by Pigeon Patrol | Mar 16, 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
Darwin right proved by pigeon genomes. Humans have shaped the domestic pigeon into hundreds of breeds of various shapes, colours and attributes — a diversity that captivated Charles Darwin, who even conducted breeding experiments on his own pigeons. Now, a number of domestic and feral pigeon genomes have been sequenced for the first time, giving scientists a resource for studying the genetics of how these traits evolved.
The study, published online today in Science1, gives insight into the genetics of both ‘fancy’ domestic breeds and plain street pigeons and supports their common origin from the wild rock dove (Columba livia). “We go from having virtually no genetic or genomic resources available for the pigeon to being able to map regions associated with particular traits,” says team member Michael Shapiro, a biologist at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City.
All in the family
The Utah team, along with Jun Wang and colleagues at BGI-Shenzhen in China and scientists at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark, sequenced a complete ‘reference’ genome from a breed called the Danish tumbler. The researchers also sequenced the pigeon genomes of 36 different fancy breeds and of two feral birds from different regions of the US.
The study fills in knowledge about the relationships between breeds, many of which are centuries old with origins in the Middle East. Darwin argued that all domestic pigeon breeds descended from the wild rock dove. Shapiro says this study puts data behind that argument, as all the breeds sequenced are more similar genetically to one another than to another, closely related, species of pigeon, C. rupestris. It also found that street pigeons are genetically similar to racing homing pigeons, which frequently escape into the wild.
Ornament and utility
One question is whether similar traits in different breeds, such as flouncy leg feathers or short beaks, are caused by the same genetic mutations. The researchers analysed head crests, feathers growing in the reverse direction to normal that vary from short tufts to outrageous manes that envelop the head. Breeding studies by pigeon fanciers suggested that head crests were caused by a simple recessive mutation. Using software developed for finding genes that underlie human diseases, the researchers analysed crested and uncrested breeds, and discovered a mutation in a gene that matched the crests in all cases. The results suggest that the mutation evolved just once in the species.
Head crests, Shapiro said, are “one of many traits that we see in domestic pigeons that have a correlate in lots of natural species of birds,” where they are used in courtship and displays of aggression. Further research will be able to discover whether the same gene is involved in creating crests in other species. In similar fashion, Shapiro says, scientists can use pigeon genetics to study the emergence of more complex traits.
Leif Andersson, who studies domestic animal genetics at Uppsala University in Sweden, says that the work addresses a gap in our knowledge about pigeons, which has lagged behind that of chickens, pigs and dogs. Domesticated species are important tools for comparative genomics, with traits honed by humans over thousands of years. “The different domestic animals complement each other,” he says, “because they’ve been selected for different purposes.”
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by Pigeon Patrol | Mar 16, 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
pigeon racing cruel?
It’s a bit like an Olympic training camp. Only the athletes are pigeons.
Bad experiences in Trafalgar Square had led me to foresee a flutter of mangy birds in a loft strewn with droppings.
These birds are glowing with health and their sawdust floor is cleaner than my local pub.
The white ones are almost loveable.
The birds are all being raised by a professional pigeon fancier and trained on behalf of their owners for the thrill of the race.
But this seemingly innocuous sport is heading for a shock; it has been condemned by the radical animal rights group Peta as fundamentally cruel.
I found this accusation hard to credit at first, until a casual chat with a colleague.
Ethical dilemma?
She told me this extraordinary story. She used to live next door to a pigeon fancier. One day his winged competitors returned from a race, but one refused to re-enter the loft; it perched on the house roof, out of reach of its owner who wanted to register its ID from the tag on its skinny leg.
A simple solution was at hand, in the shape of an air rifle. He shot the bird and collected its corpse to complete his race record.
“You made that up,” I accused. “No I didn’t,” she replied.
So, back to Peta: This report does not investigate the many claims it has made about how pigeon racing is cruel
Instead, it raises some of the intriguing ethical issues, which fall broadly into three categories.
The first is the shoot-bird-on-roof variety. Peta’s video appears to show secretly filmed video of owners performing a ruthless genetic winnowing, selecting slow-flying birds and snapping their necks before tossing them into the bin.
The official voices of pigeon racing make no attempt to defend any instances of prima facie being cruel. Stewart Wardrop, manager of the Royal Pigeon Racing Association (RPRA), told me any proven maltreatment should be punished.
“There are 43,000 registered pigeon fanciers. In 43,000 individuals, there will be people who do silly and stupid things but the vast majority of pigeon fanciers look after and take care of their animals – why wouldn’t they?”
Charge number two is that pigeon racing is inherently cruel because it involves inevitable deaths – especially during races across the English Channel.
The protestors say in some Channel races, 90% of birds have gone missing, with many presumed dead. Stewart Wardrop’s figures are more conservative: a bad race would not normally lose more than 75%, he says. Sometimes only a few percent might go astray.
“My personal view is ‘no’, I don’t believe it is cruel,” he says.
But cruelty to animals is a slippery notion. We breed pigs and kill them all; but we eat them and to many people that confers moral acceptability. Should there be different ethical criteria for animals in sport?
We have banned cock-fighting, bear-baiting and fox hunting with dogs. We still lose a few horses in the Grand National. It’s rare but it provokes an outcry when it happens.
However, there are thousands of birds in a big race, so losing 75% of them in some events is noteworthy, even if many people consider pigeons to be no better than flying rats.
And while we’re on the subject of rats, let’s get hypothetical for a moment.
