.”
“The scary man did scare gulls from the beach with the return rates of the birds being between 10-15 minutes. Given the correct timings on inflation, this could prove a useful deterrent to gull roost formation and the establishment of breeding territories. There was a limited affect on non-target species, mainly black-headed gull, oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus, fulmar and shag Phalacrocorax aristotelis, but these returned to the area within a few minutes.”
International Paper, Inverurie Mill
A large paper milling plant based in Scotland, some 18 miles from the coast, purchased 2 Scarey Man bird control scarers in 1999 in an attempt to resolve entrenched seagull roosting problems at their milling plant in Inverurie. The mill was experiencing growing problems with gulls roosting on roof areas of the plant and management decided that action needed to be taken.
The problems being experienced by the mill were described as akin to something out of Alfred Hitchcock’s film ‘The Birds’ by Site Services Supervisor Gary Morrison with huge numbers of gulls being attracted to the site for the purposes of roosting. Interestingly no breeding was taking place on the site and the problem was present all year round, not just within the breeding period as is often the case with gull-related problems. Prior to the introduction of Scarey Man scarers, the roof areas were cleaned by an outside contractor and a total of 22 tons of guano was removed from the roofs. This clearly demonstrates the extent of the problem. Guano was found to be blocking drains and causing water ingress problems throughout the site.
One employee suggested trialling Scary Man having seen the product demonstrated on a farming programme as a crop protection of system. Gary Morrison contacted Clarratts, manufacturer and distributor of Scarey Man, and purchased two units for use on an 8000 square metre flat roof. The 2 units were installed on the roof and had an instant effect on the roosting gulls. The gulls immediately moved to the rear area of the roof but were still prepared to use the roof as a roost, albeit as far away from the bird control scarers as possible. Gary Morrison ordered a further 6 units and installed them on the roof – this had the desired effect. The gulls moved from the roof in question as soon as sufficient coverage was achieved by the product.
The gulls then moved to another roof on the site and this time netting was used to protect the 14,000 square metre roof. The bird control netting operation was carried out ‘in-house’ at a total cost of £16-£17,000.00. The company chose to install netting ‘in-house’ based on quotes in the region of £120,000.00 from pest control contractors for netting the roofs.
Gary Morrison explained that they only experienced two minor problems with the product:
The first problem was accessing the roof for the purposes of charging the battery units used for running the devices. The company contacted the manufacturer of Scarey Man and for a small extra charge the units were wired to run on alternating current (AC) rather than on the batteries which use a direct current (DC). This completely resolved the issue.
The second problem was the issue of noise from the audible siren. The Scary Man units were being used throughout the night rather than the day based on the fact that the problem they were being employed to deal with was an overnight roosting problem rather than a daytime perching problem. An employee living 1 mile from the site had been able to hear the noise created by the siren on a still night with no wind. As the units offered switching capabilities the noise element was simply switched off and this completely resolved the problem.
As a bird control scarer the product has been 100% successful as far as International Paper is concerned and although the Scarey Man scarers are still installed on the flat roof areas they have not been activated for the last 3-4 years. This confirms that the product will not only have an immediate effect on the target species when installed and operated as per manufacturers specifications, but it will also induce enough fear into the birds to ensure that they do not return.
The following testimonial is provided by Geoff and Tanya Young, farmers in Queensland, Australia:
“Since purchasing a bird control Scarey Man twelve months ago, we have had outstanding success at scaring birds from our crops. In the past we have used various types of scarers including gas guns and hawk look-alikes, but none of these were anywhere near as effective as the Scarey Man inflatable scarecrow.
We grow various crops throughout the year, including melons and pumpkins and have finally managed to find a way to keep the crows from ruining our crops. Scarey Man has also been successful at chasing away feral pigs, which used to cause a lot of damage.
We find that by placing bundles of material similar in appearance to Scarey Man at intervals around the crop and swapping the real Scarey Man with the ‘dummies’ regularly, we can cover a much larger area, as the birds remain wary of everything that may be a real Scarey Man.
Soon after purchasing Scarey Man, we ordered a Variable Timer from Pest-Away Australia to add to the element of surprise. Scarey Man was already by far the best scaring device we had come across, but with the extra element of surprise of the timer, he was even better.
Scarey Man had paid for himself within the first week, when he successfully protected a melon crop from crows.
