by Pigeon Patrol | Feb 26, 2020 | 4-S Gel Bird repellent, Animal Deterrent Products, Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Bird Spike, Bird Spikes, Pigeon Control, Pigeon Droppings, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons in the News, UltraSonic Bird Control
A new virus has been isolated from the tissues of pigeons with visceral lesions that were characterized by focal necrosis of parenchymatous tissue, by the presence in affected cells of
intranuclear inclusions of the herpetic type, and by secondary inflammatory reaction. This newly recognized virus, which has been tentatively called the I.N.I. agent is pathogenic for pigeons and embryonated eggs but is avirulent for rabbits, guinea pigs, and mice. The virus is smaller than the agent of psittacosis and is immunologically different from it. The I.N.I. agent and psittacosis virus were both of etiological importance in an epizootic among pigeons. Some birds were infected simultaneously with the two agents while others were infected with only one.
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by Pigeon Patrol | Feb 26, 2020 | Animal Deterrent Products, Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Control, Pigeon Droppings, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons in the News, UltraSonic Bird Control
I saw a fat pigeon the other day. There it was, doddering about on a Bowery doorstep, looking all smug and content. The fat pigeon had a fat pigeon ass and a fat pigeon belly that spanned the width of two normal birds, and I tried to imagine how the fat pigeon got to be so big. I pictured the fat pigeon tearing into a Big Mac, tufts of all-beef patty and sesame bun flying into the air with every peck, until the fat pigeon’s face was smeared with special sauce. I imagined the fat pigeon annihilating a holster of spilled French fries, and to be honest the thought of it got me pissed. Fries are for people, not pigeons. I stared at the fat pigeon long and hard, and the fat pigeon stared at me.
I’m not the only one who’s been seeing fat pigeons. In 2007, fat pigeons swarmed into Liverpool, England, pecking and pooping and plodding about, and so upset the locals that the City Council brought in 10 robotic peregrine falcons to scare off the zaftig varmints. A high-fat, garbage-based junk food diet had given the pigeons “a scruffy, unhealthy appearance,” explained one city official. Everyone agreed the fat pigeons had to go.
Of course, fat pigeons may be only the beginning. If one embarks on a tour of animal corpulence, spiraling out from captivity to the wild, a seemingly growing army of rotund beasts rounds into view. At home the fat animals are well known: They are fat husbands and fat children, fat dogs, fat cats, and fat pet macaws. Zoos and aquariums keep their own set of fat creatures in captivity. In 2008, for example, the dolphins at Japan’s Kinosaki Marine World grew too plump to jump, and were placed on a reduced-mackerel diet. A similar difficulty arose in a Shanghai aquarium when the sharks got so tubby that keepers gave them fish stuffed with cabbage to help them slim down.
Out in the country, some free-range fatties have sauntered onto the scene. Horse obesity is a growing concern on farms. In Arizona, wild burros have ballooned into genuine fat asses thanks to carrot-proffering tourists. The Lake Tahoe area’s garbage-eating black bears are unusually paunchy. And then there are the rats. Are the rats fat? One scientific study in 2010 found that feral rats collected near Baltimore had grown heavier over time. According to conventional wisdom, “wild” animals do not get fat. But is that truism breaking down for the commensal animals—like pizza-scarfing squirrels—that live in and around our fat- and sugar-laden “toxic” food environment? Has the obesity epidemic escaped from captivity? Is the Age of Fat Pigeons nigh?
Obesity researcher David Allison was on the team that identified the chunky urban rats. He and his colleagues also found signs of weight gain among captive populations of macaques, chimpanzees, vervets, marmosets, dogs, cats, and mice. For their study of vermin in the field, they reanalyzed weight data from rats captured in Baltimore alleyways as well as from rural rats trapped on parklands and farms between 1948 and 2006. The city rats had porked up more than the country rats, but both groups had probably needed to widen their burrows. I interviewed other rat experts who agreed that city rats tend to be huskier than their wild siblings, which subsist on bugs, slugs, acorns, and one another instead of half-eaten bagels and chicken wings. (Laboratory rats, with no room to exercise and all-you-can-eat feeding schedules, are bigger still.)
Allison says he doesn’t know why Baltimore’s rats have grown so large. (He doesn’t know for sure they have gotten fatter, as opposed to bigger overall, since his study only looked at weight.) It could be the result of the well-documented increase in food garbage, the selective killing of small rats by predators such as cats, changes in light exposure, improvements in rat health (perhaps facilitated by the food supply), or some environmental toxin that is disrupting the rats’ hormonal systems. Increasing temperatures might be another cause of rodent corpulence. A rat that spends less time shivering in the cold expends less energy. Scientists in Colorado report that shorter winters have given yellow-bellied marmots more time to forage and fill up their yellow bellies. (Climate change can work in the other direction, too: Sheep in the Scottish isles are thought to be getting smaller in the heat.) What about pigeons? Did Allison think the Age of Fat Pigeons was upon us? “[I]t would not at all surprise me if pigeons are more obese or fat than they used to be,” he said.
Different animals respond to calorie surpluses in different ways. Some species experience what biologists call “indeterminate growth” until late in their lives: As the animal takes in more food, it just gets bigger and bigger rather than storing excess calories as fat. Indeterminate growth is common among invertebrates such as earthworms and silverfish, but some mammals do it, too. A study from last year on crop-raiding African elephants showed that the well-nourished bulls got taller and longer and stronger and heavier than their pachyderm peers. All that extra food turned into pure tusker beefcake.
Humans, of course, stop growing in adulthood, so excess calories are converted to love handles under the right conditions. Baboons are the same way. Duke biologist Susan Alberts studied a group that lived near a tourist lodge in Kenya, and got most of its food by plundering a garbage dump instead of wandering the African plains. Not only did some of the animals get flabby as a result, she says, but they got dental cavities, too, and developed the sorts of insulin and cholesterol problems you’d see in a human case of metabolic syndrome. The scientists determined that the baboons weren’t getting sick from excess food—they took in the same number of calories as their wild-roaming brethren, despite a diet of discarded cake and pineapples—but rather they suffered from a lack of exercise. They did start having tons of healthy babies, though; increased fertility is the typical biological response to a surplus of food. The fat baboons are no longer being closely monitored, because the area where they hang out is patrolled by too many cantankerous wild buffaloes.
What did Alberts have to say about my fat pigeon? Did she think the global population of fat animals had reached an all-time high? She wasn’t sure. “If you went back to Egypt 5,000 years ago where they had lots of grain stored in granaries you can bet they had fat cats and fat mice and fat dogs.” But, she noted, “[W]herever there is excess human food, and humans have commensals, those commensals are going to be able to get fat.”