Suppose you were breeding rats to race them. What’s an acceptable rate of collateral damage? 5%? 10%? That’s one for debate.
High fidelity
The next category of accusation has already caused marital conflict among some of my anthropomorphically inclined friends.
It concerns the relative fidelity of male and female pigeons, and a process known as “widowing.”
Now, the pigeon is a monogamous creature. In the early days in a loft, male and female individuals all claim their own box as territory. As romance blossoms, the birds form pairs and they move in together to share the same box, kissing each other in what is, even for a hard-bitten hack like myself, a heart-warming sight.
In an avian version of the ideal egalitarian marriage, both male and female sit on the nest and both feed the hatchlings with milk produced in their crop, a projection from the throat. And they stick together in their pigeon pair.
The pigeon’s fidelity can be exploited in a process known as widowing, or widowhood, in which the pairs are split up and one bird is taken away to race back to the loft.
As Stewart Wardrop explains it, in a sprint race the stronger male birds will surge back to their hen and particularly their territory. But if the male birds are taken farther afield, they’re often tempted by pastures new.
Now consider the attitude of the female birds: separate them from their cocks and they will fly determinedly back to their love over hill and high water. So it’s typically the females that are entered into the prestigious race back to the UK from Barcelona.
After struggling to cross the Pyrenees, many of them appear to have their fidelity rewarded with an exhausted watery end in the Channel.
“The Barcelona race – the long distance races – are the pinnacle of the pigeon racing sport,” the RPRA man tells me. “Those pigeons are very experienced pigeons.”
The Barcelona fliers are not exactly volunteers: “No. They’re not volunteers but they do enjoy pampered lives, though. The pigeon fancier carefully weighs up, and he will only send out, pigeons that he thinks have a genuine chance of coming back and performing for him. I wouldn’t mind being a pigeon.”
Stewart Wardrop says the whereabouts of the pigeons that don’t return is a mystery – perhaps many of them find new homes elsewhere. The association is hoping to learn more about this by fitting pigeons with tracking devices in a trial with two universities.
Jeremy Davies, who runs the Worcestershire training loft, agrees with him that widowing is acceptable.
“They are happy to race, you know,” he tells me. “You get a sense of feeling for the pigeon. If a pigeon is unhappy, it will sit there all glum. If it wasn’t happy, it would stay in Barcelona in the sun and wouldn’t come home!”
Both men consider the Peta allegations oddly misguided.
Ingrid Newkirk, founder of Peta, believe it’s the sport that is misguided: “Pigeons are bright, clever and we happened upon the fact that pigeon racing can be horribly cruel.
“The females have had their instincts manipulated to get back to their mate and their brood. Flying the Channel is a frightening prospect for them – and many of them will perish.
“The pigeon racers we filmed refer to the Channel as a death trap – the ‘Bird-muda Triangle’. In World War II, they had to fly the Channel but they don’t have to die doing so now for a little bet.
“It’s like saying I’ll wager you to see if your toddler gets to the other side of the road.”
So who will decide whether pigeon racing goes the same way as bear-baiting and cock-fighting? I contacted the RSPCA but they said it wasn’t really their territory.
It’s hard to know whether sufficient numbers of people care enough about pigeons for the protestors to make headway. The average age of a British pigeon-fancier is in the 60s. Perhaps the protesters should just bide their time.
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Pigeon Message That Saved A World War II Bomber Crew
On 23 February 1942, a badly damaged RAF bomber ditched into the North Sea.
The crew were returning from a mission over Norway, but their Beaufort Bomber had been hit by enemy fire and crashed into the sea more than 100 miles from home.
Struggling in freezing waters – unable to radio an accurate position back to base – the four men faced a cold and lonely death.
But as the aircraft went down, the crew had managed to salvage their secret weapon – a carrier pigeon. The blue chequered hen bird, called Winkie, was set free in the hope it could fly home to its loft in Broughty Ferry, near Dundee, and so alert air base colleagues to their predicament.
During World War II, carrier pigeons were routinely carried by RAF bombers for this very eventuality, though in an era before GPS and satellite locator beacons, rescue was far from certain.
The pigeon was not carrying a message, but the RAF were able to calculate the position of the downed aircraft using the time difference between the plane’s ditching and the arrival of the bird – taking into account the wind direction and even the impact of the oil on Winkie’s feathers to her flight speed.
A rescue mission was launched and the men were found within 15 minutes.
Elaine Pendlebury, from the PDSA, said the carrier pigeon had been released as a “last ditch stand” when the crew realised they had no other options.
“I find it very, very moving really. These people would have died without this pigeon message coming through,” said Ms Pendlebury.
Winkie became the toast of the air base, with a dinner held in her honour. A year later, she became the first animal to receive the Dickin Medal – named after PDSA’s founder Maria Dickin – for “delivering a message under exceptional difficulties”.
More than 60 animals have since received the award, including 18 dogs, three horses and one cat. But pigeons still rule the medal roost, with 32 being given medals, all between 1943 and 1949.
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by Pigeon Patrol | Mar 16, 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
Pigeon smuggle, Caught by police!
Colombian police say they have captured a carrier pigeon that was being used to smuggle drugs into a prison.
The bird was trying to fly into a jail in the north-eastern city of Bucaramanga with marijuana and cocaine paste strapped to its back, but did not make it.
Police believe the 45g (1.6oz) drug package was too heavy for it.
The bird is now being cared for by the local ecological police unit, officers said.
