Birds and businesses are two words that do not go well together unless of course, you own a pet store. Pest bird infestations can and often do lead to damages to facility, machinery and even product and also create serious safety hazards and health issues for companies. Starlings, pigeons, and sparrows are just a few of the pest birds that roost on commercial facilities in Vancouver, BC
Because of the issues mentioned above as well as the negative impact birds can have on a company’s image, it is very important for all business owners and managers to know how to keep birds away from their facilities.
Not only are birds and unsightly addition to facilities but it is the threat of disease, injury, and contamination that is the biggest problem. There are over 40 confirmed diseases that can be carried by birds as well as their droppings and nesting materials. Clearly, these are not animals that you want to be anywhere near your place of business. Thankfully there are a few ways in which you can protect your business from the negative impact of pest birds.
Limit their ability to find food, shelter, and water for nesting. This means avoid heavy gardening as some plants provide a great food source for birds. Also, steer away from the use of fountains or other water features which will inevitably become more like a bird bath.
Keep the doors and windows of the facility closed at all times unless they have a secured screen. An open door is after all an open invitation for anything to fly or crawl in. Once inside, birds can severely contaminate surfaces and cause damage to machines.
Be sure that birds do not have a chance to nest on your facility. They favor things such as close by trees and shrubs, corrugated roofing, entryways, and open beam structures. Once there is a nest in place, birds are likely to come back for generations. source
Along with precautionary measures listed above, it is a good idea for businesses to partner with a bird control provider to find a long-term solution to a pest bird problem.
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.
Contact us at 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD, (604) 585-9279 or visit our website at www.pigeonpatrol.ca
Pigeon / Pigeon Patrol / Pigeons Roosting / Vancouver Pigeon Patrol / Bird Control / Surrey Pigeon Control / Pest / Vancouver Pigeon Blog / Birds Inside Home / Pigeons in the cities / Ice Pigeons/ What to do about pigeons/ most common types of sparrows , Damages Caused by Sparrows, How To Keep Raccoons Away, de-fence, Pigeon Nesting and Breeding Patterns and Behavior What Do I Do With a Bird Trapped in My Wall? Professional Bird Control Company Keep The Birds Away From Your Business
Pigeons are most often seen during daylight and will seek cover at night. They tend to flock while roosting, sunning, and feeding, and form loose colonies for nesting. Early winter is a time of courtship for pigeons, with nest building following in late winter and breeding in spring. In warm climates, however, breeding may occur throughout the year. Each pair of mates will average two eggs per season.
European Starlings
Immense flocks take shape most often during fall and winter, as starlings are highly sociable by nature. Their breeding season begins in spring and ends in early summer, with each pair typically producing five eggs per season. When they search for a home, they will seek out crevices or holes in buildings as nesting sites.
Note that two specific behaviors of European starlings mark them as pests. First, they can damage agricultural crops and berries. Second, they pose a threat at airports (especially on runways) where flocks may get sucked into airplane engines, causing significant and costly damage to transportation.
House Sparrows
Like European starlings, they look to crevices on or inside buildings as sites to establish nests and usually assemble their nests between February and May. Breeding season is February through August, and each pair of mates averages five eggs.
House sparrows are known to act more aggressively toward other bird species that enter their territory. In fact, they’ve been seen to threaten or even attack over 70 kinds of birds. For gardeners or farmers, this bird acts as a pest by eating large quantities of seed. source
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. source
Contact us at 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD, (604) 585-9279 or visit our website at www.pigeonpatrol.ca
Pigeon / Pigeon Patrol / Pigeons Roosting / Vancouver Pigeon Patrol / Bird Control / Surrey Pigeon Control / Pest / Vancouver Pigeon Blog / Birds Inside Home / Pigeons in the cities / Ice Pigeons/ What to do about pigeons/ most common types of sparrows , Damages Caused by Sparrows, How To Keep Raccoons Away, de-fence, Pigeon Nesting and Breeding Patterns and Behavior What Do I Do With a Bird Trapped in My Wall?
Pigeon Patrol is A Professional Bird Control Company Based In Vancouver thanks for tuning into our blog!
Many people don’t think about hiring a company to take care of bird problems, but with the help of bird control companies, variety of businesses can reap the rewards. Birds can be nice to look at, but over time, they can become a nuisance and potentially even affect the success of your business appearance. Here are five benefits of hiring a bird control service:
Why You Should Hire A Professional Bird Control Company
Humane Bird Control
You might be wondering if hiring a bird control service brings harm to the birds, but it certainly does not have to. A new technology called electronic bird repellent uses sonic and ultrasonic frequencies to deter birds without causing them any harm. The birds will simply hear these frequencies in the form of predatory calls or bird distress signals, and they will instinctively avoid the area. Plus, the frequencies used are out of the range of what humans can hear, so you do not have to worry about the deterrent itself being a nuisance! We also have the option of capturing the birds in a cage (with food and water) and bring them into the wild for them to live a new life
Cleaner Appearance
With a bird control service in place, you do not have to worry about bird droppings piling up on your company mailbox or awning (or even falling on an unsuspecting person’s head!). These droppings can drastically affect the aesthetic appeal of your building, which can turn customers off from doing business with you. Particularly if your building has any historical value, that value can become diminished by the abundance of droppings. We will clean your property with the right equipment
Less Health Risks
Birds carry all kinds of diseases, including salmonella, E. coli, and meningitis, and many of those diseases can be transferred to humans through the birds’ droppings. Humans do not have to come into contact with the droppings to contract these illnesses; the pathogens can be inhaled if a human is even in close vicinity to the droppings. It is best to not even take the risk of sickening any of your employees or customers when affordable bird control is an option. source
Preventing Damage
If you choose to not hire a professional bird control service, you will save some money in the short-term, but it could cost you in the long-term as the acid in bird droppings starts to erode any stonework or metal on your building. Of course, if you clean the droppings regularly, you likely will not have issues, but cleaning the droppings requires dedication, time, and money on a regular basis. With a bird control service, you can have preventative measures put in place once and never worry about it again.
Peace of Mind
In addition to eliminating the unsightly droppings, physical damage, and health issues that birds can cause, hiring a bird control service can also make your building simply more pleasant to be around. No longer will you have to worry about any unpleasant smells or distracting noises when you want to open a window or eat your lunch outside. The only thing you might miss is the birds chirping in the morning, but there’s an app for that!
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. source
Contact us at 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD, (604) 585-9279 or visit our website at www.pigeonpatrol.ca
Pigeon / Pigeon Patrol / Pigeons Roosting / Vancouver Pigeon Patrol / Bird Control / Surrey Pigeon Control / Pest / Vancouver Pigeon Blog / Birds Inside Home / Pigeons in the cities / Ice Pigeons/ What to do about pigeons/ most common types of sparrows , Damages Caused by Sparrows, How To Keep Raccoons Away, de-fence, Pigeon Nesting and Breeding Patterns and Behavior What Do I Do With a Bird Trapped in My Wall? Professional Bird Control Company
It starts as a slight scratching. You suspect mice or rats at first until you hear the faint tweeting that means only one thing: A bird has become trapped behind your wall. Unfortunately, getting the bird out is a lot harder for you than it was for it to get in. Accept that it will probably mean cutting a hole in your wall. You also need to figure out where the bird got in and cover the hole with a metal screen to prevent it from happening again.
Lure It Out
Luring a bird out of a wall sounds logical. The bird got itself in, therefore it should be able to get itself out. This can work in some cases, but usually the bird becomes trapped between two walls and doesn’t have enough room to fly. If it sounds like the bird is moving up and down in the walls and you know where it entered, you can try luring it out. Place a bright light near the entrance to the wall since birds often fly toward light. Open any windows in the room and close it off to other areas of your house. Playing recorded birdsong near the entrance can help assure the bird that it is safe to come out; otherwise keep it very quiet in that room. Placing birdseed near the hole won’t work because birds have a poor sense of smell. If the bird is not out within a few hours, it probably can’t get out on its own.
Cut It Out
If you have the right tools and some construction experience, you can try to free the bird yourself by cutting a large hole in the wall above the bird. Cut shallowly into the drywall to avoid cutting into the electrical wires. Make the cut neat to make patching the wall easier. Once the piece of the wall is removed, the bird may fly out suddenly. Open any windows and doors to the outside to allow it to escape. If it doesn’t fly out, reach in with a gloved hand and carefully pick it up. Don’t release it until you are outside.
Call In an Expert
The safest, simplest method of dealing with a trapped bird is to call in a professional wildlife control expert. Look in the phone book under “pest control” or “animal removal services” to find one. Although they will charge a fee, they will get the animal out with the least amount of damage to your wall and home. In some cases, the cost of paying for animal control is less than paying a contractor to repair the damage done to your home.