It might seem that birds shouldn’t get fat because they have to fly, but that is not the case. Many migratory birds get supremely blubbery in the days leading up to their big trip—some to 70 percent body fat. Adipose tissue weighs less than muscle, but it carries more energy, making it an essential resource for a long-distance flight. Pigeons don’t migrate, though, and despite their seasonal weight gain, birds tend not to be among the world’s top fatties. Research by the British zoologist Caroline Pond, author of The Fats of Life, suggests that human beings are among the bigger lard-asses in the animal kingdom, neck in neck with notable porkers like the hedgehog, the polar bear and the great whales, the fattest of God’s creatures. (The whole point of whaling was to get at their lipids.) In general carnivores tend to be more prone to growing chubby, as fatness is an adaptation to an unpredictable food supply.
Pond may be the world’s leading scholar of fat animals. Beginning in the early 1980s, she began riding her bike around the woodlands near her U.K. home at night collecting all the road kill she could carry: hedgehogs, badgers, foxes, whatever turned up stiff. Zookeepers and farmers gave her corpses, too—camels, monkeys, brown bears, whales—and soon she had dissected more than 250 mammals. Her interest was the comparative distribution of adipose tissue, a topic most life scientists at the time were too dignified to tackle. In mammals fat depots surround most organs, but textbooks often showed them with the fat removed, as if it were not part of the biological picture. What did Pond think about my fat-pigeon investigation? How was she preparing for the Age of Fat Pigeons? Well, she didn’t really think pigeons got fat.
Pigeon experts agree. Courtney Humphries, author of the book Superdove: How the Pigeon Took Manhattan … and the World, said she hadn’t heard of a pigeon obesity epidemic. Daniel Sol, a pigeon researcher in Spain, brought my fat pigeon flight of fancy crashing to Earth in an email: “Even in captivity, where food is not limiting, feral pigeons do not tend to get fat.” He said Montreal pigeons are bigger than Barcelona pigeons, even though Montreal pigeons have less food. He guessed the difference was due to the Canadian cold. Karen Purcell with Cornell’s Project PigeonWatch suggested the fat pigeon I saw might have been fluffing out its feathers because it was chilly. Urban bird expert John Marzluff wondered if the fat pigeon I saw might have been a dominant male—a big stud. He did allow that my vision of the fat pigeon eating a Big Mac was not crazy, based on his work in crows. “Oh, they love Big Macs, French fries and Cheetos and hot dogs. Corn dogs are especially a favorite.” But urban birds don’t seem to get fat. Too many hawks and other birds to worry about. As the animal philosopher Rikki-Tikki-Tavi once observed, “a full meal makes a slow mongoose.”
So my fat pigeon was a phantom. The obesity epidemic had not escaped captivity—it had colonized my mind. And if I ever see that pigeon again, I know what I will say: It was wrong of me to call you fat.
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Outbreak of Trichomoniasis in a wood pigeons wintering roost
An outbreak of wood pigeons (Columba palumbus) winter each year in southwestern Spain and Portugal, where they feed on acorns.
Although mortality in these wintering roosts is generally low, in winter and spring 2001 approximately 2,600 woodpigeons died from trichomoniasis.
Diagnosis of the disease was based on postmortem examination, culture and identification of the parasite, Trichomonas gallinae, by PCR. Other viral, bacterial or fungal pathogens were ruled out as cause for the die-off. The gathering of the woodpigeons at game bird feeders set up for red-legged partridges may have contributed to the outbreak.
Mortality ceased after treatment with dimetridazole via the game bird feeders. Supplementary feeding of game birds constitutes a risk factor for the appearance of disease outbreaks.
Close monitoring of infectious diseases in these populations is important, but treatment of free-living birds should be avoided in favour of other measures, as it poses risks.
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by Pigeon Patrol | Feb 26, 2020 | 4-S Gel Bird repellent, Animal Deterrent Products, Bird Spike, Pigeon Control, Pigeon Droppings, Pigeons in the News, UltraSonic Bird Control
Zombie pigeon epidemic sparks fears of transmission to humans
An “epidemic” of pigeon deaths in Moscow has sparked speculation that birds were succumbing to a virus dangerous to human beings. People who came across sick birds paying no attention to cars or passersby described them as “zombie pigeons.”
On Wednesday the Federal Veterinary and Phytosanitary Inspection Service reported that the birds’ abnormal behavior was caused by the so-called “Newcastle disease,” which can spread to humans.
Moscow’s Veterinary Committee said the mass death of pigeons in the capital was due to salmonellа poisoning, an intestinal infection spread among animals and humans. Veterinary specialists detected lesions on the gastrointestinal tracts and livers of the dead birds caused by salmonella, not Newcastle disease, Interfax reported.
Autopsies of dead birds showed that they had all suffered from a common intestinal infection that is not dangerous to humans, said Moscow’s deputy mayor for social issues, Leonid Pechatnikov. Neither the bird flu, dangerous to humans, nor fowl plague or any other diseases threatening people have been found, he said.
Gennady Onishchenko, Russia’s chief sanitary inspector, said that while the word “pigeon epidemic” was often used in the press, he doubted it could described as one. However, he warned that parents should take care if their children could come into contact with sick birds.
“We are especially worried about children’s playgrounds… And if a dead bird is found on the balcony, it must be washed with disinfectant. Doing this, one must be wearing rubber gloves,” Onishchenko said.
Although the birds’ salmonella is not harmful to humans, direct contact with the sick birds should be avoided, veterinarians said.
“The disease poses no risk for humans, provided standard precautions of personal hygiene are observed and direct contact with sick birds is avoided. Activators of avian influenza and psittacosis (an infection that can be transmitted to humans) have not been identified,” the committee said.
Salmonella infections in humans usually resolve in 5-7 days, but a small number of persons with Salmonella develop pain in their joints, irritation of the eyes and painful urination. The so-called Reiter’s syndrome can last for months or years, and can lead to chronic arthritis.
Newcastle disease, which is transmissible to humans, can cause mild conjunctivitis and influenza-like symptoms.
Ornithologists say that the so-called “epidemic” occurs every year, and not only in Moscow. “Most often, it begins in August. This is due to the fact that the breeding season is over, young birds come out with reduced immunity, and they are more susceptible to all infectious diseases,” ornithologist Natalia Anisimova told Russia’s TV Dozhd (Rain).