“We found the bird about a block away from the prison trying to fly over with a package, but due to the excess weight it could not accomplish its mission,” said Bucaramanga police commander Jose Angel Mendoza.
“This is a new case of criminal ingenuity.”
The pigeon is thought to have been trained by inmates or their accomplices.
Police said carrier pigeons had been used in the past to smuggle mobile phone Sim cards into the jail.
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by Pigeon Patrol | Mar 16, 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
Pigeon Racing from japan flies across pacific to Canada
OTTAWA (AFP) – A plucky pigeon that flew across the Pacific Ocean from Japan will be bred by a bird lover in Canada hoping its progeny will be top long distance racers, an animal rescue official said Monday.
The pigeon was discovered tired and thin at a Canadian air force base on Vancouver Island in westernmost Canada and taken to an animal rescue centre near Comox, British Columbia where it was treated for a common bird parasite and nursed back to health.
“We believe it took off from land in Japan and got confused or got caught up in a storm and got lost before eventually hopskotching its way to Canada, stopping and sleeping on freighters along the way,” the Mountainaire Avian Rescue Society’s Reg Westcott told AFP.
A pigeon’s top range is typically 650 kilometers (404 miles). This one traveled 8,000 kilometers (4,971 miles).
The owner was contacted at a telephone number printed on a tag on the bird’s leg, but he did not wish to pay to have the pigeon flown back aboard a commercial jetliner, Westcott said.
The local Pigeon Racing Society offered to take in the wayward bird and set it up with some female birds. “I’m sure his offspring would be very good long range racers,” Westcott commented.
Canadian authorities, however, initially weren’t sure what could be done with the pigeon.
“They asked us whether he had travel documents and so on, and we said, ‘No, he flew here on his own,’ and so they labeled it a migratory bird, which allowed us to hand it over, without (having to fill out) a bunch of Customs paperwork, to the local pigeon racing society, which offered to give it a new home,” Westcott said.
In his 17 years caring for injured wildlife, Westcott said he has only come across one other pigeon that made the incredible two or three week voyage across the Pacific Ocean.
That one landed on a Canadian Coast Guard ship at the height of the avian influenza pandemic that saw millions of birds slaughtered to prevent the spread of the disease, and was eventually sent back to Japan at the owner’s expense, he said.
Westcott said he has also nursed a lost Brown Pelican from California, and a Citrine Wagtail songbird from Asia.
Birders from all over the United States and Canada flocked to Vancouver Island to get a rare glimpse of the Wagtail at the time, he said.
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by Pigeon Patrol | Mar 4, 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
Why Aren’t Cities Littered With Dead Pigeons? Any fair-sized city in the United States is lousy with pigeons, hoovering up bread crumbs from public squares and head-bobbing so much they look like little Jay Zs groovin’ to some fresh beats. The favorite rumpus room of the pigeon, New York City, is thought to contain anywhere between 1 and 7 million of the flapping rats of the sky.
So where are the littered dead pigeons?
The short answer is in Pigeon Heaven (unless they’ve been bad birds, in which case they’re squawking in boiling pitch in Pigeon Hell). The long answer is that the life of a pigeon is brutal and short, and if they do make it to the end zone without something terribly unpleasant happening they tend to want to die away from all the cameras.
In the interest of clearing up this enduring urban mystery, I contacted a couple of bird experts to expand on the ultimate fate of Columba livia. The first is David Seerveld, a licensed wildlife-control specialist (not exterminator! That’s for bug guys) in Orlando, Florida. In the course of his work, Seerveld has dealt with a full deck of frightened and sometimes frightening animals, including scads of pigeons that have slipped past our defenses to penetrate the human domain.
A pigeon that leads a pampered life might make it to age 15 before croaking. But most rarely live that long—five years in the wild is typical. America’s cities are patrolled by an invisible battalion of predators, all of whom seem to enjoy a meal of fat pigeon breast with a side of filoplumes. “Even with a huge level development like in Washington, D.C. or Chicago, these cities still have plenty of trees,” says Seerveld.
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by Pigeon Patrol | Mar 4, 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
Pigeon’s vision in the dark? This question seems to spark very different answers from different flyers. Some will say yes, once dark trained or obviously they would fly into things, others differing in percentages of the pigeon’s vision once flying into the dark. In racing pigeons, great attention is paid to the eye as a means of choosing racers and producers. A pigeon with little eye-sign or lack of depth in the coloration would be a poor producer and almost certainly a moderate racer. Could we draw any conclusions to help us with Flying Tipplers into the dark? I have done the following tests:
Firstly, I took a pigeon from the loft, which was already dark-trained. I took him in daylight, in good weather conditions and out of distance of his usual flying patterns (about 5 miles) and released him. Within a short time he was back to the loft. I waited for dark and took the same bird to the same position and released him. He returned the next day in daylight. I did this three times with three different dark-trained Tipplers and not one could get back to the loft in the dark. Could we conclude from this the urge to return was present, only the ability to do so in the dark was lacking.
As we know, when a pigeon is flying in the dark he sticks to certain flying patterns. I released the same three birds individually along route of the bird’s fly pattern (about l ½ miles) from the loft. This time, all three birds made it back to the loft in the dark within a couple of minutes. I am now asking myself how much does the pigeon actually see in the dark and how much is he using his intimate local knowledge of the area built up from his many hours of dark training?