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. source
Contact us at 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD, (604) 585-9279 or visit our website at www.pigeonpatrol.ca
Pigeon / Pigeon Patrol / Pigeons Roosting / Vancouver Pigeon Patrol / Bird Control / Surrey Pigeon Control / Pest / Vancouver Pigeon Blog / Birds Inside Home / Pigeons in the cities / Ice Pigeons/ What to do about pigeons/ most common types of sparrows , Damages Caused by Sparrows, How To Keep Raccoons Away, de-fence, Pigeon Nesting and Breeding Patterns and Behavior What Do I Do With a Bird Trapped in My Wall?
Pigeons are incredibly complex and intelligent animals. They are one of only a small number of species to pass the ‘mirror test’ – a test of self recognition. They can also recognise each letter of the human alphabet, differentiate between photographs, and even distinguish different humans within a photograph.
Some pigeons can pass the mirror test after training in the prerequisite behaviors. In 1981, American psychologist B. F. Skinner found that pigeons are capable of passing a highly modified mirror test after extensive training. In the experiment, a pigeon was trained to look in a mirror to find a response key behind it, which the pigeon then turned to peck to obtain food. Thus, the pigeon learned to use a mirror to find critical elements of its environment. Next, the pigeon was trained to peck at dots placed on its feathers; food was, again, the consequence of touching the dot. The latter training was accomplished in the absence of the mirror. The final test was placing a small bib on the pigeon—enough to cover a dot placed on its lower belly. A control period without the mirror present yielded no pecking at the dot. When the mirror was revealed, the pigeon became active, looked in the mirror and then tried to peck on the dot under the bib. However, untrained pigeons have never passed the mirror test.
Pigeons are renowned for their outstanding navigational abilities. They use a range of skills, such as using the sun as a guide and an internal ‘magnetic compass’. A study at Oxford University found that they will also use landmarks as signposts and will travel along man-made roads and motorways, even changing direction at junctions.
Pigeons are highly sociable animals. They will often be seen in flocks of 20-30 birds.
Pigeons mate for life, and tend to raise two chicks at the same time.
Both female and male pigeons share responsibility of caring for and raising young. Both sexes take turn incubating the eggs and both feed the chicks ‘pigeon milk’ – a special secretion from the lining of the crop which both sexes produce.
Pigeons have excellent hearing abilities. They can detect sounds at far lower frequencies than humans are able to, and can thus hear distant storms and volcanoes.
Despite the social perception as dirty and disease-ridden, pigeons are actually very clean animals and there is very little evidence to suggest that they are significant transmitters of disease.
Pigeons and humans have lived in close proximity for thousands of years. The first recordings of this date back to Mesopotamis, modern Iraq, in 3000bc.
Although pigeon droppings are seen by some as a problem in modern society, a few centuries ago pigeon guano was seen as extremely valuable. It was viewed as the best available fertiliser and armed guards would even stand by dovecotes (pigeon houses) to stop others taking the droppings.
Pigeons can fly at altitudes up to and beyond 6000 feet, and at an average speed of 77.6 mph. The fastest recorded speed is 92.5 mph.
Pigeons are fed by many members of different religions including Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs for spiritual reasons. Some older Sikhs will ceremoniously feed them in honour of Guru Gobind Singh, a high priest who was renowned as a friend to pigeons.
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.
Contact us at 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD, (604) 585-9279 or visit our website at www.pigeonpatrol.ca
Pigeon / Pigeon Patrol / Pigeons Roosting / Vancouver Pigeon Patrol / Bird Control / Surrey Pigeon Control / Pest / Vancouver Pigeon Blog / Birds Inside Home / Pigeons in the cities / Ice Pigeons/ What to do about pigeons/ most common types of sparrows , Damages Caused by Sparrows, How To Keep Raccoons Away, de-fence, Facts About the Pigeon
Nest building is very simple and often consists of a few stiff twigs. The male will pick the site. They prefer small flat areas away from the ground. Look for nests along building ledges, bridge supports, air conditioning units, window sills, and the like. In crowded flocks, pigeons will even forgo nest building and lay eggs directly on a protected ledge. The young are fed pigeon milk, a liquid/solid substance secreted in the crop of the adult (both male and female) which is regurgitated. More eggs are laid before the first clutch leaves the nest. Breeding may occur at all seasons, but peak reproduction occurs in the spring and fall.
Pigeon Breeding
Pigeon are monogamous and a mating pair will typically have three or four broods a year. The female will usually lay two or sometimes three eggs at a time. The eggs are a solid bright white color. The eggs take roughly 18 days to hatch and then another 35 days before the fledglings leave the nest. Breeding may occur at all seasons, but peak reproduction occurs in the spring and fall. A population of pigeons usually consists of equal numbers of males and females.
Pigeon Cycles
Pigeons are not migratory. Their natural instinct is to stay near their birth site. This trait gives the pigeon a very determined personality when it comes to roosting at a particular site, much to the dismay of the inexperienced pest control technician. The daily cycle of a pigeon is to roost at night, feed in the morning, and loaf in the afternoon. The seasonal cycle begins with courtship in the early winter, then nest building in late winter and breeding in the spring. However, in warm climates, breeding will occur year round. Pigeons molt once a year in late summer.
Life Expectancy: Varies greatly from 3-5 years through to 15 years dependent on many factors, including natural predation and human interference. Predation: The wild pigeon is predated upon, almost exclusively, by the peregrine falcon, a bird that is also found living and breeding in coastal regions.
Behaviour
As gregarious animals, feral pigeons tend to nest in flocks. Once they settle, they tend to nest at the same place for the rest of their lives. Pigeons are extraordinarily intelligent. Even when removed from the nest, they will return back to it. The distance doesn’t play a role—pigeons have “built-in” compasses in their bodies which provide tremendous help with orientation. No matter how far away from their home they are released, they will still find their way back.
Feral pigeons breed rapidly. They lay two eggs, up to six times a year—depending on the food available. If a local population is decreased, pigeons from other areas flock to take advantage of the abundance of food. Thus, poison often causes population boom rather than decrease. source
What Attracts Pigeons
Basically there are two things that attract pigeons to your house or garden:
Food: Pigeons are not very pretentious when it comes to food. They could eat various scraps, leftovers, seeds, your dog/cats food, anything left behind. So don’t leave anything food-worthy in your garden.
Living space: the attic or the air space between last floor and roof is the perfect place for a pigeon to live. Close all entrances if you don’t want to have pigeon droppings and insects feeding with them.
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.
Contact us at 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD, (604) 585-9279 or visit our website at www.pigeonpatrol.ca
Pigeon / Pigeon Patrol / Pigeons Roosting / Vancouver Pigeon Patrol / Bird Control / Surrey Pigeon Control / Pest / Vancouver Pigeon Blog / Birds Inside Home / Pigeons in the cities / Ice Pigeons/ What to do about pigeons/ most common types of sparrows , Damages Caused by Sparrows, How To Keep Raccoons Away, de-fence, Pigeon Nesting and Breeding Patterns and Behavior
Pigeon houses, columbaria, culver houses, pigeon cotes, dove houses
A dovecote or dovecot, doocot or columbarium is a structure intended to house pigeons or doves. Dovecotes may be free-standing structures in a variety of shapes, or built into the end of a house or barn. They generally contain pigeonholes for the birds to nest.
Widcombe Manor Farm Dovecote
Dovecotes were a common sight throughout Britain and across mainland Europe between the 16th and 19th centuries, but today few remain and of those that do, many are now in ruins. Dovecotes are specially constructed pigeon houses where pigeons were kept for a variety of purposes, but in the main as a source of food. Other uses for the domesticated pigeon were as quarry for falconry and as a target for shooting matches that were common in the 19th century and in which as many as 120 birds were shot for sport in each match. Dovecotes can be constructed of virtually any material (although early dovecotes were constructed exclusively of stone) and can be free-standing structures or provided as part of an existing structure or as a ‘lean-to’ addition.
Ancient Dovecote at Embleton
The earliest dovecotes may have been introduced to Britain by the Romans based on the fact that pigeon rearing was common in Italy with dovecotes being provided close to villas and farmsteads for the purpose of food. Over half a century ago C.D. Chalmers suggested that a number of unexplained foundations on Roman sites in Britain were the remains of ancient dovecotes, but his views have never been corroborated. Due to the lack of any firm evidence that dovecotes were introduced into Britain by the Romans it is likely that it was the Normans that first introduced the dovecote and as a result domesticated the rock dove from which the feral pigeon of today is descended.