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by Pigeon Patrol | Feb 16, 2020 | Animal Deterrent Products, Bird Spike, Pigeon Control, Pigeon Droppings, Pigeon Spikes, UltraSonic Bird Control
Controlling Pigeon Nuisance
The common pigeon (Columba livia) that thrives throughout Missouri and most other states was developed from the European rock dove and introduced into this country as a domesticated bird. When these birds escaped captivity, they formed feral populations. Today, the pigeon is a nuisance and probably the most serious bird pest associated with human habitations.
Pigeons are commonly found around farmyards, grain elevators, feed mills, parks, city buildings, bridges and other areas that provide roosting, loafing and nesting sites. They are also a common sight around home bird feeders.
Problems caused by pigeons
Nuisance pigeon droppings on park benches, cars and buildings are not only unsightly and smelly but also corrosive, particularly to buildings. Large amounts of droppings also can kill vegetation.
Around farms, grain elevators and feed mills, pigeons consume and contaminate large quantities of grain.
Pigeons have been implicated in the transmission of diseases such as pigeon ornithosis, encephalitis and salmonella food poisoning. However, the actual incidence of transmission of diseases from pigeons to people is difficult to assess. Disease outbreaks that are directly attributed to pigeon flocks are rare.
Pigeon manure, if allowed to accumulate for several years, can harbor the causal agent of histoplasmosis, a systemic fungus disease that affects the human respiratory tract. In severe cases, histoplasmosis can be fatal. The external parasites of pigeons include various species of mites, fleas, ticks and bugs.
In addition to being a threat to human health, pigeons can be a threat to human safety, particularly around airports, where pigeon flocks have collided with aircraft, causing human fatalities.
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by Pigeon Patrol | Feb 16, 2020 | Animal Deterrent Products, Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Bird Spike, Pigeon Control, Pigeon Droppings, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes
Pigeon allergy: A pigeon allergy is an adverse reaction by the body’s immune system to pigeons. The allergy is usually associated with the skin, feathers or excrement of the pigeon. The body’s immune system produces immunoglobulin E (IgE – an antibody) and histamine in response to contact with the allergen. The specific symptoms that can result can vary considerably amongst patients e.g. skin and respiratory symptoms
- Avoid contact with the allergen, antihistamines, bronchodilators for asthmatic symptoms
- Animal allergy is best treated by prevention of exposure to sensitising agents. Where this is not possible, treatment of allergy is dependant upon the type of allergic symptom, the body system affected, and the severity of the reaction
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by Pigeon Patrol | Feb 16, 2020 | Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Bird Spike, Pigeon Control, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons in the News
The dossier spills over into two drawers of files full of hand-scribbled notes, maps marked with sharp black dots – and snapshots of a shadowy lady figure, scattering pigeon seed.
This is Laura Dodson’s nemesis.
There was a time when Dodson went after the crack dealers in her Hollywood neighborhood with such a vengeance that city officials honored her with a plaque. Now, she has declared war on another urban scourge. For three years, she has enlisted snitches, set up overnight stakeouts, appealed for help from city leaders and the police.
Her quarry? Pigeon lady Susie Kourinian, the furtive form in the photos.
Kourinian is no ordinary bird lover. She earns her seed money as a seamstress to the stars; she appeared in InStyle magazine tweaking Cate Blanchett’s hem and is said to keep actresses such as Megan Mullally in finery.
That glittery occupation gives Kourinian the wherewithal to make a lot of pigeons happy. Kourinian once told police she spends $65,000 a year on bird feed – enough to dump 500 pounds of birdseed every day, a lifeline for the more than 5,000 pigeons who now populate the two square miles of this neighborhood northwest of downtown Los Angeles.
Kourinian is reputedly so crafty that within moments, she can pop the trunk of her black sport utility vehicle, scatter 75 pounds of pigeon feed and disappear into the night.
She has been doing this for a decade, police say, but neither they nor Dodson’s small band of pigeon patrollers – dubbed “Citizen Pigeon” – have been able to stop her.
“When you realize how many hours and manpower it takes to catch the pigeon lady … ,” Dodson said. “She’s got the perfect crime because who else would have the resources to do this?”
Across the nation, a virtual war on pigeons has been waged in many ways: poisonings, electric wires, robotic falcons and even bird relocations to pigeon farms. In some places the mere mention of feeding bans has raised the ire of legions of pigeon fanciers who ridicule efforts to levy fines for tossing birds a handful of bread crumbs.
But pigeons will reproduce based on the amount of food available. In Hollywood, they have.
Stephanie Boyles, a wildlife biologist with the Humane Society who has developed pigeon control programs around the country, said she’s never seen anything like it. To get a sense of how bad the problem was, she once scattered some bread in a Hollywood parking lot.
Within moments, the bread was gone and thousands of eyes were upon her. An eerie cooing suggested they wanted more.
“I’ve traveled in Europe, I’ve been to New York City many, many times, Washington D.C. and Chicago … places that claim to have pigeon problems. They do, but compared to Hollywood, it’s not even a fair comparison,” Boyles said.
Critics maintain that pigeons do millions of dollars in damage a year nationwide. Their guano is caustic, and has been blamed for all sorts of problems, from poor water quality in Pismo Beach to the collapse of the Minneapolis bridge.
In Hollywood, critics say, the pigeons conflict with a beautification program aimed at reviving the famed neighborhood, for years blighted by dingy sex shops along the Hollywood Walk of Fame. When officials took down the marquee of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre to refurbish the building, pigeon guano had completely corroded the metal.
Legions of pigeons sit waiting for food on rooftops, under freeways and telephone lines, prompting business owners to put up canopies and umbrellas to protect customers.
“If I were to feed 5,000 cats a day, you know how many cats we’d see a year from now?” said Thaddeus Smith, who once used a jackhammer to get guano off the roof of his Music Box nightclub. “When we walk to lunch we see bird seed everywhere and thousands of pigeons sitting on wires saying `hmmm.”‘
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by Pigeon Patrol | Feb 16, 2020 | Bird Netting, Pigeon Control, Pigeon Droppings, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons in the News
Rat with wings in Dubai: Pigeons have become a nuisance in the city, leaving many residents exasperated.
These birds which have been breeding uncontrollably are messing up property with their droppings.
Building owners are having to hire pest-control firms to ward off these fast-breeding birds, they are like rat with wings.
Dr Elmahi El Tilib Gubran, pest control studies officer at Dubai Municipality’s Public Health Department, while describing pigeons as a “serious” problem, said it’s hard to put a figure to their numbers in Dubai, where it is illegal to cull pigeons.