David and the staff at Pest-Away Australia have provided us with excellent service and we can thoroughly recommend them and their Scarey Man as a great bird control product.”
Comments from the Manufacturer/Distributor:
The following description of Scarey Man is taken from the Clarratts website:
“Scarey Man is an excellent bird control device for use in a wide range of situations. Using a unique combination of sound and movement he strikes fear into his target prey and keeps them away for longer periods than ‘conventional’ control devices.
Scarey Man can be used in agriculture to deter birds and predators. Protecting young crops from damage (such as pigeon damage in Oil Seed Rape) is no problem, and by keeping pests away Scarey Man can pay for himself very quickly. Field scale crops of all kinds (arable, vegetable, ornamental etc.) can be protected as can orchards and vineyards. Livestock are also protected by Scarey Man, as are fisheries where herons and other fish loving birds need to be deterred.
Whilst Scarey Man was designed originally for bird control in agriculture his use has quickly spread into a multitude of other areas. For example he is used in airports to keep runways clear, and on commercial/residential properties to prevent fouling by pigeons and other birds.”
Michael Barratt, Director of Clarratts said the following about Scarey Man as a bird control product:
“The sudden movement with surprise is the secret success for “The Scarey Man”. The inflatable scarecrow which operates electronically and automatically combines sudden movement, a loud noise, a bird phobic colour (red) and illumination at night, depending which model you require.
Birds and predators faced with these surprise effects are first distracted from feeding and then systematically frightened away from the area as “Scarey Man” continues to deflate and then re-inflate to a commanding height and an intimidating size on a time basis. During operation Scarey Man emits a loud noise and illuminates at night – functions that are independently switched on all models.
The display takes place about every 18 minutes and lasts for approximately 25 seconds as the “Scarey Man” rises and falls, long enough to drive off the pests.
The entire operation carried out by “Scarey Man” may be automatically synchronised to daytime or night-time using a light sensor. Alternatively a pre-set timer can be fitted to set the timed programme you require during a 24 hour cycle.
Sales of “Scarey Man” are for different uses all over the world from pigeons on oilseed rape in the UK to red-billed quelea on wheat crops in Tanzania, cormorants on fisheries and protecting grapes in Australia.”
Editorial comments:
‘Scarey Man’
Deployed in Field
Scarey Man is a versatile and inexpensive bird control scarer that is simple to set up and use and that has relatively low running costs. The unit will hold a 14-day charge (dependent on application and frequency of timed displays) making it a low maintenance option if powered by a battery (DC current). If sited in inaccessible areas the unit can be powered by mains power (AC current) to reduce maintenance. The cost of a basic unit is extremely low relative to other powered bird control scarers and even with all the added extras included, the cost is still under £400.00 per unit representing excellent value for money. The main benefit of Scarey Man over its competitors is versatility with the unit combining three commonly used scaring techniques – noise, light and movement. The fact that the unit is programmable makes it even more versatile and the long list of animals and birds that the product has been used to deter supports the manufacturer’s claims in this respect.
Although Scarey Man was originally designed for use in the agricultural sector, urban applications for the device appear to be far-ranging. Scarey Man has been used to deter a massive roosting flock of gulls from a paper mill in Scotland with a 100% success rate and without using any complementary anti-perching or scaring devices. To have achieved such comprehensive success without the use of complementary controls is almost unheard of, certainly where the control of roosting gulls is concerned. Although the siren was deemed to be a minor nuisance, based on the fact that the unit was being used at night in this application, the switching options allowed the user to switch off the siren whilst still using movement and light as a deterrent. The other minor problem was the man hours required to access the roof area where the units were sited in order to re-charge the batteries every 14-days. This problem was easily resolved by wiring the units to be powered by AC current.
Scarey Man would also appear to be a good bird control option where the control of feral pigeons on roof areas is concerned. One of the most difficult problems for any property owner to manage is how to stop pigeons from perching on pitched or flat roofs. When combined with an anti-perching product such as the anti-roosting spike (and the ridge spike) Scarey Man could be used to great effect as a complementary control in this application.