One of the earliest British examples is believed to be a 12th century dovecote that was uncovered during archaeological works in Raunds, Northamptonshire. This early dovecote is circular and commonly known as a ‘rubblestone dovecote’. A number of these early rubblestone dovecotes, dating back to the 12th and 13th centuries, have been uncovered throughout southern England in recent years and with quite a significant geographical spread ranging from Devon in the south-west through to Lincolnshire in the east. These early dovecotes were built mainly to service the culinary needs of monasteries, castles and manors but were the sole preserve of the wealthy and almost certainly beyond the means of the poor. In Medieval and Norman times the building of a dovecote was a feudal right restricted to lords of the manor, abbots and barons with these privileges eventually extending down to the humble parish priest. Today very few of these structures remain intact.
Much Marcle Dovecote
It was in the 16th century that dovecotes became popular in Britain with a huge variety of different designs and types being constructed. Ancient dovecotes are believed to be round in shape but later in the 17th century square, rectangular and octagonal dovecotes were built, some with incredibly intricate designs. Further designs and types include ‘lectern’ dovecotes, ‘in and out’ dovecotes, ‘polygon’ dovecotes and even caves have been adapted for the keeping of domesticated pigeons. Lectern dovecotes are shaped like a reading desk, hence their common name, and normally consisted of a 4-sided building with a single pitched roof with raised parapet walls on 3 sides. In and out dovecotes, sometimes known as Irish dovecotes, consisted of tiers of breeding cubicles together with perching ledges that were built into the exterior wall of a house or building. Polygon dovecotes (polygon, in this context, meaning a building with more than 5 sides) are more often than not octagonal structures ranging dramatically in size and often housing large numbers of birds. Caves, both coastal and inland, have been used to house domestic pigeons but their use is less common than the conventional dovecote.
Breeding Cubicles,
Shobdon Court Dovecote
The interior of a dovecote is usually a large open space with the breeding cubicles or ledges being offered in rows around the internal walls. Pigeons would enter the dovecote in a variety of ways, depending on the size, shape and type of structure, with the most common entry/exit point (known as the flight entrance) being provided beneath a cupola on the roof of the structure. The birds would be encouraged to roost and breed within the structure and as pigeons are quite prolific breeders, bringing up to 8 young into the world each year, competition for breeding cubicles would be high.
As the main purpose of a dovecote was to provide food, and as the pigeon squab (or chick) was seen as a delicacy, squabs would be ‘farmed’ when they achieved a certain age and size (normally 4 weeks of age). In the 16th century eating pigeon meat became much more popular with ‘pigeon pie’ becoming a delicacy and often described as ‘food fit for kings’ – this rather dispels the myth that pigeons are disease carriers! As a result of this popularisation, pigeon meat not only graced the tables of the monarchy and the rich, it became a standard food for the masses and it was commonly said that every family should eat squab at least once a week. Some squab ‘farms’ were believed to house anything from 10,000 to 30,000 birds to satisfy this demand.
Cross-section of
Classic Dovecote
In order to access breeding cubicles and remove squabs an ingenious system had to be designed based on the inaccessibility of nests and the sheer height and size of some of the larger dovecotes. For smaller dovecotes a free-standing ladder was used for access but for larger structures a ‘potence’ was used, although more commonly for round rather than square or rectangular dovecotes. The potence consisted of a large vertical wooden pole situated in the centre of the interior and which was pivoted both at the base and at the top, allowing the pole to rotate 360°. Several lateral arms were joined to the vertical post at right angles to which ladders were attached. As the main pole was rotated the lateral arms and ladders also rotated around the interior allowing access to all the breeding cubicles.
Dovecote at Godminster
Although the provision of food was the main purpose of the dovecote, there was one interesting and highly valued by-product that had a dual purpose – pigeon guano! Pigeon guano was, and still is, considered to be one of the finest fertilisers in the world and was a highly prized commodity as a result. In the Middle East (where eating pigeon flesh was forbidden) dovecotes were built simply to provide manure for growing fruit and this practice continued for centuries. In France, Italy and Spain guano was used extensively on hemp crops and for the fertilisation of vineyards and in England it was considered to be an extremely potent manure. It was often said that pigeon guano was worth 10 loads of other sorts (manure).
Dovecote at Weetwood Hall
In the 16th century pigeon guano was sought after for a different reason – it was found to contain saltpetre, which was used for the manufacture of gunpowder. This secret was brought across from Germany and sold for a payment of £300, which would have been a huge sum in those days. This dramatically changed the role of the dovecote in light of the fact that guano was potentially valued more highly than the birds themselves and to protect this resource armed guards were often placed outside dovecotes to stop thieves stealing the guano. Production of saltpetre from pigeon guano ended in the late 18th century when it was found to be naturally occurring in South America.
Dovecote at Kings Pyon
Although the commercial use of dovecotes died out in the 19th century with many magnificent examples being allowed to fall into disrepair due to neglect, they have experienced something of a re-birth in the 21st century with dovecotes being used for the control of the feral pigeon, a direct descendent of the domesticated dovecote bird. Dovecotes and pigeon lofts are now commonly used for the control of the feral pigeon in towns and cities all over the world, with the notable exception of the USA.
The principle of using a dovecote (or pigeon loft) as a pigeon control option was pioneered by the Pigeon Control Advisory Service International (PiCAS International) and can be loosely described as a form of birth control. Pigeons are encouraged into a dovecote by the provision of a dedicated public feeding area, sited immediately beside the dovecote, where the public will be asked to feed the birds at the same time as being asked to cease feeding elsewhere. Pigeons will then take up residence in the dovecote (based on the close proximity of a good reliable food source) and once breeding starts all eggs are removed, as laid, and replaced with dummy eggs. Where a pigeon loft is used for the purpose of control rather than a dovecote the facility would be sited on the roof of a building or even within the roof of a building, rather than at ground level. Pigeons would be encouraged into the loft by the provision of food and once breeding starts eggs would be removed and replaced in the same way as with a dovecote facility.
Bailiffscourt Dovecote
This humane, effective and cost effective method of control is rapidly replacing the extreme use of lethal control, commonly used to control pigeon populations in the 21st century. Schemes using dovecotes, or artificial breeding facilities as they are now commonly known, have achieved staggering results where provided as a control option, often reducing pigeon flock size by as much as 50% and in some cases by as much as 95%. Pigeons will readily use a dovecote facility for the purposes of breeding and providing that some basic rules are followed this method of control, based on a concept that is more than 1000 years old, will provide any property owner or local government body with a cheap, popular and highly effective means of controlling feral pigeon populations. Source
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.
Contact us at 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD, (604) 585-9279 or visit our website at www.pigeonpatrol.ca
Pigeon / Pigeon Patrol / Pigeons Roosting / Vancouver Pigeon Patrol / Bird Control / Surrey Pigeon Control / Pest / Vancouver Pigeon Blog / Birds Inside Home / Pigeons in the cities / Ice Pigeons/ What to do about pigeons/ most common types of sparrows , Damages Caused by Sparrows, How To Keep Raccoons Away, de-fence, What Are Dovecotes?
Picture this: you’re sitting on your living room couch, reading a book or dozing off, when you suddenly hear the sound of flapping wings. Intrigued, you look around, only to see a sparrow, a Mockingbird, or some other non-domesticated bird perched inside your fireplace. You barely manage to say “What in the world…?!” (or something a little less polite) before the terrified critter takes flight and settles on top of your mantle or a wall-mounted kitchen cabinet.
So, now you have an avian intruder inside your house, and neither of you are particularly pleased to see each other. What do you do?
Typically, when a bird winds up in a house via the chimney, it’s a direct result of either (1) the bird seeking out the warm/cold air that it senses emanating from the house and deciding to take shelter, or (2) the bird—especially if it’s only a fledgling—taking a tumble out of a nest that’s been built inside the chimney. In any case, while it’s really not a reason to panic or let your household descend into chaos, it is a situation that should be resolved as soon as possible!
What To Do About Birds That Get In Your House
If a single bird “drops in” unexpectedly, there are a few steps you can take to try to resolve the problem yourself:
1. Shut all interior doors leading into (or out of) the room where the bird is, and remove all pets.
Modern houses tend to have open floor plans with fewer doors and walls, so isolating the bird to one room may be a little tricky. But at the very least, closing off the area will limit the space in which the bird can flee. Getting pets out of the way is for both their safety and the safety of the stray bird; while dogs and cats may be inclined to give chase, interactions with wild birds can lead to illnesses or injury for both parties.