Serious problems
“They cause serious problems on structures and are a real nuisance to get rid of,” said Dr Gubran, who added that the municipality traps them and gives them to a falcon hospital as feed.
With a plentiful supply of food, water and nesting perches, the city’s pigeon population has exploded in recent years. The problem prevails across the emirate, right from the residential districts of Karama, Bur Dubai and Deira, to the five-star hotels and industrial buildings in Jebel Ali and Jumeirah.
To deal with the problem, pest-control films have introduced a number of measures – from installing anti-roosting spikes on building tops, to the use of PVC (poly-vinyl chloride) netting and flying falcons to scare them away.
Pigeon droppings have been known to carry disease causing germs (see box on left). The droppings are acidic and can eat away at tar-based roofing, damage machinery, air conditioning systems and car paint work.
XPRESS went out with a team from Trap Pest Control, which uses nets and spikes for clients in the industrial areas of Jebel Ali as well as palaces.
Amin Jarrar, who runs the company, said: “We get calls from companies all the time asking to use our service. We don’t kill the pigeons because that is illegal, so all we do is move them on.”
One reason pigeons are widespread in places like Deira, Bur Dubai and Karama is that landlords are unwilling to invest in preventive measures, he said. “In Dubai, many tenants as well as property owners are coming and going all the time, so to invest in something like this is not appealing for them.”
Netting costs Dh75 per square metre and a metre of spikes costs Dh75. With spikes, the protruding pins make it impossible for pigeons to land, encouraging them to go elsewhere without them getting hurt.
Other pest-control companies treat problem areas with anti-pigeon spray that wards off the birds without harming them or other animals for up to a year after treatment.
While fake hawks and falcons are used in some UK cities to scare off pigeons, a Dubai company is using real falcons to do the job.
Al Hurr Falconry, based in Nad Al Sheba, uses 21 peregrine falcons – of which 14 constantly patrol the air in places like Jumeirah, while seven are used for breeding.
Battle in the air
David Stead, managing director of Al Hurr, describes the “battle” with pigeons as a “war of attrition”. Since his company was set up seven years ago, business has never been busier. “We get calls from people running five-star hotels to deal with pigeon droppings on their property,” said Stead.
“Pigeons are also one of the fastest birds in the air, and one of the few birds of prey that can catch them are falcons,” he said. “When pigeons see falcons, they go ballistic and scatter all over the place as they think they are going to be eaten. I’ve seen them almost fall to the ground in a desperate attempt to pick up speed and escape.”
Peregrine falcons can catch birds in the air and urban peregrines eat a lot of pigeons. Stead’s peregrine falcons, however, are trained to hover in the air for around a few minutes before returning to their handlers.
For their work to have a lasting effect, Stead and his team maintain a presence at the client’s buildings up to five days a week.
“It’s not a case of flying once and then leaving it,” he explained. “You have got to maintain an almost permanent presence around the building. You’ve got to make the pigeons think that the falcon lives in the area. That is the only way to get them to go away. ”
“Other countries have tried things like shooting the pigeons with air guns, but they alway return,” said Stead.
Methods to deal with them
- Draping a PVC net across overhanging areas to prevent the birds from flying to a specific location.
- Installing spikes on ledges or positions of walls and buildings to prevent pigeons from having a comfortable spot to rest on.
- Setting up brown coloured balls on a piece of string to fool the pigeons into thinking it is a falcon. (no photo)
How other nations dealt with the issue:
Switzerland:
Had experimented with a pigeon contraceptive pill, but it was found to be ineffective in trials
and often was also eaten by fertile birds from other species, making it difficult to specifically target pigeons.
United Kingdom:
Although pigeons are tolerated at Trafalgar Square, in London, as a tourist attraction elsewhere companies have hired snipers to shoot the birds off buildings with airguns. Specially licensed pest controllers can also use narcotic-laced drugs to “knock out” the birds before the pigeon’s necks are dislocated.
United States:
Use of plastic models of birds of prey is popular but the effect of scaring off pigeons has been found to work only for a short period of time.
Birds of a feather
- Pigeons are scared of peregrine falcons, who primarily eat birds they catch in the air.
- Between the 16th and 18th centuries pigeon droppings were a highly prized fertiliser and considered far more potent than farmyard manure – so guards had to be stationed near pigeon houses to stop thieves from stealing it. In 16th century England, it was the only known source of saltpetre, an ingredient of gunpowder. In Iran pigeon houses were set up and used simply as a source of fertiliser for melon crops and in France and Italy it was used to fertilise vineyards and hemp crops.
- Pigeons are gregarious and tend to be found in flocks of around twenty to thirty birds. Seeds and grains make up their diet.
- A pigeon nest is usually constructed with small twigs and located on covered building ledges, well-hidden from view. The male brings the nesting material to his mate, one piece at a time.
- Pigeons reproduce throughout the year and can raise four or five broods annually.
- Pigeons can hear sounds at much lower frequencies than humans, such as distant thunderstorms and even far-away volcanoes, which may explain why pigeons sometimes fly away for no apparent reason.
- Pigeons can fly up to 40 or 50 miles per hour and may travel as far as 600 miles a day. They can detect the Earth’s magnetic fields, which, along with the ability to tell direction by sun, seems to help them find their way home.
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How to get rid of pigeons?
How to get rid of pigeons? The Council has no policy to control or cull birds within the area.
It is generally acknowledged that reducing the population by culling can only have a short-term effect, and populations soon recover.
Food is the most important factor determining the size of any pigeon population, and the best known, long-term solution to pigeon problems is to restrict its availability.
Numbers can also be reduced by restricting roosting and nesting spaces. Replacing broken roof tiles and closing open/broken windows will stop pigeons gaining access to buildings. Specialist contractors use fine mist nets and small spikes placed on windows to discourage pigeons from roosting on buildings.
Specialist contractors can be employed to carry out appropriate action. Darlington Borough Council does not provide this service or any financial assistance to carry out the work.
What the law says about pigeons
Most birds and their nests are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
The Act allows for the control of certain birds, including feral pigeons, by authorised persons using specified methods to prevent serious damage to agriculture, to preserve public health / air safety, or to conserve other wild birds.
The use of spring traps, poisons, certain types of nets, gassing and sticky substances that may entangle a bird are illegal. Approved methods include trapping or drugging followed by humane destruction and shooting.
It is an offence under the Criminal Damage Act 1971 to intentionally kill a racing pigeon.