I am now trying out some more detailed tests, but am of the opinion that a pigeon’s vision is reduced in the dark by about 80%, although I am still of an open mind. One thing is for sure. When we train in the dark we are asking out birds to do something that is totally unnatural to them and great care and patience is needed. More good birds are spoilt trying to get them to flying in the dark than for probably any other reason. Is it all worth it? Hope this is of some use to any novices thinking of dark training.
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University Club to Combat Pigeon Droppings With Netting, MIDTOWN EAST — Bye bye birdies.
The exclusive University Club on Fifth Avenue in midtown got approval from the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission Tuesday to put up bird netting to control pigeon droppings.
Pesky pigeons were leaving droppings along the facade of the Beaux-Arts building and the netting is designed to prevent the birds from nesting on window ledges. The club will put up the netting between its main building and an annex along E. 54th Street.
The club, which counts Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Gov. David Paterson among its members, resides in a landmark building and needed commission approval to kick out the critters.
“It doesn’t detract from the architectural integrity of the building,” said Lisi de Bourbon, spokesperson for the Landmarks Preservation Commission.
The affected area has a service entrance and serves as a light shaft, making the netting barely visible to other buildings, according to de Bourbon.
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Fights of fancy: MI5’s post-war plan to use remote-controlled homing pigeons
It would most likely be dismissed as a bird-brained idea nowadays.
But a former spy chief’s diaries have revealed he seriously considered using radio-controlled homing pigeons with experts after the Second World War.
Guy Liddell, then deputy director general of MI5, wrote on October 3, 1946, how he had a meeting with Captain James Caiger, who ran the Army’s pigeon loft.
He wrote: “He is our pigeon expert. He talks, thinks and dreams about them.
“He has had pigeons since he was a boy and his father had pigeons before him.
“I asked him about the homing instinct. He said the matter is quite unsolved.
“There is however, one curious fact, namely that in a sun spot year, all pigeons go haywire.
“Sun spots are, of course, minute radio-active particles – though how they affect the pigeons’ homing instinct nobody knows.
“This gives some colour to the suggestion that pigeons might be able to home on an electric beam, in other words that you might have radio-controlled pigeons.”
Previously released MI5 files have referred to plans to train pigeons to carry explosives to fly into enemy searchlights.
Mr Liddell’s diaries, just released to the National Archives in Kew, West London, also refer to a meeting with colleagues in 1949 to discuss impregnating papers with radioactive substances to set off an alarm if they were taken from a building.
He wrote that he was told, “It is quite possible to impregnate paper, metal clips or ink with a radioactive substance and to install either under the floor boards or in a door post, or under the ground outside an apparatus which will register if anybody goes out of the building with a secret paper so impregnated”.
He wrote there would also be a minor health risk if someone left the papers lying around.
“It would at the outset produce extreme lassitude and later a loss of blood counts,” he said.
“No serious harm would result if the papers were removed and the symptoms detected.”
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.
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by Pigeon Patrol | Mar 4, 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
Pigeon racing rules the roost in China among bird sports, with one enthusiast even spending $200,000 to buy a prized pigeon.
Pigeon takes flight in China. The sport of pigeon racing might have first taken off in Western Europe with the Romans in 220AD, however it didn’t find a perch in China until the 1960s in Shanghai. Back then, the main breeds of pigeons used for racing were the native Li and Yang species. China’s reform and opening-up in the late 1970s saw an influx of foreign breeds introduced into the country however, causing the sport to soar.
Big domestic races
Boasting about 30,000 registered members, the Beijing Racing Pigeon Association (BRPA) is preparing to sound its air horn for this year’s first homing pigeon race in Xinxiang, Henan Province, on April 22 takes flight in China. The 550-kilometer race, which involved 20,000 pigeons last year, will this year see feathers fly among pigeons from Beijing’s 14 districts and two counties.
The birds will be transported to the race course via trucks, then taken out from their lofts and released to fly home. With electronic timing, the first pigeon past the post stands to pocket its owner 3,000 yuan ($474.60) and a trophy. The BRPA will also have a flock of competitors in a 1,000-kilometer national race in Hubei Province, as well as another 600-kilometer race in Henan Province, both slated to be held in May.
The BRPA is currently spearheading intensive training for its members ahead of the big races. Pigeon trainers are already familiarizing their birds with the courses. “Usually, we put our pigeons through five or six days of intensive training ahead of a big race,” said Wu Changfu, 56, who trains 50 pigeons and will enter 10 into the Henan race.
“It takes about six hours for the pigeons to fly 500 kilometers.”
Endurance and speed
Bred with an innate homing ability, modern-day homing pigeons have been known to fly up to 1,800 kilometers in a single race at speeds of between 80 to 170 kilometers per hour.
Pigeons usually begin racing at six months old and compete until they are 10 years old. Ding Haichao, a 38-year-old pigeon owner who took up the sport 16 years ago, said some pigeons begin racing at just three months old.
Most racing pigeons are of foreign breeds as they are faster then domestic ones. In an average 500-kilometer race, foreign breeds can finish up to a half hour faster than their Chinese counterparts, said Wu.
It isn’t all glory for pigeon owners though. Training their birds often spans an hour early in the morning and late in the afternoon. While the birds are away, the owner usually busies themselves by disinfecting their birds’ aviary.
“It is important to train pigeons to fly when the weather is not so favorable, such as in rain or snow. This way, they can get good exercise and brace themselves for inclement weather during races,” said Ding, who owns the Beijing Shouxin Homing Pigeon Loft in the capital’s southern Daxing district China and raises about 1,000 pigeons for different owners before the takes flight.