2. In the “bird room,” open up a single door or window and cover up all the others.
Remove any screens and close any curtains (or put up sheets) as necessary. The point is to make the bird think that there’s only one way out of the room. Covering up the other windows and doors will also decrease the likelihood that the bird will fly into a glass barrier, injuring—or killing—itself in the process.
3. Give the bird time to leave on its own.
If you’re lucky, it will notice the exit you made and see itself out. In that case, be sure to close the door or window immediately after!
4. Use a sheet to help guide the bird out.
If the bird seems hopelessly confused and can’t find the exit, you can hold up a sheet with two hands and try to shepherd the bird in the right direction. You are not trying to capture the bird inside the sheet; you’re simply using it as a tool to direct the bird’s movement. Holding the sheet in front of your face during this attempt can help you protect yourself from scratches or pecks if the bird lashes out in fear.
5. Check the chimney.
Hopefully, the bird that’s currently in your house is acting alone. However, it’s also possible that there’s an entire nest of birds living inside the chimney and this episode is just the tip of the avian iceberg. So take a look (and a listen) inside your fireplace; if you have any suspicions that there are more birds lurking within the chimney, then you need to…
6. Call for help.
If your attempts to get the bird yourself have failed, you may need to call a professional wildlife removal service and have one of their technicians take care of things. It’s also a good idea to get a professional involved if the bird appears sick, injured, or too young to fly on its own, as it may need help beyond simply relocating it outside. And, of course, if peeking into the chimney reveals evidence of a whole nest of birds instead of just a single stray, you’ll want to get professional backup ASAP.
Bird Blocking
Dealing with a stray bird isn’t as complicated or nerve-racking as dealing with a colony of rats or an ornery skunk, but it’s still not a great situation in which to find yourself.
Fortunately, you can reduce your risk by taking some preventative measures:
1. Have a chimney cap installed.
Birds can’t enter your home through the chimney if they can’t get inside (or build their nests) inside the chimney in the first place. Thus, adding a chimney cap (or replacing your damaged cap) is probably the more effective way to keep out birds and other animals.
2. Make sure the rest of your house is bird-proofed.
The chimney isn’t the only way that a bird can enter your house; exhaust vents and small holes in your roof are also prime targets. If you didn’t actually see the stray bird come out of your fireplace, check your attic to see if there are more of them living on your property.
3. Put screens on your windows and doors.
It’s not unheard of for birds to simply fly inside homes using these pathways instead of going through the trouble of breaching the walls or chimney. Sturdy screen doors and windows are a good way to enjoy the mid-spring breeze while keeping out birds (and bugs, too). Having a barrier in front of glass panes can also help prevent birds from accidentally flying into them, as well.
Generally speaking, people don’t really “fear” birds the way they do other pest animals. For full-blown infestations involving multiple birds, or any situation in which you find yourself feeling like you’re in over your head, Chimney and Wildlife Specialists is only a phone call away!
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.
Contact us at 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD, (604) 585-9279 or visit our website at www.pigeonpatrol.ca
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Avians aren’t the source of COVID-19, but some do harbor pathogens that can infect humans. Here’s what you need to know and how to stay safe.
COVID-19, the viral disease gripping the globe, is not bird-related. Researchers believe it likely came from bats. Still, this pandemic understandably provokes fear about wildlife diseases and so provides an opportunity to clear up confusion surrounding the question, “can birds get you sick?”
Karel Schat, professor emeritus of avian virology at Cornell University, says that birds generally pose a “very limited threat to humans,” at least not directly. If you want to admire the birds from afar in your backyard or your local park, you don’t have to worry about contagion. But if you are in contact with a bird with its excretions such as feces or saliva (that includes filling bird feeders), he advises observing common hygiene practices, including not touching your face and washing your hands right after. That’s because birds can carry some viral, bacterial, or fungal pathogens that cause human illness—think Salmonella or West Nile Virus. And if you see a dead bird, stay away from it and don’t touch it, he says (though you may consider reporting it to your state or local wildlife agency, which can come to remove it and may be tracking dead animal clusters).
Wild birds do also pass diseases to farm animals and vice versa, and that can pose the more indirect threat to human health. One of the most well-known examples of this is with avian influenza. A recent outbreak of a bird flu on a quail farm in the Philippines, for example, resulted in the culling of 17,000 quail to stop the spread.
Bird flu strains live in a bird’s gut and become exposed in fecal matter. Birds being birds, they may peck at their droppings and become infected that way. In more confined settings, like on an industrial farm or in a dense colony, airborne fecal particles can find their way into a bird’s eyes or respiratory tract, offering another avenue for infection. That is how bird flu spreads among birds.
Few strains of bird flu can cause serious harm to humans, and none are currently active in the United States, says Schat. “Fortunately, the transmission of those avian influenza virus strains from human to human has been fairly limited,” Schat says. “But it is a continuous problem that is in the chickens, it is in the ducks, and maybe in some wild birds, and it can always get to humans.”
The particularly deadly avian flu H5N1 strain, however, has occurred intermittently across Asia since 2004. It has led to 455 human deaths from about 861 recorded cases, mostly across the Middle East and East Asia, according to the World Health Organization (there have been no cases in the United States). These sporadic cases are largely in people who have close contact with infected live or dead birds, often before home slaughter— and spread from person-to-person is unusual, the health agency says. Still, health officials closely monitor for outbreaks and mutations of H5N1.
In general, it is contact with other animals, including humans, that gives any wildlife viruses— including coronaviruses and avian influenza— the best chance to mutate and shift into new strains. These types of interactions, however, mostly occur in settings that include many different species of animals in close proximity, like a live animal market. Habitat loss may also increase the amount of interaction between wild animals, farm animals, and humans. Even with these ample opportunities to interact with other species and mutate, avian influenza viruses seldom change into anything that poses significant risk for humans, says Schat. Still, given that deadly influenza outbreaks have occurred, the risk is always there, though it is lessened when birds are not kept with other species.
Birds, of course, do carry other diseases they spread amongst themselves (this is why it’s important to keep your bird feeders clean). For example, Newcastle disease, a virus common in chickens but also found in more than 200 bird species, is a well-known scourge that inflicts flu-like symptoms along with severe eye irritation in birds. Though it is mostly found in poultry, Newcastle was hampering Toronto’s Cormorant population as recently as 2018. While Newcastle is a nasty bug for birds, it does not pose a significant threat to humans. Birds also carry coronaviruses, but not the one that causes COVID-19. For example, the coronavirus that causes avian infectious bronchitis is a well-known scourge in the poultry industry, and many chickens are vaccinated against it, according to Schat.
Beyond influenza, the biggest virological threat birds can pose to humans is from the West Nile Virus, which has been in the United States since 1999. It is likely that an infected mosquito, surviving a flight from somewhere in the Middle East, brought the disease to the U.S., says Schat. Over time, this mosquito must have infected at least one bird by feeding on it, thereby making it a carrier for more mosquitoes to feed on and become infected as well. As the virus moved from this “mosquito zero” to birds, and to other mosquitoes feeding on those birds, particularly crows and jays, it eventually spread to humans. In 1999, hundreds of birds and seven people around the New York-New Jersey area died from the virus, but it continues to kill today. In the past year, per the CDC, 51 people died of West Nile in the United States.
So, while close contact with bird poop may not be a part of the everyday experience of most people, mosquitoes are a constant threat during the summer in many parts of the world, and they can serve as a conduit between birds and humans.
Overall, the lesson is: Whether you handle wild birds, or you admire them for afar, getting infected by one is something you probably don’t have to worry about, just as long as you maintain the same hygienic habits you’re probably already sticking to in this time of COVID-19. In other words, wash your hands and don’t touch your face. And please, unless you’re a scientist or trained worker with a purpose, leave the bird poop or any dead birds alone.
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.
Contact us at 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD, (604) 585-9279 or visit our website at www.pigeonpatrol.ca
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Have you ever woken in the morning and come to find your trash cans are knocked over and garbage is strewn all over your front yard? If this has happened to you, a raccoon is most likely the culprit.
Raccoons are very intelligent, curious, and dexterous animals. This means they can cause a lot of damage. They can tip over trash cans and can even remove a tightly applied lid. If trash day has become a nightmare for you, follow these tips to keep raccoons away from your trash.
1. CHANGE YOUR TRASH DAY HABITS
The best habit you can fall into is to put out your garbage the morning of pick-up instead of the night before. Raccoons are nocturnal so they do most of their damage overnight. Waking up earlier to take out your trash in the morning can save you a lot of aggravation.