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Do pigeons do any harm? – pigeons dropping are not only unsightly but are acidic and in large quantities can cause damage to buildings and machinery. Nesting material, droppings and feathers can also block gutters and air vents.
Public health – pigeons can carry diseases, some of which may do harm to people, for example if droppings contaminate food stuffs. As such their presence cannot be tolerated in and around food premises. They also carry mites which can cause skin disease and dust from their feathers can cause respiratory problems in confined spaces.
Accidents – pigeon droppings and food left down for pigeons can cause walkways and fire escapes on buildings to become slippery and dangerous. Startled flocks can take flight suddenly, causing hazards to motorists and pedestrians.
Other birds – large numbers of pigeons can force smaller birds away from feeding areas. The pigeons also spread disease to other birds, reducing their numbers.
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by Pigeon Patrol | Feb 16, 2020 | Animal Deterrent Products, Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Bird Spike, Pigeon Control, Pigeon Droppings, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons in the News
Why are there so many of pigeons?
Feral pigeons are descended from wild rock doves and their populations have increased, especially in urban areas, in recent years.
Feral pigeons often form large flocks that roost on buildings, ledges and under bridges. They can often be found in loft spaces and empty buildings – anywhere that offers a small amount of shelter. Feral pigeons can breed all year round if food is in good supply and raise between three and six broods of two ‘squabs’ a year. Food is the most important factor determining the size of any pigeon population, and the best known, long term solutions to pigeon problems is to restrict its availability.
What do pigeons eat?
Their preferred diet is grain and seed, but they will scavenge food, take food from bird tables and eat household scraps and discarded takeaway foods.
Pigeons are wild birds capable of finding their own food. In a public area throwing food on to the ground can be considered as littering and will attract rats. Waste human food does not contain the essential vitamins the birds require and can lead to ill health and deformity.
Feeding pigeons in itself is not against the law but it is not necessary. It results in all year breeding that causes overcrowding. If feeding is reduced, their numbers will decline resulting in a smaller healthier flock with less need for drastic control measures.
Please do not feed the pigeons.
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devices on the market today.
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by Pigeon Patrol | Feb 16, 2020 | Animal Deterrent Products, Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Droppings, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes, UltraSonic Bird Control
Pigeons problems have devastating effects on the heating and cooling components and indoor air quality of a commercial facility. Pigeon problems affect employees, maintenance personnel and potentially customers through the HVAC system.
HVAC Systems Make Perfect Pigeon Coups
Unfortunately, rooftop heating and cooling units are a perfect place for pigeons to nest. To seek shelter from the elements, pigeons typically enter air handler units through the fresh air intakes and build their nests within the HVAC unit. A single pair of pigeons can generate up to 18 new pigeons per year. Once a nest is established, pigeons are extremely territorial.
Indoor Air Quality
An HVAC system distributes the air throughout a facility. The bacteria, fungi and parasites that live and grow in pigeon droppings can carry and transmit any of 60 known diseases. Exposure to pigeon feces and other organic matter such as feathers carcasses and nesting material from the HVAC system may pose a considerable health threat to people who come in contact with them or inhale the airborne particles from them. Every precaution should be taken to ensure that building occupants and maintenance personnel are protected from pigeon feces.
Damage to HVAC Systems
As pigeons live in the air handler units they peck through filter material allowing unfiltered air and pigeon contaminants to freely enter the ventilation system. There are numerous damaging problems to an HVAC system from pigeon.
- Filter banks: Pigeons peck though filter banks allowing for unfiltered air and pigeon contaminants to be drawn into HVAC components and supply air ducts.
- Fan Blower: Pigeon debris builds within the fan blades decreasing airflow.
- Air conditioner coils: Pigeon debris compacts within air conditioner coils and clogs the drain pan.
- Insulation: Pigeons peck at insulation to create nesting material allowing for raw fiberglass fibers to enter the airstream.
How Do You Correct Pigeon Problems?
Hire a professional wildlife service or animal control contractor to relocate existing pigeons, and install devices to prevent future intrusions. Have the pigeon debris removed by a professional air duct cleaning contractor. Be sure to have the air duct cleaning contractor inspect the supply air ducts downstream of the HVAC unit.
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by Pigeon Patrol | Feb 16, 2020 | Animal Deterrent Products, Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Spike, Pigeon Control, Pigeon Droppings, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons in the News
Neighbors said they’ve done everything they can think of to get this pigeon problems to stop in their Rhawnhurst neighborhood.
They’ve signed petitions. They’ve helped the City of Philadelphia take the case to court.
And still, every day, to put it bluntly, they’re pooped on by pigeons that flock there daily. That’s why they called the NBC 10 Investigators.
They wait on the wire.
“It’s disgusting,” said neighbor Eleanor Hennessy.
To neighbors, it feels like a nightmare scene right out of the old Alfred Hitchcock movie, “The Birds”,but Pigeon.
One look at the deposits left on an NBC 10 News car gives an idea what all of the screaming is about.
“It’s a crime against us,” said Hennessy’s husband, Francis.
And it has been going on for years.
“We’re out there every day washing our cars. Our dogs are getting pooped on, literally,” Cinque said.
“We couldn’t eat in our yard all summer. Kids next door couldn’t swim in their pool. You can’t hang laundry,” Francis Hennessy said.
“I’m working on a story about the pigeons,” said NBC 10’s Lu Ann Cahn as she approached.
“Oh, look, leave me alone. Go away,” said Karen Partain.
Partain owns the Rhawnhurst row home that has become the pigeon palace on Hartel Avenue.
Her husband, Joe Mutoli, wouldn’t answer the door. City health officials said despite six citations, Mutoli has continued to illegally put out a virtual bird buffet.
A seventh citation was delivered while NBC 10 was there.
Cahn said she was told there’s nothing wrong with a bird feeder. But the city said Mutoli has been told numerous times that he’s not allowed to throw feed on the ground and in a public school yard behind his home.
“His response has been that this is something he can do, and also there has been a lot of confrontation with our officers,” said Tara Derby, of the Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society.
“This is illegal, yes. There’s no way it’s legal. It’s in violation of the animal ordinance,” Derby said.
Experts said the food has caused the pigeon population to explode and the droppings are a health hazard.
“The droppings contain bacteria and viruses,” said William Ferraro, of the Philadelphia Health Department.
“I usually clean right after nap time,” said a local day care operator. “See, they’re circling now.”
The woman said she is constantly cleaning a small playground where the pigeon poop sometimes comes down like rain.