Flippin’ the bird
Although pigeon racing originated in the West, it has flown to new heights in China half a century after it first made its mark. Prize money for pigeon races in China can reach as high as one million yuan, proving the sport is big business among enthusiasts.
In January last year, a Chinese buyer paid $200,000 for a racing pigeon at a Belgium auction, setting a new world record. The bird’s name was Blue Prince, and he was one of the highly pedigreed racing pigeons that have long been considered the gold standard in the pigeon racing world.
While there are concerns among pigeon racing purists in Europe that the sport faces decline amid the continent’s debt crisis and aging of bird owners, more young people in China are taking an interest in the sport, ensuring its future remains bright.
Passion for competition coupled with lucrative prize money offered in races suggests pigeon owners in China are in it for the long haul, and aren’t merely winging it.
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 | Mar 4, 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
Pigeon Sniper may face charges
Since early this month, someone in Seattle has been shooting pigeons with blow darts, leaving the often still-living birds flying above and walking on the city’s streets with darts sticking through
them.
Seattle residents are alarmed but have run with the creepiness of the situation by calling the birds “zombie pigeons.”
Yesterday, the animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals offered a $2,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the pigeon sniper, according to the Seattlest blog and the Times of Seattle.
The injured pigeons have so far avoided capture by animal control officers, because, despite their disturbingly protruding dart wounds, they are still able to fly, the Seattlest reports.
However, PETA says the animals are highly susceptible to infection. If the pigeon sniper is caught, he, she or they could face animal cruelty charges.
Source
Let the professionals deal with the pigeons
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Contact us at 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD, (604) 585-9279 or visit our website at www.pigeonpatrol.ca
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by Pigeon Patrol | Mar 4, 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
Town Council agrees pigeons cull
A cull of pigeons has been approved at a meeting of a West Yorkshire town council.
Bird droppings have caused £50,000 of damage to Morley Town Hall by blocking drains which have caused flooding.
People have been told not to feed the problem birds and now council officials say that they have to decide on the most effective method.
The Pigeon Control Advisory Service told the BBC that culling “causes the birds to rebreed”.
“We are not throwing away our rubbish properly and we’re feeding them over and above what they need,” said Emma Haskell, of the Pigeon Control Advisory Service.
“The key message is to stop feeding them.”
‘Ate alive’
Ms Haskell said that in the USA, contraceptives were fed to birds to control their population, but they were not used in the UK because contraceptives had not been proven to be an effective method of control.
Elsewhere in the UK, councils have used birds of prey to keep the pigeon population at bay, but Ms Haskell said this was not recommended either.
“The peregrine falcon is the pigeon’s natural predator, not the Harris hawk which is commonly used,” she said.
“Pigeons fly a lot faster than the Harris hawk and it will only ever catch young, injured or sick pigeons.
“There was outrage in Norwich when a Harris hawk flew down and ate alive a pigeon in the middle of the town centre. It was all very upsetting.”
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.
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by Pigeon Patrol | Mar 4, 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
The in-toeing epidemic (pigeon toed gait) – estrogen?
The mystery of the in-toeing (pigeon toed) epidemic among young women continues:
http://charltonteaching.blogspot.com/2010/09/pigeon-toed-gait-endemic-among.html
(I am convinced that this gait is not an affectation – I am sure it is involuntary in most instances.)
The best suggested explanation came from Paul Jaminet – vitamin D deficiency; with its bone-softening effects.
This suggests that in-toeing may be a result of softening of the feet, in some way, shape or form; if not bones them perhaps joints?…
Which then leads on to the idea that it might be due to some increase in estrogen – whether natural, in contraceptives, or as an environmental pollutant (which may explain why surprising numbers of men walk this way too).
The only ‘evidence’ I can present for this is that estrogen softens and loosens joints (i.e. softening the ligaments that join bones to bones – this is well known in pregnancy) – perhaps making the ankles or internal joints of the foot more ‘floppy’, and hyper-flexible feet may cause the observed change in gait?
Well, I’m not very convinced by this – but the phenomenon is real and new, and there must be some explanation!
NOTE added – on further reflection I think the problem is likely to be neural – neuromuscular – rather than musculoskeletal – and subtly neuromuscular – hence perhaps related to basal ganglia dysfunction.
What ever causes basal ganglion dysfunction might be environmental toxins of some sort; but could also be infective – as many new diseases eventually turn-out to be.
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 | Mar 4, 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
Pigeon races up in the sky!
Pigeon racers from far afield have their eyes on Tasmania.
Avid pigeon racers are trying to establish a contest that rivals the great long distance, cross water, pigeon races held around the world.
Experienced fliers, George Rettas and Alex MacDonald and other enthusiasts organised the ‘Conquer the Strait’ one loft race from Perth in northern Tasmania.
The idea of the ‘Conquer the Strait’ challenge is to test some of Australia’s best racing pigeons over one of the roughest stretches of water in the world.
The race was designed for the birds to fly over more than 500 kilometres from south western Victoria, including over 300 kilometres of Bass Strait.
And while an outbreak of the paramixovirus in Victorian pigeons curtailed the inaugural race in October 2011, a shortened race format over 220 kilometres from Woolnorth to Perth was held.
Pigeon racers from far afield joined the Tasmanian long distance enthusiasts who were out to prove they have the best birds on earth.