TIPS:
Buy a trash can specifically made to withstand wildlife
Double-bag trash that is pungent to keep the smells contained
Instead of placing garbage bags curb-side, protect them by placing them inside a trash bin
Properly secure lids with a bungee cord through the handles and across the lid
Place a weight on the lid of your trash cans
2. PROPER TRASH PLACEMENT
Whether you store your trash cans outside at all times or only take them outside for trash day, placement is key to keeping raccoons away from your trash.
If you store your trash cans outside, place them in a protected area or secure them to your home or garage.
Place cans on level ground where they cannot be tipped over as easily.
Place your trash cans in the line of sight of a spotlight or motion-detecting light.
Raccoons prefer darkness and can be startled away by sudden light.
3. USE AN ANIMAL REPELLENT
Use an animal repellent to deter raccoons and keep them away from your trash. Repellents use scent, taste, or a combination of both to drive raccoons away from the protected area.
Sprinkle granular animal repellent around the area where trash cans are stored. Additionally, spray a liquid animal repellent directly onto trash bags, trash cans, or recycling bins as you place them curb-side. If you employ both repelling methods, you’ll have greater long-term success.
TIP: Reapplication is critical to maintaining full repellency. Be sure to follow the instructions and reapply as necessary.
In addition, you can set-up an electronic repellent to frighten off raccoons. An electronic repellent will shoot a quick burst of water, motion and sound when it senses a raccoon approaching. You’ll achieve best results if you position the sensor and sprinkler in the direction that raccoons are approaching.
4. CLEAN YOUR TRASH CANS PERIODICALLY
When you store your trash cans outdoors, it’s important to clean them out and disinfect them regularly to remove lingering odors and trash residue. Use ammonia when cleaning out your trash cans, as raccoons find the scent of ammonia to be very unpleasant.
5. De-Fence
De-Fence Spikes is a plastic fence, wall and railing security spike deterrent that keeps out intruders and unwanted animals such as raccoons from entering your garden or premises.
The sharp cone-shaped spikes, can be fitted to the tops of fences, walls, gates and other surfaces. The UV-stabilized polypropylene, can be painted, is weather resistant and weather durable. Its unique design enables the product to be fitted to most angles including thin and wide surfaces.
Provide effective, low cost security and deterrent against unwelcome intruders
Also ideal deterrent for cats, birds, raccoons and other small animals
Can be easily fitted to the tops of fences, gates, walls and window sills
Fully waterproof / reusable and can be screwed, nailed or glued
The sharp spikes are designed to cause discomfort to the animal, without causing harm.
Each piece of De-Fence is approximately 5/8 inch in height (spike is 1/2 inch), 3 inches in width (5 scored rows), 2 feet in length (scored every 6 inches)
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.
Contact us at 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD, (604) 585-9279 or visit our website at www.pigeonpatrol.ca
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Curious to know why sparrows are considered to be a pest and are unwelcome? Keep on reading!
Why The House Sparrows Are Unwelcome
The common house sparrow can be more than a nuisance: Its nesting habits can bring both disease and destruction
House sparrows (Passer domesticus (L.)), sometimes referred to as English sparrows, town sparrows or domestic sparrows, are probably the most citified and ubiquitous birds around human habitation and workplaces in the United States.
This bird is native to Eurasia and northern Africa, occurring from the United Kingdom east to Siberia (with the exception of Italy). The house sparrow has been introduced into many countries and is common in populated areas throughout the world. It even colonized the Falkland Islands by traveling there aboard a fleet of whalers from Uruguay.
Eight pairs of this non-native species were purposely imported from England to Brooklyn, N.Y., in 1850 (thus, its English sparrow moniker). The initial objective was to use this bird in a misguided attempt to control larvae of the linden moth. However, it was later discovered that house sparrows don’t feed on linden moth larvae.
Unwelcome Houseguest
House sparrows have since become a common pest bird that lives in close association with humans, greatly depending upon them for food and nesting sites. The birds are associated with the transmission of more than 25 diseases of humans and domestic animals, including St. Louis encephalitis.
About 75 species of ectoparasites have been reported from the house sparrow in Europe and North America. A number of these live in sparrow nests, from where they often enter structures and bite people and infest domestic animals (mites) or become stored product pests (dermestid beetles, clothes moths).
In addition, house sparrow feces deface and foul structures, park benches, outdoor lunch tables, statues and stair railings, and contaminate walkways around buildings. Their uric acid droppings can even damage automobile paint.
House sparrow nests often clog roof drains, plug gutters and downspouts, and cause roof leaks. Their bulky nests made of grass, straw, feathers, hair, weeds and other dried plant materials, strings and other miscellaneous flammable trash are serious fire hazards—especially when nests are located in electrical equipment, light fixtures, around power lines and electrical substations.
Bullying Behaviour
House sparrows are opportunistic, quarrelsome, aggressive, persistent, relentless and pugnacious competitors, and they’ll frequently out-compete, drive out and displace desirable native songbirds and other endemic species such as bluebirds, woodpeckers, robins, Carolina wrens and martins.
Bird houses that are placed out to accommodate songbirds are often usurped by house sparrows. In addition, these birds often consume and contaminate poultry and livestock feed at dairies and animal feed lots.
House sparrows are also opportunistic nesters: They’ll construct nests just about anywhere. They seldom build their nests in woods, thickets or fields like other sparrows do. In cities, the overwhelming majority of house sparrow nests are built in or on buildings. They prefer openings, cavities, holes, gaps and various construction defects that allow them access to an area.
Roof Risks
House sparrows are small birds, so to exclude them from constructing nests in structures, you must block entry holes 2 centimeters or larger. It’s a formidable task on two-story or taller structures, especially those with tile roofs.
On buildings with clay and concrete roof tiles, house sparrows commonly locate nests in areas under tiles at roof edges above fascia boards. When house sparrows shove nest materials under perimeter overhanging barrel tiles, they can dislodge these heavy, precariously hanging tiles and cause them to come crashing down.
In one case, a house sparrow nest (and the bird’s frequent comings and goings) dislodged a corner barrel tile that fell 30 feet to the concrete walkway below. It crashed with such force that it shattered.
The weight of the average concrete barrel tile is 12 pounds.: If this missile, falling from about 30 feet above, were to hit someone, it would certainly cause serious injury and possibly death.
In another case on the same structure, a second-story corner barrel tile was dislodged by a sparrow nest and its occupant’s accompanying activities. The tile fell onto a first-story roof, where it broke three concrete roof tiles before it cascaded down to a concrete walkway below and shattered. source
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.
Contact us at 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD, (604) 585-9279 or visit our website at www.pigeonpatrol.ca
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The sparrows are a host of some parasites and diseases. They are the source of dissemination of diseases like Chlamydiosis, Salmonellosis, Mycoplasma diseases, protozoal diseases and internal parasites like roundworms and tapeworms.
Sparrows are recorded to possess bacterial pathogens which are common to humans like Salmonella and Escherichia coli. They serve as a reservoir host to transmit diseases to humans.
They also host avian pox and avian malaria which spreads to the native birds.
The sparrows are infested by a number of external parasites like mites, fleas or ticks.
Localized damage to the grain fields can be done by sparrows as the feed in large numbers over a small area.
Sparrows can damage the crops by feeding on seedlings, seeds, flowers and fruits.
They interfere with the production of livestock especially poultry by contaminating their feed.
Bird droppings can cause damage to the roofs as they are very acidic in nature. They may cause damage to the machinery like air conditioner equipment’s, industrial machinery and may pose a health risk to workers. They also pose dangerous health risks to workers.
Bird droppings can ruin plastics, chemical, and liquids when they are being manufactured.
They enter through broken or unsealed holes into the attics of houses, apartments, and buildings. They construct their nests in such places and ruin the whole area with their bodily wastes.
Sparrow’s nests may cause blockage of the drainage systems along with damage to the roofs.
House sparrows consume grains in fields and in storage. Localized damage can be considerable since sparrows often feed in large numbers over a small area. Sparrows damage crops by pecking seeds, seedlings, buds, flowers, vegetables, and maturing fruits. They interfere with the production of livestock, particularly poultry, by consuming and contaminating feed.
Because they live in such close association with humans, they are a factor in the dissemination of diseases (chlamydiosis, coccidiosis, erysipeloid, Newcastle’s, parathypoid, pullorum, salmonellosis, transmissible gastroenteritis, tuberculosis, various encephalitis viruses, vibriosis, and yersinosis), internal parasites (acariasis, schistosomiasis, taeniasis, toxoplasmosis, and trichomoniasis), and household pests (bed bugs, carpet beetles, clothes moths, fleas, lice, mites, and ticks).