“If I would miss like one or two areas of droppings, of course the kids would find them, they would touch it and put it in their mouths,” said the daycare operator.
If it’s illegal, why can’t the city stop this?
“It’s the million dollar question,” said Eleanor Hennessy.
Neighbors said it’s hard to catch Mutoli throwing pigeon feed and show the city how serious this is.
So, the NBC 10 investigators sat in an undercover van and waited. It’s difficult to see because it was pitch-black outside, but sure enough at 11 p.m. one night, an NBC 10 crew caught Mutoli grab bird feed out of his garage and throw it through the fence of the neighboring schoolyard.
On video, he’s a shadowy figure. But Cahn said she and other crewmembers saw him clearly with their own eyes.
“You’ve continued to spread bird feed on the ground, and you know that’s illegal, right?” Cahn asked Mutoli over the phone.
Mutoli admitted on the phone that he shouldn’t be doing that and said he will stop. He claims he’s trying to move the birds away from his home and slowly wean them off food.
Neighbors said they’ve heard that before, but it never stops.
City officials told Cahn that you can’t throw a guy in prison for feeding pigeons. But as a result of this story and community pressure, NBC 10 has learned Mutoli is being ordered to appear in municipal court next month where he could be fined thousands of dollars.
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by Pigeon Patrol | Feb 16, 2020 | Bird Netting, Bird Spike, Pigeon Control, Pigeon Droppings, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes
Pigeons Carries harmful bacteria. Sampling of pigeons captured on the streets of Madrid has revealed the bacterial pathogens they carry. Researchers writing in BioMed Central’s open access journal Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica found two bugs that were highly prevalent in the bird population, Chlamydophila psittaci and Campylobacter jejuni, both of which cause illness in humans.
Fernando Esperón from the Animal Health Research Center, Madrid, Spain, worked with a team of researchers to analyse blood and enema samples taken from 118 pigeons caught using gun-propelled nets.
He said, “The present study demonstrates the extremely high prevalence of two zoonotic pathogens in feral pigeons in Madrid. At the same time, infection with these pathogens did not appear to be associated with any harmful clinical signs in the birds themselves. This leads to the hypothesis that pigeons act as asymptomatic reservoirs of and Campylobacter jejuni which are harmful bacteria. These birds may therefore pose a public health risk to the human population.”
Chlamydophila psittaci was found in 52.6% of the pigeons captured, while Campylobacter jejuni was present in 69.1%. Although there have been few reports of disease transmission between pigeons and humans, it can occur by aerosols, direct contact or indirect contact through food and water contamination.
According to Esperón, “Thermophilic Campylobacter species are considered the primary pathogens responsible for acute diarrhea in the world. In fact, in many countries such as England and Wales, Canada, Australia and New Zealand Campylobacter jejuni infection causes more cases of acute diarrhea than infection by Salmonella species.”
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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.
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Newcastle Disease
What is Newcastle disease and what causes it? Newcastle disease is a contagious viral disease of birds and considered one of the most important poultry diseases worldwide. The disease can vary from mild to severe. A highly contagious and severe form of the disease, called exotic Newcastle disease (END), is so deadly that many birds die suddenly without showing any signs of disease. What animals get Newcastle disease? Both domestic and wild birds can be affected by Newcastle disease. Chickens are very susceptible to the disease. Turkeys, ducks, geese, as well as parrots, pigeons and wild cormorants can also get END. How can my animal get Newcastle disease? Newcastle disease is spread by direct contact with the droppings or respiratory discharges of infected birds. The virus can live for a long time in the environment and can be spread by objects (fomites), such as shoes, clothing, and equipment, that have become contaminated by infected birds. Outbreaks have occurred from the illegal imports of exotic birds. How does Newcastle disease affect my animal? Newcastle disease in birds can vary from no signs of illness to sudden death. Affected birds may have coughing, sneezing, nasal discharge, depression, and diarrhea. Chicken flocks may have a sudden decrease in egg production or produce thin shelled eggs. Signs of severe illness include swelling of the tissues of the head, muscle tremors, drooping wings, twisted head, circling, paralysis or sudden death. Can I get Newcastle disease? Yes. Infection is rare and usually very mild. People in direct contact with infected poultry or other birds can get conjunctivitis (swelling and reddening of the tissues around the eyes. Poultry crews and laboratory workers would be at the greatest risk for potential exposure to the virus during their work. No human cases of Newcastle disease have occurred from eating poultry products. Who should I contact, if I suspect Newcastle disease? In Animals – Contact your veterinarian immediately. Exotic Newcastle disease is not currently found in the U.S.; suspicion of the disease requires immediate attention. In Humans – Contact your physician. Tell him or her you have been in contact with birds with Newcastle disease. How can I protect my animals from Newcastle disease? Prevent your birds from becoming exposed to infected birds. Biosecurity measures, such as cleaning and disinfection of bird-housing facilities and equipment is very important. New introductions or birds returning to the farm should be isolated for several weeks before being placed into the flock. A vaccine is available for birds and is routinely used in poultry flocks. While this can reduce the severity of the disease, it does not completely prevent infection. How can I protect myself from Newcastle disease? When working with birds or poultry, especially when they are ill, wear protective clothing such as gloves, and safety glasses. Wash your hands after contact with birds or poultry. Avoid touching your eyes until your hands have been washed. People working with the virus in laboratories or on vaccination crews should take extra precautions.
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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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by Pigeon Patrol | Feb 5, 2020 | Animal Deterrent Products, Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Bird Spike, Bird Spikes, Pigeon Control, Pigeon Droppings, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes, UltraSonic Bird Control
Pigeons terrifying child
Bird that scares people, Ornithophobia is the medical term for bird phobias, but many people without a bona fide phobia still fear the creatures. Alfred Hitchcock’s horror film, “The Birds that scares people,” even played into people’s penchant to duck for cover when a bird is around. And of all the bird species, pigeons seem to get the worst rap of them all. Often called “rats of the sky,” pigeons used to be well respected for their homing abilities and were employed during wars to send messages back and forth between troops and base camp. According to HSUS, Hindu and Islamic nations still love these birds, but the tone is different in the United States, where many consider them flying rodents that spread disease and leave bird droppings everywhere they land.
An average pigeon is about 13 inches (32 centimeters) in length and weighs a little less than a pound. This bird is quite adept at living in heavily populated cities and makes its nests in support structures, on building ledges and under bridges. While pigeons and other birds have been known to dive bomb into a person’s head on occasion, you should really only be fearful of flying poop. Pigeon droppings do carry fungi that put humans at risk of contracting diseases, such as histoplasmosis. However, the odds of getting a disease from a pigeon are very low, and the few known cases in which that happened involved pigeon pet owners, not random city slickers.