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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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by Pigeon Patrol | Mar 4, 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
Pigeon fever is an equine disease that doesn’t have anything to do with pigeons. It’s an infection caused by the bacterium Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis which results in the formation of abscesses, usually along the chest (pectoral region) and lowest part of the abdomen. The name “pigeon fever” comes from the swelling in the chest region that vaguely resembles a pigeon-breast. A recent report describes and outbreak of pigeon fever involving at least 30 horses in Louisiana, bringing the estimated number of cases in the state in 2011 to over 100.
Pigeon fever is a regionally (and to a lesser degree seasonally) variable disease. It predominantly occurs in California, but over recent years it has expanded its range in the western US, and from this report, it’s obvious that it has a good foothold in some other areas in the south east as well.
Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis lives in the soil, and causes infections in horses when it gets inoculated under the skin via wounds and perhaps sometimes through fly bites. Once it gets into the tissues, it starts to grow and causes painful (and potentially large) abscesses that often need to be surgically incised in order to drain them.
Infection control practices on farms can help reduce transmission of the bacterium between horses and to reduce the risk of injuries. These include:
- Quarantine of new arrivals and careful inspection for sign of infection.
- Isolation of known infected horses.
- Use of “contact precautions” when dealing with infected horses to prevent transmission of the bacterium via peoples’ bodies or clothing. This involves the use of protective outwear (e.g. coveralls and boots that are only used for the infected horse(s)) and gloves.
- Proper use of handwashing / hand sanitizer by people handling infected horses (or any horses, really, from a broader standpoint).
- Prevention of cross-use of items like buckets between infected/quarantined horses and the general horse population.
- Use of fly repellent, especially on horses with open wounds or draining abscesses.
- Careful cleaning and disinfection of areas potentially contaminated by pus from draining abscesses.
- Inspection of stalls, paddocks and fields for things that could cause wounds that might subsequently become infected.
Pigeon fever is a good example of why it’s important to know disease patterns in your region (and those to where your horses travel). Being aware of the possibility of a specific disease is an important step in diagnosis, and knowing there is disease activity in any area in which your horse may have been is a key part of that. This disease is also an example of why we need ongoing disease surveillance and reporting, because if a disease makes it into new regions, veterinarians and horse owners need to know about that as soon as possible to allow for quicker diagnosis and use of control measures. Unfortunately, organized disease surveillance and communication is sorely lacking in horses.
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 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
Bird Mites Infesting Pigeons, Smaller Than Bed Bugs? Unfortunately, this is VERY possible….
As many of you know, New York City, has become the home to an astronomical number of Pigeons. Yes I am talking about the pigeons that rest and nest on your windowsills, balconies, fire escapes, and park benches everyday! Have you ever taken a step back to wonder why these birds seem to thrive in your neighborhood? I mean you do live in New York City, why would such a huge population of birds thrive in an overcrowded, polluted, concrete jungle?
Well.. the primary reason behind this infestation (that many people are comfortable with and encourage) is likely the absence of the Pigeon’s natural predators. I mean how often do you see a peregrine falcon swooping down to the curb of a New York City street? Large cities provide Pigeons with an abundance of food and shelter that is not only maintaining their lifespan but also making it easier for them to mate more often. For many years pest control companies have been responding to complaints about pigeons with the recommendation of avian poisons. Some of the avian poisons, however, are nonselective in nature, meaning that non-target species may unfortunately have to take their last breath after ingesting or feeding on a bird that has ingested these poisons. For this very reason, in August of 2000 the NYC Governor signed a bill banning the use of select avian poisons. In coordination with the ban on pigeon control through the use of various avian poisons, pigeons are breeding at an exorbitant rate; resulting in an ever-growing pigeon population wreaking havoc on uninformed city-dwellers.
Ok, So by now you’re probably wondering what all of this pigeon talk has to do with bugs right? Well, here goes.
You see, when it comes to the pigeon problem in NYC, most people are worried about the repulsive droppings they leave behind on your homes, cars, and sidewalks.. Oh yeah! Don’t forget your clothes and hair, on a bad day. Some people may even worry about more serious things such as health hazards and the spread of disease. BUT the one thing most people have not considered is the pests of our pests. That’s right! BIRD MITES… Similar to bed bugs, bird mites are a parasite, meaning that they feed on the blood of living organisms. Although the host that bird mites prefer is birds, they are also attracted to mammals such as humans… yes… you! These itty bitty creatures will often bite humans when their natural food source (birds) is absent. Similar to their darling host, bird mites reproduce at a rapid pace, multiplying into thousands without warning.
Lucky for you, I am here to inform the uninformed.
There are many different types of bird mites, canary lung mites, feather mites, grey mites, and a major menace called the red mite. Red mites are generally as small as 1mm in length and are white or clear in color. However when they feed they will usually turn a dark red or brown. Bird mites are often nocturnal and feed on their hosts at night. These nearly microscopic creatures, averaging between.7 and 1 mm in length, are frequently overlooked or mistaken for bed bugs (Reference: 2). Unless they are moving, it is exceptionally difficult to see bird mites. Symptoms of bird mites include pin-size bites, itching, small red bumps, and a crawling sensation on the skin (Reference: 1). One way to check your live-in bird cage is to place a sheet over the concerning area, if there are small specks or stains when you remove the sheet then you may have something to worry about.
Bird mites have five stages in their life cycle: egg, larvae, protonymph, deutonymph and adult. The larvae can be identified by having three pair of legs, while the nymphs and adults have four pair (Reference: 2).