House sparrow droppings and feathers create janitorial problems, as well as hazardous, unsanitary, and odoriferous situations inside and outside of buildings and sidewalks under roosting areas.
Damage can also be caused by the pecking of rigid foam insulation inside buildings. The bulky, flammable nests of house sparrows are a potential fire hazard. The chattering of the flock on a roost is an annoyance to nearby human residents.
Habitat
The house sparrow is found in nearly every habitat except dense forests, alpine, and desert environments. Sparrows typically prefer human-altered habitats, particularly farm and grassy areas. It is the most common bird in most urban areas.
Food Habits
House sparrows are primarily granivorous. Plant materials (grain, fruit, seeds, and garden plants) make up 96% of the adult diet. The remainder consists of insects, earthworms, and other animal matter.
Garbage, bread crumbs, and refuse from fast-food restaurants can support sparrow populations in urban habitats.
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.
Contact us at 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD, (604) 585-9279 or visit our website at www.pigeonpatrol.ca
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They have a distinctive appearance with white throat markings and yellow lore. There are two adult variations referred to as white-striped and tan-striped forms. The white-striped ones have the black crown with white central stripes while the tan-striped on the other hand has a dark brown crown with tan-central stripe. These species try to pair with partners possessing opposite color morphology for breeding. White-striped birds are more aggressive in nature than the tan-striped ones when they are in their breeding phase. Song sparrows resemble tan-striped White-throated sparrows, but they are heavily streaked below without any yellow markings on the face. These creatures are famous for singing their pleasant chirp notes frequently, even during the winter season. They are found near the grounds mostly in woods, forest, and bushy areas.
2. House sparrow
House Sparrow belongs to the family of sparrows. The species is almost found in every habitat and climates, the sociable house sparrows are found in close association to humans. Italian sparrow is closely related to housing sparrows and Spanish sparrows as it is also found in the Mediterranean regions. The common sparrow in East Asia does belong to House Sparrow, but its cousin called the tree sparrow. Native sparrows of North America are not considered to be the House Sparrows. They have long, rounded tail which they push up and down during their fly. These species avoids being in deserts or forests and is found in almost all parts of the world. Female house sparrows are pale brown and grayish in color while males have bright brown, black and white markings. It prefers to eat seeds of grain, wheat and may feed on insects. Its predators include cats, owls, hawks and other mammals. It is maltreated as an agricultural pest, kept as a pet, used as a food item and indicates a symbol of lust, sexual potency, commonness, and vulgarity. They feed on millets, acorns and sunflower seeds along with small insects. They build their nests with coarse dried vegetation and then use the finer material like feathers, strings or paper for linings.
It is a fairly tame species with it’s widespread mostly found in North America. They are very pretty species with a splash of colors. Summer chipping sparrows are black with a bright rust crown while winter chipping sparrows are brown with dark upperparts. There is two subspecies Eastern and Western chipping sparrow. It is partial migrant flying towards South during winters and again towards North during spring. They sing loud, trilling songs most commonly in spring. Chipping sparrows may appear similar to American or Field sparrows, but you can identify them with a gray rump as it flies. They build their nest in a shrub or a tree, their nests, are flimsily constructed that light can easily pass through them. They feed on seeds of almost all varieties and protein-rich insects. Source
Most Common Types of Sparrow
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.
Contact us at 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD, (604) 585-9279 or visit our website at www.pigeonpatrol.ca
Pigeon / Pigeon Patrol / Pigeons Roosting / Vancouver Pigeon Patrol / Bird Control / Surrey Pigeon Control / Pest / Vancouver Pigeon Blog / Birds Inside Home / Pigeons in the cities / Ice Pigeons/ What to do about pigeons/ most common types of sparrows
Looking to learn more about sparrows? Keep on reading to find out 10 sparrow facts!
Sparrow is a species of small Passerine birds, also acknowledged as True sparrows or Old world Sparrows. It originates from North Africa and is also found in Asia, Australia, Europe, New Zealand and North America. Sparrows cannot be found in forests or deserts, unlike other birds. It prefers being in close association to human settlement, including urban and rural areas. They inhabit on ideal sparrow habitat nesting on buildings, roofs, and houses.
Sparrows are brown-grey chubby birds. They have short tails with stubby and powerful beaks. These are effortless flying birds with small size and bodies. These creatures make their way to the air creating a splendid sight to see. Sparrows are considered to be extreme vocal birds of all times. The sizes of these birds vary according to the region they inhabit. Sparrows are similar to other seed-eating birds except they possess an extra bone in tongue and an outer primary feather. On the other hand, cheeky sparrows have a diverse range of colors varying from sandy blonde to a rich red color. source
10 Sparrow Facts
Sparrows have both genders males and females which can be easily distinguished by feather coloration. Females possess brown backs with stripes while males possess reddish backs and black bibs.
Sparrows are said to be the social creatures. They live in colonies which are commonly mentioned to as flocks.
Sparrows are primarily carnivorous by nature i.e. they are meat eaters. They learn to change their eating habit more frequently while they live in close association with Sparrows primarily eat moths and also feed on small insects. They can also feed on seeds, fruits, and berries.
Sparrows easily adapt to the life in human settlements due to the constant supply of food. These creatures learn to eat food which they are provided by the people when people build their bird feeders.
They usually fly at the speed of about 24 miles per hour, in the case of emergency they can speed up to 31 miles per hour.
Although sparrows are not considered as water birds, they swim at a very fast pace to escape from predators.
Predators of sparrows are usually dogs, cats, foxes and snakes. The young new ones are an easy target for these carnivores.
Sparrows are not included in territorial animals, but they are aggressively protective about their nests from other sparrows.
Sparrow is considered to be a very small Its length can vary between 4-8 inches and weighs around 0.8 to 1.4 ounces. With such small bodies, they can easily fit into the small openings.
It possesses a stout body with rounded wings. Its body is covered with brown, black and white feathers.
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.
Contact us at 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD, (604) 585-9279 or visit our website at www.pigeonpatrol.ca
Pigeon / Pigeon Patrol / Pigeons Roosting / Vancouver Pigeon Patrol / Bird Control / Surrey Pigeon Control / Pest / Vancouver Pigeon Blog / Birds Inside Home / Pigeons in the cities / Ice Pigeons/ What to do about pigeons/ most common types of sparrows
We’ve made a couple of blogs on facts about pigeons and guess what? We have another one for you! Keep on reading to find out what thee facts are!
3 More Facts About Pigeons
They recognize people who are nice to them
Though they may seem to be a little spaced-out from time to time, pigeons remember faces they run across. In one study focusing on birds in the center of Paris, two researchers offered food to the birds or chased them away, respectively. When this was repeated over several visits, the pigeons began to avoid the chaser while being drawn towards the feeder, even if they were wearing different clothes.
They see the world in a kaleidoscope of colors
Pigeons are known to have extraordinary vision, and are capable of discriminating between nearly identical shades of colour. Humans, for example, have a triple system of colour perception whereas pigeons photo sensors and light filters can differentiate as many as five spectral bands — making the world for them appear to be a virtual kaleidoscope of colours
They were early pioneers in aerial photography
Not long after pigeons got out of the news business, they entered the world of photography. In 1907, a German pharmacist named Julius Neubronner developed special bird-mounted cameras. These lightweight, timer camera rigs were strapped onto pigeons who would then snap rare aerial photos in flight. Prior to this, such images could only be captured using balloons or kites.
Aerial photography is the taking of photographs from an aircraft or other flying object. Platforms for aerial photography include fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles, balloons, blimps and dirigibles, rockets, pigeons, kites, parachutes, stand-alone telescoping and vehicle-mounted poles.
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.
Contact us at 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD, (604) 585-9279 or visit our website at www.pigeonpatrol.ca
Pigeon / Pigeon Patrol / Pigeons Roosting / Vancouver Pigeon Patrol / Bird Control / Surrey Pigeon Control / Pest / Vancouver Pigeon Blog / Birds Inside Home / Pigeons in the cities / Ice Pigeons
Having bird problems? Keep on reading to find out things you can do to get rid of them!
From a pigeon’s perspective, city living can’t be beat. Food and water are readily available. Predators are rare. Plus, there’s plenty of free housing. Pigeons find our window ledges, rooftops, bridges, and warehouses to be ideal substitutes for the natural ledges in cliff sides that they have always used as roosting, nesting, and sheltering sites.
When flocks grow too large and become a nuisance, killing the birds is often the first plan of action. But killing pigeons doesn’t work, and there are better, non-lethal ways to fix a pigeon problem.
Steps to Solve Some Pigeon Problems
You may just need one or a combination of all three techniques, depending on the size of the pigeon population you’re dealing with.