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With a warm spell of weather predicted, staff from Pigeon Patrol Pest Control are gearing up for more calls to deal with the bird they call the ‘flying rat’.
Pigeons take advantage of the warmer weather to sit on outside ledges and pipework while their fouling fall to the floor below, creating a dangerously slippery surface.
Pigeon Patrol: “With pigeons now breeding four or five times a year, compared to two or three times 20 years ago, their numbers are increasing dramatically. The problem is exacerbated by people feeding them and attracting them into town squares where they are fouling on pavements and buildings.
“Pigeons are the most unhygienic and messy birds and actually carry more diseases than rats. They nest on their poo and attract mites. Nearly all pigeons carry the bird mite – a tiny insect that feeds off the bird, but will also makes humans itch and scratch. Pigeon fouling and nest materials also provide a home for many other insects such as clothes moths, carpet beetle and meal worm beetles.
Most of the pest controllers’ work against pigeons tends to be proofing of buildings and light wells, using a variety of techniques including installing nets, sprung wire systems and bird spike repellents.
Pigeon Patrol explained: “If a slipped tile goes unnoticed on a roof, or the louvers slip on a church bell tower, a pair of pigeons can get in and, in a matter of months, there can be hundreds of pigeons living in the loft space. The floor will soon be covered with fouling up to a foot deep.res further ‘natural-style’ habitats for these descendants of the Rock Dove – ll then have health and safety implications for engineers who come to service the equipment.
“Pigeon poo, when it is wet, is not too much of a danger apart from being slippery and the acidity will, of course, burn car paintwork. But when it is dry, as it often is in a loft space, or below sheltered machinery, then the airborne bacteria can become a real problem – affecting anybody that may be susceptible to asthma and other breathing difficulties.”
When pest controllers are called in, wearing special safety gear, they have to remove the birds, the nests and all loose fouling. The places they have to get to are often difficult to access, very restricted, very hot loft spaces that are about four-feet high – which is one of the reasons they dislike pigeons so much.
Pigeon Patrol Products and Services offers a specialist bird control service for facilities and property management companies in London, Sussex. Surrey and Kent, from the initial survey and specification through to the final proofing solution. As registered waste carriers, Pigeon Patrol can carry out full scale removal of bird fouling, as well as contaminated goods and furniture, from infested properties. As well as the feral pigeon, seagulls are becoming a greater problem for property owners and Pigeon Patrol can also offer advice and solutions for these pests as well.
Some facts about pigeons:
• A pigeon aged between 1 and 30 days is called a squab
• A pigeon’s white feathers have no color pigment
• Pigeons can see in color, but can also see ultra-violet light – a part of the light spectrum that humans cannot see
• Most birds take a sip of water and throw their heads back so it trickles down their throat – pigeons suck up water like straws
• In the 16th century, pigeon poo was a highly valued commodity as it was a source of salt petre or Potassium nitrate – a main ingredient of gunpowder! In France, it was also used to fertilise vineyards
• In India, the pigeon post mail service stopped in 2004
• Cher Ami and GI Joe were two famous war hero pigeons…both saved the lives of many soldiers by carrying important messages across enemy lines
• Young pigeons remain in their nests for up to two months…which is why it is only pest controllers who often get to see them!
• Peregrine Falcons are a natural predator of the pigeon…they can dive at up to 200 miles per hour. A pigeon can dive at about 70 miles an hour.
For more info
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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by Pigeon Patrol | Feb 5, 2020 | Animal Deterrent Products, Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Bird Spikes, Pigeon Control, Pigeon Droppings, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes, UltraSonic Bird Control
If you shoo a pigeon, that bird is likely to remember you and know to stay out of your way the next time you cross paths, according to a new study. Researchers found that wild, untrained pigeons can recognize individual people’s faces and are not fooled by a change of clothes.
Previous research in this arena had only focused on the perception abilities of pigeons that were trained in a lab environment, but the new study was conducted on untrained feral pigeons. At a park in Paris, two researchers of similar build and skin color, but wearing different-colored lab coats, fed a group of pigeons.
One researcher ignored the pigeons after feeding them, allowing them to eat the food, while the other was hostile and chased them away. This was followed by a second session when neither researcher chased away the pigeons. [Pretty Bird: Images of a Clever Parrot]
The experiment was repeated several times, with the pigeons continuously recognizing the individuals faces and avoiding the researcher who had first chased them away even when the participant no longer did so. Swapping lab coats during the experiments did not confuse the pigeons, and they continued to stay away from the researcher who had been initially hostile.
“It is very likely that the pigeons recognize the researchers by their faces, since the individuals were both female and of a similar age, build and skin color,” study researcher Dalila Bovet of the University of Paris Ouest Nanterre La Défense said in a statement.
“Interestingly, the pigeons, without training, spontaneously used the most relevant characteristics of the individuals (probably facial traits), instead of the lab coats that covered 90 percent of the body,” Bovet added.
The researchers noted that the birds appear to be able to differentiate between humans and are aware that clothing color is not a good way to tell humans apart. They theorize that this recognition ability may have come about over the long period of association with humans, from early domestication to many years of living in cities.
Previous research supports the findings, as the memory and recognition skills of certain bird species have been demonstrated by other studies. In May 2011, Seoul National University researcher Won Young Lee noticed that when he returned to an area where he had previously installed cameras into the nests of magpies, the birds recognized his face and began dive-bombing him.
A 2009 study showed that jackdaws, which are the smaller cousins of crows and ravens, can interpret human eye cues and even follow human gestures such as pointing. University of Oxford researchers noted that hand-raised jackdaws could find food when a familiar person’s eyes looked back and forth from the food to the bird. The birds also responded when the person pointed to the food’s location. However, the jackdaws took longer to approach food when an unfamiliar person was watching.
“I think they can generalize to human eyes somehow, and interpret human eyes as eyes,” said Auguste Bayern, a cognitive biologist at the University of Oxford and lead author of the 2009 study.
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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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by Pigeon Patrol | Feb 5, 2020 | 4-S Gel Bird repellent, Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Spike, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons in the News, UltraSonic Bird Control
LONDON (Reuters Life!) – Scientists studying pigeons have found that the often reviled urban bids that dominate city squares around the world carry two harmful disease-causing bugs that make them a public health hazard.