Now that you have an idea what to look for, let’s back track a little bit. Remember the astronomical pigeon population that we spoke about just a little while ago? Well we all know that the millions of pigeons that are dwelling on your windowsills and underneath your air conditioners may be a pester you; but what you really need to consider is that those same pigeons may have little pests of their own. Allowing pigeons to nest near windows and air conditioners increases the likelihood of bringing bird mites into your home, turning their pest problem into your pest problem!
Some advice I would offer in helping keep your home and family bird mite free would be to close all openings and holes that are large enough for birds to enter attics and install hardware cloth on porches and exterior surroundings to prevent roosting. Outdoor birds, such as pigeons, should be discouraged from nesting in or near buildings. Lastly, I highly recommend that residents disrupt nest-building efforts near home entrances and windows.
So I am sure many of you are thinking, “well I can’t have birdmites” or “that’s fine I’ll just stay away from the pigeons from now on”. If it were that simple, I guess this article in its essence would be meaningless. Bird mite infestations are difficult to eradicate and often require the assistance of a knowledgeable and experienced pest control company.
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 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
Bird fever Symptoms
Most people with acute pulmonary histoplasmosis have no symptoms or only mild symptoms. The most common bird fever symptoms are:
- Chest pain
- Chills
- Cough
- Fever
Joint pain and stiffness
- Muscle aches and stiffness
- Rash (usually small sores on the lower legs)
- Shortness of breath
Acute pulmonary histoplasmosis can be a serious illness in the very young, elderly, and people with weakened immune systems, including those who:
Have HIV/AIDS
Have had bone marrow or solid organ transplants
Take medications to suppress their immune system
Symptoms in these persons may include:
Inflammation around the heart (called pericarditis)
Serious lung infections
Severe joint pain
Exams and Tests
To diagnose histoplasmosis, the doctor needs to find the fungus or signs of the fungus in the body, or evidence that your immune system is reacting to the fungus.
Tests to detect Bird Fever symptoms include:
Antibody tests for histoplasmosis
Biopsy of infection site
Bronchoscopy (usually only done if symptoms are severe or you have an abnormal immune system)
Complete blood count (CBC) with differential
Chest CT scan
Chest x-ray (might show a lung infection or pneumonia)
Sputum culture (this test often does not show the fungus, even if you are infected)
Urine test for Histoplasma capsulatum antigen
Treatment
Most cases of histoplasmosis clear up without specific treatment. Patients are advised to rest and take medication to control fever.
Your doctor may prescribe medication if you are sick for more than 4 weeks, have a weakened immune system, or are having breathing problems.
Outlook (Prognosis)
When histoplasmosis infection is severe or gets worse, the illness may last for one to six months. Even then, it is rarely fatal.
Acute pulmonary histoplasmosis can become chronic pulmonary histoplasmosis (which does not go away).
Histoplasmosis can spread from the lungs to other organs through the bloodstream. This type of spread is usually seen in infants, young children, and persons with a weakened immune system.
Possible Complications
Acute pulmonary histoplasmosis can get worse over time, or can become chronic pulmonary histoplasmosis (which doesn’t go away).
Histoplasmosis can spread to other organs through the bloodstream (dissemination). This is usually seen in infants, young children, and patients with a suppressed immune system.
When to Contact a Medical Professional
Call your health care provider if:
You have symptoms of histoplasmosis, especially if you have a weakened immune system or have been recently exposed to bird or bat droppings
You are being treated for histoplasmosis and develop new symptoms
Prevention
Avoid contact with bird or bat droppings if you are in an area where the spore is common, especially if you have a weakened immune system.
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
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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
What is Bird Fever, Bird Flu, scientifically known as Histoplasmosis, an acute (primary) pulmonary disease
Acute pulmonary histoplasmosis is a respiratory infection that is caused by inhaling the spores of the fungus Histoplasma capsulatum, the fungus that causes histoplasmosis. The infection usually affects the lungs and symptoms can vary greatly. It can sometimes affect other parts of the body, including the eyes, liver, central nervous system, skin, or adrenal glands. For example, “ocular histoplasmosis syndrome” (also known as “presumed ocular histoplasmosis”) is a condition that results in impaired vision (affects the eyes). Having a weakened immune system increases your risk for getting this disease (e.g., the very young, very old, or those with medical conditions that lower the body’s resistance to infections).
This Histoplasma organism thrives in moderate temperatures and moist environments. It is found in the central and eastern United States, eastern Canada, Mexico, Central America, South America, Africa, and Southeast Asia. It is commonly found in the soil in river valleys. It gets into the soil mostly from droppings from chickens, pigeons, starlings, blackbirds, and bats. Birds are not infected with it because of their high body temperatures, but they do carry it on their feathers. Bats can be infected because they have a lower body temperature than birds and can excrete the organism in their droppings.
To multiply, Histoplasma capsulatum produces small spores called conidia. The conidia of Histoplasma capsulatum are only two millionths of a meter (microns, �m) in diameter. When these conidia are inhaled, they are small enough that they enter the lungs and start an infection. Many of these infections are easily overlooked because they either produce mild symptoms or none at all. However, histoplasmosis can be severe and produce an illness similar to tuberculosis.
You can get sick when you breathe in spores that the fungus produces. Every year, thousands of people worldwide are infected, but most do not become seriously sick. Most have no symptoms or have only a mild flu-like illness and recover without any treatment.