Stop feeding the pigeons (intentionally or not)
Most conflicts with pigeons can be tied at one point or another to feeding, intentionally or otherwise.
Pigeons get fed plenty of handouts and garbage, but there are also well-intentioned pigeon lovers who regularly feed the birds. This does the pigeons more harm than good as the pigeons begin to gather in large numbers, often leading to inhumane and ineffective attempts to reduce their numbers.
When such troubles arise, the best thing for the birds is to reduce feeding gradually over several weeks. The flock will gradually disperse until the remaining number of birds matches what the area can naturally support.
Unintentional food sources
Even when not feeding on purpose, we humans are messy, leaving leftovers and dropped crumbs everywhere. Pigeons hang around town squares, public parks, and other trafficked areas to help themselves to what we leave behind, especially when convenient roosting and nesting sites are nearby. To discourage pigeons from gathering, food attractants need to be cleaned up regularly.
In suburban neighborhoods, too, homeowners may mistakenly feed pigeons or they may be providing food for pigeons inadvertently when feeding their backyard birds by tossing seed on the ground, rather than putting it in birdfeeders. To discourage pigeons visiting your yard, change the type, amount, and timing of feeding. If most of the pigeons fail to move elsewhere, you’ll need to stop feeding all birds for a couple weeks. (Don’t worry; the birds won’t starve.) When you resume feeding, only put out seed in birdfeeders and keep the ground below them cleaned up.
Prevent roosting and nesting
Pigeons look for flat surfaces for roosting and nesting. Encourage them to do these things elsewhere by making flat surfaces unavailable to them. With the correct application of the right product, roosting structures can be rendered virtually pigeon-free.
Call Pigeon Patrol today to get your bird spikes and netting material to keep pigeons off your property Source
Bird Sound Repellent
The Ultrasonic Impact series are the best bird and animal deterrent systems on the market today.
This perfect unit, offers frequency ranges from 8 kHz to 24 kHz offering 13 different settings.
The TubeSonic emits over 100 natural recorded predator, urban, human, bird /animal distress calls and other environment sounds designed to startle, confuse, disorient, and intimidate pesky birds or animals.
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.
Contact us at 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD, (604) 585-9279 or visit our website at www.pigeonpatrol.ca
Pigeon / Pigeon Patrol / Pigeons Roosting / Vancouver Pigeon Patrol / Bird Control / Surrey Pigeon Control / Pest / Vancouver Pigeon Blog / Birds Inside Home / Pigeons in the cities / Ice Pigeons/ What to do about pigeons
Ever heard of the bird flu? Keep on reading to find out more about what it is!
So what is the bird flu?
The Bird Flu also known as the Avian influenza refers to the disease caused by infection with avian (bird) influenza (flu) Type A viruses. These viruses occur naturally among wild aquatic birds worldwide and can infect domestic poultry and other bird and animal species
When was the bird flu?
The year 2005 has been dubbed ‘the year of bird flu’. Across the globe, the fear of avian influenza has caused government officials to place a higher priority on developing plans to deal with pandemic influenza. A survey published on 23 December 2005 by the World Health Organization (WHO) named avian influenza as the number one health concern. This heightened concern exists despite any evidence suggesting sustained human-to-human transmission of the potentially pandemic H5N1 strain of avian influenza virus. Experts have been closely monitoring occurrences of H5N1 since it first appeared in 1996 in the Chinese province of Guangdong.
The number of confirmed human H5N1 infections doubled in 2005. Of the 142 cases of human H5N1 influenza reported as of 30 December 2005, over half have been fatal. That statistic sparked a media frenzy that H5N1 may develop into the next pandemic strain of influenza. A serological survey published in the Journal of Infectious Disease by Bridges et al. (185, 1005–1010, 2002) showed that although the incidence of human H5N1 infection might be higher than previously thought, the mortality rate might be much lower. Up to 10% of 1,525 asymptomatic poultry workers had antibodies to the H5N1 virus. Most of these human cases are thought to have developed after contact with infected animals. Documented reports suggest that H5N1 can infect many bird species and mammals, in addition to humans. Although more serological studies in affected areas are needed, the 2002 study suggests the virus can infect humans without producing the extreme mortality commonly associated with the H5N1 strain. Yet the fear remains that mutation or reassortment of viral genomic segments with those of other endemic strains of influenza might result in a highly virulent human virus.
The WHO, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization have established extensive surveillance and reporting programs for H5N1 influenza. The year 2005 witnessed an explosion of H5N1 outbreaks in poultry and migrating wild bird populations in Asia, spreading to Russia and eastern Europe. That dissemination occurred despite massive vaccine inoculation programs for poultry initiated by local governments in Asia and culling of infected bird flocks elsewhere. Although not yet reported, experts have expressed concern over the appearance of H5N1 in Africa, where surveillance and control measures are subject to regional conflicts, thereby heightening the risk that a highly transmissible human form of H5N1 virus might evolve. Thus, a race against time is now on to develop and generate effective human vaccines to prevent H5N1 infection and to produce sufficient amounts of antiviral drugs that might lessen disease severity. Therapies aimed at controlling innate immune responses should also be pursued, given the clinical evidence that H5N1 elicits ‘cytokine storms’ that can contribute to disease pathogenesis.
Is all the news dire? No. In fact, the present threat of pandemic influenza has spurred several encouraging steps. There seems to be greater accountability in disease surveillance by local health authorities, who supply critical field samples to international agencies that constitute the WHO Influenza Surveillance Network. The WHO has established several laboratories dedicated to analyzing new isolates of influenza virus, thereby providing much-needed standardized epidemiological information on viral samples obtained from geographically separate regions and monitoring how the virus is evolving from earlier isolates. Should a pandemic strain of human influenza arise, these laboratories can quickly identify the relevant ‘genomic fingerprint’ and advise vaccine manufacturers.
Another welcome consequence of the focus on avian influenza has been a resurgence of interest in vaccine manufacturing. Because which H5N1 influenza isolate will have the ‘right’ combination of mutations that allows it to spread quickly throughout human populations cannot be predicted in advance, vaccine manufacturers need to develop new means for rapid production of effective vaccines. At present, methods for the production of influenza vaccines require billions of chicken eggs, a resource that might be unavailable given the lethality of the virus in avian species. The use of reverse genetics in vaccine design as well as mass production using vaccine-certified cell lines hold the promise of streamlining production schedules and reducing potential bottlenecks based on the availability of eggs. The WHO and the US National Institutes of Health have several recombinant H5N1 prototype vaccine strains derived by reverse genetics from viral isolates from southeast Asia. Both agencies have provided these clones to licensed manufacturers for the development and testing of vaccines, some of which have already entered clinical trials. Governmental licensing agencies need to expedite their review process for vaccines produced by cell-based manufacturing methods. Sufficient incentives or collaborative partnerships must be extended to vaccine manufacturers to retool their production facilities so they can meet the global demand for viral vaccines.
Yet planning for the possibility of a future pandemic must also be done on the local level. As witnessed by the SARS outbreak in 2003, substantial economic consequences can result from the mere threat of a highly transmissible disease. It is imperative that local governments, businesses and other institutions develop and test contingency plans that can be deployed in their communities should a pandemic strain arise. Such contingency plans should be independent of vaccination programs (vaccination with the present viral formulations should be encouraged) or antiviral prophylaxis for exposed people, as no guarantee can be made that sufficient supplies of such agents would be available. These plans should include infection-control measures, identification of essential personnel and possible alternative work procedures (such as telecommuting), and a means of communication to rapidly disseminate critical information. All community members should be educated on the specifics of their plan and what to do in the event of such a health emergency. Such planning might avoid future revisionists from proclaiming 2006 as the year of bird flu. Source
The virus continued to kill chickens and to occasionally infect and sometimes kill people. But as the years passed, the number of human H5N1 cases subsided. There has not been a single H5N1 human infection detected since February 2017. This is the good news
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.
Contact us at 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD, (604) 585-9279 or visit our website at www.pigeonpatrol.ca
Pigeon / Pigeon Patrol / Pigeons Roosting / Vancouver Pigeon Patrol / Bird Control / Surrey Pigeon Control / Pest / Vancouver Pigeon Blog / Birds Inside Home / Pigeons in the cities / Ice Pigeons
Did you know Pigeons had a part in many religions? Keep on reading to find out more!