The findings of the study by a team of researchers in Spain show that although these bacteria can be harmful to humans, they appear to cause no harm to the birds themselves.
As a result, pigeons — often dubbed “rats with wings” by those who suspect them of spreading disease — can act as living “reservoirs” for some harmful bugs, the scientists said.
“Animals that live in close contact with humans can be dangerous reservoirs of human pathogens,” wrote Fernando Esperon from the Animal Health Research Center in Madrid, who led the study. “These birds may therefore pose a public health risk to the human population.”
Inhabitants of cities from London to Venice to New York to San Francisco tend to have a love-hate relationship with the millions of urban pigeons that dominate city plazas, street-side cafes and monuments. Their droppings plaster Trafalgar square in London, St Mark’s square in Venice, and Times Square in New York, where they peck endlessly at crumbs or leftover food.
For this study, which was published in the BioMed Central journal Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica, Esperon and colleagues analyzed 118 pigeons captured using gun-propelled nets from urban areas of Madrid to find out the prevalence of certain bacteria known to cause disease in humans.
They found a bug called Chlamydophila psittaci in 52.6 percent of the pigeons captured, and another bug called Campylobacter jejuni in 69.1 percent.
Psittacosis infection in humans often starts with flu-like symptoms and can develop into life-threatening pneumonia. And according to Esperon, bugs from the campylobacter species are one of main causes of acute diarrhea across the world.
“In fact, in many countries such as England and Wales, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, Campylobacter jejuni infection causes more cases of acute diarrhea than infection by salmonella species,” he wrote.
Like other bugs, salmonella bacteria can cause fever, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting in those infected with it.
The scientists said that although the birds themselves did not seem to get sick from the bacteria, they could potentially pass them on the humans.
“These data should be taken into account for pigeon population management,” they wrote.
Source
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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by Pigeon Patrol | Feb 5, 2020 | Animal Deterrent Products, Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Control, Pigeon Droppings, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons in the News, UltraSonic Bird Control
Are Urban Vermin, the Most Disease-Ridden Animals?
Infections carried by animals are a rising threat—and those who work with livestock may have the most to fear
In many cities, pigeons—to take one urban animal—are reviled as flying vermin. They whitewash ledges and pick at filthy crumbs in the gutter. And, yes, these, dubbed by some as “rats with wings,” do carry diseases that humans can catch. But so do innumerable wild creatures outside city limits, the animals we eat—even our beloved pets.
Pigeons are guilty of transmitting fungal and bacterial diseases, primarily via their droppings, which pose the greatest risk to those with weakened immune systems. But cast against the recent spread of infectious zoonotic diseases—such as H5N1 bird flu, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)—experts question the degree of concern over the disease-bearing potential of the birds that have colonized cities the world over.
In principle, any animal can carry a disease that humans could catch. But Marm Kilpatrick, an ecologist at the Consortium for Conservation Medicine in New York City, which studies human-induced environmental change, species health and biodiversity, wrote in an e-mail: “In reality, the vast majority [about 99.999 percent] of pathogens that are carried by animals won’t infect people.”
Even so, zoonotic diseases represent a growing proportion of emerging infectious diseases; two British studies calculated that about 75 percent of emerging infectious diseases are zoonotic. (By comparison, about 60 percent of all human pathogens can infect animals.)
Real rats (the ground-hugging kind) aren’t innocent by any means: Research links them with the reemergence of bubonic plague and typhus. But bats (of whom “winged rats” is more apropos) may be giving the unpopular rodents a run for their infamous reputation. Long associated with rabies, bats gained new notoriety in the 1990s after outbreaks of the Hendra and Nipah viruses killed both humans and livestock in Australia and Southeast Asia, respectively. A few years later SARS terrified the world by taking flight on commercial airlines. The virus left a trail leading back to the live animal markets in China, first to civet cats and subsequently to bats, the latter vector now believed to be the true starting point for the virus.
And, despite increasing urbanization throughout the world, people and wildlife are sharing more infections. In the Hendra and Nipah outbreaks, habitat fragmentation and increased contact between wild bats and domestic animals have been implicated. Bushmeat, particularly that of our close cousins the chimpanzee, has caused Ebola outbreaks in Africa.
In the U.S., prairie dog owners caught monkey pox from their pets. And the reforestation of Northeastern states over the past century has allowed deer populations to boom, spreading Lyme disease.
By comparison, pigeons’ potential for spreading bird flu seems rather minimal. So far most of nearly 220 human deaths caused by the pathogenic H5N1 strain of bird flu have been traced to contact with poultry. And the strain has yet to arrive in North America. If a similar one were to emerge here, the result could be disastrous for industrial farm workers before anyone else, according to Gregory Gray, director of the University of Iowa’s Center for Emerging Diseases.
“Exposure to domestic birds has changed markedly,” he says. In the nation’s confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs)—the industrial operations that have replaced family farms with at minimum 9,000-chicken or 750–large pig facilities—agricultural workers spend much more time in close contact with animals than a farmer would have 50 years ago.
These are potentially the mixing pots for the next flu pandemic, Gray argues. When an outbreak occurs undetected in a facility, viruses can mutate as they cycle through large flocks or herds. Gray and his colleagues have shown farmers, veterinarians and meat processors all had high swine influenza infection rates, and avian veterinarians carry more bird flu.
In 1983 a low-grade bird flu virus, perhaps left by ducks, spread into chicken warehouses in Pennsylvania. There, it mutated from a minor infection to become what Robert Webster, the virologist at the scene, called “Ebola for chickens.”
This outbreak took two years and the destruction of 17 million birds to control. Webster links some of its spread to New York City’s live bird markets, where chickens are packed into cages in close quarters with ducks and geese, natural carriers of bird flu.
Webster believes these markets pose a greater risk than CAFOs in the developed world where so-called “biosecurity” procedures to keep diseases out have been tightened since the emergence of H5N1. “Live bird markets are the breeding place for all pandemic strains in my opinion,” he says, and, despite attempts to purge it, avian influenza continues to show up in American live bird markets.
But for those whose daily animal interaction doesn’t extend beyond shooing squirrels or feeding the dog, the prospect of zoonotic disease shouldn’t keep them awake at night. “Most people should be more afraid to walk into a doctor’s office during flu season,” says Pennsylvania State University avian pathologist Patty Dunn.
As for pigeons: research has shown that even those infected with bird flu actually transmit very little. And they carry so little West Nile virus in their bloodstreams that they are unlikely to infect mosquitoes who could then infect humans, Kilpatrick says, making the birds more likely to slow an epidemic than spread one.
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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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