Acute pulmonary histoplasmosis may happen as an epidemic, with many people in one region becoming sick at the same time. People with weakened immune systems (see Symptoms section below) are more likely to:
- Get the disease, if exposed to the fungus spores
- Have the disease come back
- Have more symptoms, and more serious symptoms, than others who get the disease.
Risk factors include traveling to or living in the central or eastern United States near the Ohio and Mississippi river valleys, and being exposed to the droppings of birds and bats. This threat is greatest after an old building is torn down, or when exploring caves.
Question: “The town where I live is home to a legion of pigeons, and we have many tales of people getting sick with “bird fever.” I am a teacher, and I work in a very old school. I have seen two very large piles of pigeon droppings in the school’s attic. I am concerned because I work on the floor directly below the attic, the ceiling of my classroom has cracks in it. Also, the school has recently installed a new air conditioning system in the attic. Am I at risk for catching bird fever?”
Answer: The fungus, Histoplasma capsulatum, can be found in pigeon droppings. Infection by H. capsulatum can cause the disease Histoplasmosis. Three fourths of those who are infected with the fungus exhibit no symptoms or show symptoms of influenza (“flu”). One quarter of those who are infected with the fungus exhibit illness of varying severity, and among these the most common illness is a pneumonia of short duration.
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 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
How Did the Pigeon Get to NYC? One can scarcely think of any park in NYC — or any city, really — without envisioning the ubiquitous pigeon there as well. Despite signs requesting you not feed the birds in adjacent Bryant Park, the library has more than its share of feathered patrons.
But how did this non-native species become the bird most associated with New York City? Pigeons are certainly not indigenous, but they have made themselves quite at home in the Big Apple. In Wild New York: A Guide to the Wildlife, Wild Places, & Natural Phenomena of New York City, authors Margaret Mittelbach and Michael Crewdson explain “Also called rock doves, pigeons were first brought to this country from Europe, probably during the 1600s, and that their original status here was that of a barnyard animal, raised purely for the table.”
Captive pigeons somehow struck out on their own, nesting easily in the crevices of buildings that are not that different than the cliff sides on which their ancestors dwelled. Over time, pigeons and their young squab dwindle from menus and dinner tables. Ironically, most city pigeons depend exclusively on humans to feed them, whether purposefully or accidentally through litter.
Thousands of years ago in North Africa, people built dovecotes to house and raise pigeons for food and to use their droppings as fertilizers. New Yorkers have kept a similar relationship with pigeons by building coops on building rooftops and raising pigeons for racing and companionship. Bert on Sesame Street famously loves pigeons, enough to sing about it. Scientist Nikola Tesla was extremely fond of pigeons and would frequent NYC parks searching for injured birds, which he would then bring back to his residence at the Hotel New Yorker to nurse them back to health. His obsession with pigeons is documented in the novel The Invention of Everything Else and he had a favorite pigeon, which he mourned when she died.
The New York Times has covered pigeons in abundance and there are many non-fiction titles out there to help you learn more about these birds such as Pigeons: The Fascinating Saga of the World’s Most Revered and Reviled Bird by Andrew D. Blechman. There are pigeon appreciation groups and documentaries by local filmmakers, such as JL Aronson’s Up on the Roof. Pigeons are definitely part of New York’s wildlife and landscape.
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 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
Trichomoniasis: Finding Sick, dying or dead pigeons?
Hello Everyone
We have been getting an increasing number of
Trichomoniasis related calls at this time of year. Every year outbreaks are seen during the late summer and autumn. This disease does not pose a threat to the health of humans, cats or dogs.
Greenfinches are reported most frequently, but potentially any bird can be infected, including pigeons and doves and some birds of prey. The trichomonad parasite lives in the upper digestive tract of the bird, and its actions progressively block the bird’s throat making it unable to swallow food, thus killing it by starvation.
The infection is spread as pigeons feed one another with regurgitated food during the breeding season, and through food and drinking water contaminated with regurgitated saliva. Saliva can also contaminate a birdbath. Trichomoniasis cannot live long outside a hosted pigeons.
Trichomoniasis causes lesions in the throat of the infected pigeons, which makes it progressively harder for the bird to swallow its food, and eventually breathe. Birds will also show signs of lethargy and fluffed up plumage, drooling saliva and regurgitated food. Affected birds frequently have matted wet plumage around the face and beak and uneaten food in and around the beak.
If a number of birds show symptoms, we recommend to stop putting out all food and leave bird baths dry for at least three weeks. This helps to disperse the feeding birds and reduce the contact between sick and healthy individuals, thus slowing down the outbreak. The higher the concentration of birds at a feeding station, the greater the chance of another bird picking up an infected food particle and exposing itself to the infection.
There are also a few other actions you can take to help:
Use feeders with drainage holes to avoid moisture building up
– Use more than one feeding site to reduce the number of birds in one place
– Rotate feeders around several locations to ‘rest’ each spot to prevent build up of infection on the ground underneath.
– Clean and disinfect feeders and water baths regularly, rinsing thoroughly and allowing to air dry completely – this itself will kill some diseases
– Keep the bucket and brush you clean feeders with outside and using just for this purpose
– Sweep up droppings and spilt or old food and disposing of it carefully in an outside bin
– Change the water in baths frequently – ideally daily
– Wash your hands carefully afterwards
No effective treatment can be administered to birds in the wild, because it is impossible to ensure that the infected individuals receive an adequate dose and that healthy birds do not pick up the medicine.
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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