Pigeons In Religions
Pigeons in Judaism and Christianity
The dove features strongly in both the Old Testament and the New Testament, and references to frequent sacrifices exist in both. There are a number of references to the sacrifice of doves in the Talmud, a series of Jewish texts compiled between AD 250-500. Although the texts were compiled in AD 250-500, they are thought to relate to much earlier periods. The texts not only describe the sacrifices but also how the sacrificial birds should be reared and the correct ways of killing them. The dove is better known for its part in the Old Testament story of the Great Flood, however, when one returned to Noah with an olive branch. As a result, the dove has always been linked with peace and good news and is still released at the start of the Olympic Games today for this reason.
Pigeons and the Romans
Roman Mosaic
3rd Century AD
Pigeons in religions. The Romans had a great affinity with the pigeon and although they sacrificed the dove to the goddess Venus, and therefore revered the bird, they also bred different varieties and used the pigeon widely as a messenger. Historian and philosopher Caius Pliny, writing in the 1st century AD, says: “Many people have quite a mania for pigeons, building turrets for them on house roofs and tracing the pedigrees of single birds…”. The pigeon is commonly depicted throughout the Roman period but never in more detail than the superb Dove Mosaic discovered during the 18th century at Emperor Hadrian’s Villa. Another detailed mosaic, dating from 200 BC, shows a priest beside a shrine with an adjoining dovecote. The dovecote is detailed with pigeons on the roof and flying above it. This mosaic further confirms the connection between worship and the breeding of pigeons.
Pigeons and Islam
Prophet Mohammed
Depicted with Dove
Islam has had strong associations with the pigeon throughout history and that association continues today with large flocks being found in the holy city of Mecca, where breeding sites are provided for the birds and where pilgrims to Mecca purchase grain to feed them.
Pigeons Waiting Outside
21st Century Mosque
to be Fed
At the shrine of Mohammed in Medina (western Saudi Arabia) the thousands of pigeons that gather there are commonly referred to as the ‘Prophet’s birds’.
Pigeon racing and fancying is still a popular sport in the Muslim world and the breed of pigeon known as the ‘Arabian Laughter’ is believed to have been introduced by Mohammed and is still bred today.
Pigeons and Hinduism
The Hindu religion has also revered the dove throughout history, with the bird being mentioned as far back as 1500-1200 BC in the Rig Veda, an ancient hymn dedicated to the Aryan Deities. There are countless illustrations of the pigeon throughout Hindu history, depicted with various deities. The pigeon is still revered today, with huge flocks of pigeons being fed on a daily basis in temples throughout India, in many towns and cities in the UK and many other European cities. Source
Pigeons and Sikhism
The Sikh religion, founded in the 16th century, considers the dove to be a symbol of peace, harmony and goodwill. Sikhs believe that God’s light is in all creatures including pigeons and other birds. As with the Hindu religion, Sikhs feed pigeons around temples in India and throughout the UK and many European cities today.
The feral pigeon that is directly descended from the domesticated rock dove is now perceived as being a pest and a nuisance in towns and cities throughout the world, and yet the bird is still revered in the 21st century. Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs continue to revere the pigeon and the huge flocks of pigeons that can be seen in and around temples and places of worship confirm this. In towns and cities throughout the UK the continued growth of multi-racial groups has ensured that the feral pigeon is, to some small degree, still a symbol of peace and harmony.
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.
Contact us at 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD, (604) 585-9279 or visit our website at www.pigeonpatrol.ca
Pigeon / Pigeon Patrol / Pigeons Roosting / Vancouver Pigeon Patrol / Bird Control / Surrey Pigeon Control / Pest / Vancouver Pigeon Blog / Birds Inside Home / Pigeons in the cities / Ice Pigeons/ Pigeons In Religions
Ever wondered why pigeons fly in circles? Keep on reading to find out why!
Why Pigeons Fly In Circles
Pigeons fly in circles to better navigate. These birds have a great sense of smell which they use to navigate. They fly in circles to locate the smell that reminds them of home. They could also be flying in a thermal, these help them look for food and conserve energy when flying.
Pigeons can be weird sometimes. The fact that these birds live close to humans, gives us the privilege to study and learn about their many animal behaviours.
You may have seen a flock of pigeons fly in circles and wonder what’s going on. Well, you are not alone. A lot of humans with an interest in birds have also been baffled by this.
The good news is, thanks to countless scientific research and studies, the reason for this bird phenomenon has been cracked.
This article carefully explains why pigeons and a few other birds fly in circles. We hope it answers your questions.
Pigeons fly in circles to find their way around. These birds are gifted with a strong and acute sense of smell. We humans use our eyes to find our way home, pigeons use their sense of smell to locate their destination.
Flying in circles allows pigeons to sense the earth’s magnetic field and smell the many odours in the air. They do this until they find the smell native to their home.
Another possible reason why pigeons fly in circles is to discourage raptors from preying on them. Pigeons live in the same environment as crows and peregrine hawks, and they sometimes fall prey to these birds.
When a flock of pigeon senses danger from one of these birds, they are likely to leave their area of rest and fly in circles till the threat passes.
Without their sense of smell, these birds would literally be lost. But pigeons aren’t the only birds that fly in circles, many birds fly in circles for various reasons.
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.
Contact us at 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD, (604) 585-9279 or visit our website at www.pigeonpatrol.ca
Pigeon / Pigeon Patrol / Pigeons Roosting / Vancouver Pigeon Patrol / Bird Control / Surrey Pigeon Control / Pest / Vancouver Pigeon Blog / Birds Inside Home / Pigeons in the cities / Ice Pigeons
Are you ready to see our top 5 picks for the coolest looking pigeons? Keep on scrolling! Last blog we talked about the Ice Pigeon, if you thought that looked cool, wait until you see what coming up on this blog!
For centuries, pigeon fanciers have used careful selection to create some of the most jaw-dropping pigeon breeds you’ll ever see. They look like they came straight out of the imaginations of artists, yet here they are, in all their unusually feathered glory.
Coolest Looking Pigeons
1. Frillback Pigeon
This breed is descended from rock pigeons, and through selective breeding has come to sport curls on the wing shield feathers, giving it an extra fancy appearance. While the frills look fun, judging these birds in competition is serious business, with points awarded based on color, the shape of its head, the shape of its body, the curl of its feathers and other criteria.
2. Barb Pigeon
The barb pigeon has been around for a while, dating as far back as the 1600s in England. Most notable about this pigeon is the wattling around the eyes and beak, which can take up to two years to fully develop into the fleshy flower-like ring around the eye.
3. English Trumpeter Pigeon
This is one of the most popular breeds in the United States among pigeon fanciers, and is considered one of the most ornamental. That’s reasonable, considering its coloring, its fancy feathers around its head, and of course the multiple layers of very long feathers on its feet.
4. Brunner Pouter Pigeon
Pouter pigeons look much as if they walk with their chests held high … very, very high. This is actually the “globe,” or the inflated crop, and according to fanciers, “should be round on the Brunner giving nearly the appearance of a ball on a stick.” In case you weren’t sure about the shape, “The globe must, I repeat must be ROUND AS A BALL. Not pear shaped, not oblong but ROUND AS A BALL.” So, round as a ball. On a stick.
5. English Pouter Pigeon
The English pouter is a big larger than the Brunner, standing around 16 inches tall to the Brunner’s 13 inches. There’s an emphasis on the length of the bird, with nice long legs and a long slender body desired by breeders. What is interesting about the English pouter as well as other pouter breeds is their personalities — they are noted for being very friendly. Source
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.
Contact us at 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD, (604) 585-9279 or visit our website at www.pigeonpatrol.ca
Pigeon / Pigeon Patrol / Pigeons Roosting / Vancouver Pigeon Patrol / Bird Control / Surrey Pigeon Control / Pest / Vancouver Pigeon Blog / Birds Inside Home / Pigeons in the cities / Ice Pigeons
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Widcombe Manor Farm Dovecote
Ancient Dovecote at Embleton
Much Marcle Dovecote
Breeding Cubicles,
Cross-section of
Dovecote at Godminster
Dovecote at Weetwood Hall
Dovecote at Kings Pyon
Bailiffscourt Dovecote
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It is a fairly tame species with it’s widespread mostly found in North America. They are very pretty species with a splash of colors. Summer chipping sparrows are black with a bright rust crown while winter chipping sparrows are brown with dark upperparts. There is two subspecies Eastern and Western chipping sparrow. It is partial migrant flying towards South during winters and again towards North during spring. They sing loud, trilling songs most commonly in spring. Chipping sparrows may appear similar to American or Field sparrows, but you can identify them with a gray rump as it flies. They build their nest in a shrub or a tree, their nests, are flimsily constructed that light can easily pass through them. They feed on seeds of almost all varieties and protein-rich insects. 
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Roman Mosaic
Prophet Mohammed
Pigeons Waiting Outside
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