Scarey Man could also be used on flat roof areas where breeding colonies of gulls are an annual problem. A conventional flat roof bordered by a low wall or parapet is an ideal urban breeding site for many species of gull, with noise and guano-related problems presenting serious issues for residents or those working in the building. By providing a Scarey Man on the flat roof itself, and by installing gull anti-roosting spikes on the wall or parapet, the roof will be far less attractive to gulls. It must be understood, however, that any action taken to deter breeding gulls must start well in advance of the breeding period. Once breeding has started gulls will not be deterred by any scaring device, althoughanti-perching spikes will physically prevent the birds from accessing those areas where the product is installed.
DEFRA’s view is that Scarey Man can be effective in some applications but may need to be used in conjunction with other scaring techniques in order to be completely effective. As with most bird control scaring products, DEFRA’sresearch found that the target species habituates to the device rapidly and therefore Scarey Man may only be appropriate where more serious and entrenched problems are concerned. DEFRA went on to say:
“Over a period of time birds learn that effigies or models do not represent an actual threat and are no longer alarmed by them. To increase the threat and therefore the habituation time, it is recommended that these devices be reinforced with other sound-producing or visual deterrents.”
As Scarey Man combines both sound and movement as well as light it would appear that the product fulfils most of the criteria set out by DEFRA in order to be effective as a stand-alone device.
The RSPB had mixed results when using Scarey Man to control herring gulls and black backed gulls on Coquet Island reserve off the coast of Northumberland. Juvenile gulls were deterred immediately when Scarey Man inflated but adult birds were less worried by the device. The RSPB moved the device regularly in order to increase effectiveness and also modified the device so that it could be operated by remote control from a hide. The one problem the RSPB did experience, however, was the ease with which the unit could be blown over in strong winds, seriously compromising its effectiveness.
The RSPB concluded that more research had to be undertaken to maximise the effectiveness of Scarey Man including trials to assess the effectiveness of the product when used at night. Summing up the RSPB said:
“The scary man did scare gulls from the beach with the return rates of the birds being between 10-15 minutes. Given the correct timings on inflation, this could prove a useful deterrent to gull roost formation and the establishment of breeding territories.”
Scarey Man clearly has a future where the scaring of a wide variety of pest species is concerned and none more so than in the control of gulls in urban or semi-urban environments. Trials carried out by the RSPB suggest that Scarey Man may not be appropriate in exposed applications where it would be difficult or impossible to tether the device to ensure that it did not blow over in strong winds, but in urban or agricultural applications the product clearly has major benefits. As with all scaring products, however, Scarey Man may need to be provided in conjunction with other scaring/anti-perching products to be completely effective and there will be situations where the target species may habituate to the device.
Sources:
DEFRA quotes:
PDF on DEFRA website entitled: ‘Review of international research regarding the effectiveness of auditory bird scaring techniques and potential alternatives’ By J Bishop, H McKay, D Parrott and J Allan.
RSPB quotes:
‘The effectiveness of different methods of deterring large gulls Larus spp. from competing with nesting terns Sterna spp. on Coquet Island RSPB reserve, Northumberland, England’ by P Morrison and RI Allcorn International Paper Ltd: Quotes from Gary Morrison, Site Services Supervisor, International Paper Ltd, Inverurie, Scotland
‘Scarey Man’ is a scaring product used mainly in the agricultural sector for the scaring of birds such as the wood pigeon. ‘Scarey Man’ has relevance to feral pigeon control in as much as it may complement an existing anti-perching system
About Pigeon Patrol:
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 Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
A Cleveland man has been left angered after his pigeons were savagely attacked in their loft.
t in to address the problem.
nergy, the majority owner of the Ivanpah project, is working with local wildlife organisations and investigating a number of avian deterrent efforts, including the same kinds of systems that airports use to keep birds away. Some of the options under consideration include anti-perching devices, waste and water containment systems to keep birds from looking for food near by, replacing conventional lighting with anti-bird LEDs, and sonic deterrent methods. The company’s communications director Jeff Holland explained the progress of these efforts in an email:
ESCANABA — The City of Escanaba’s newly resurfaced tennis courts are not only loved by our local athletes, but also the seagulls. Until recently, these birds were perching on the court’s lights and dropping waste on its surface.
d gunshots, but hiring the birds
total of 18 vehicles from Albany Fire, Scio-Crabtree Fire, Brownsville Fire, Sweet Home Fire, and the Oregon Department of Forestry.
