by johnnymarin | Jan 1, 2019 | Animal Deterrent Products
A New York City pigeon got a wing up from a kind stranger who turned on a drinking fountain for the thirsty bird on Thursday.
A now-viral video, first reported by the Staten Island Advance, shows New Yorker Steven Pesantez watching with what looks like pure glee while the bird guzzles water at Staten Island’s ferry terminal. His friend Mariel Mitkowski, who shot the video, can be heard exclaiming “He was waiting for you!” in the background.
Pesantez told HuffPost that he and Mitkowski were waiting for the ferry when they spotted the pigeon loitering on top of the fountain.
“We joked about how he was just waiting there for someone to help him out, then we decided it would be funny to record me going over to him and helping out!” he said in an email.
It seems like they had a good sense of what the pigeon wanted.
“It seemed like he was enjoying it!” Pesantez said. “He wasn’t taking a bath, so I’m pretty sure he was indulging in some of NYC’s finest tap water.”
He added that he’s happy the video has been resonating with people.
“I’m just stoked that the world is getting to share this wholesome moment in a time where there is so much craziness,” he said.
The Wild Bird Fund, a wildlife rehabilitation center in Manhattan, noted on Twitter that there are “credible reports” that pigeons sipping from fountains at the Staten Island ferry terminal is actually a “regular phenomenon.”
But it may not be so surprising that pigeons have figured out such a clever way to get a drink since pigeons are a lot smarter than many people give them credit for. A 2015 study published in the journal Cognition found that pigeons were able to learn to sort 128 photos correctly into categories like “baby,” “tree,” “flower,” “dog” and “cracker.”
And while having any animal standing in a human drinking fountain may not exactly be ideal (pigeon droppings do present “modest health risks” to people, according to the NYC health department) the birds aren’t nearly as dirty as some people think they are. Ornithologist Paul Sweet told Gizmodo last year that pigeons are “quite clean,” and actually play an important role in cities cleaning up waste left by human beings.
As for Pesantez, he’s definitely a pigeon appreciator.
“I never understood why people hate them,” he said.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by johnnymarin | Dec 31, 2018 | Pigeons in the News
THE Carlow and District Racing Pigeon Club celebrated its annual awards night and a great year at Carpenter’s bar recently.
Founded in 1965, the clubhouse is still located at Lower Pollerton Road and the club currently has 27 members.
Carlow and District, Barrowvalley, Naas and Newbridge pigeon racing clubs have formed a federation and race every week. Typically, 1,000 birds are raced every week.
Tom Moore is one of the club’s founding members and is still actively involved. He won an old bird race this year from Macroom (107 miles), beating 947 other birds.
PJ Nangle is another long-standing member and did the club proud this year by winning the Old Bird National from Skibereen (133 miles) competing against 3,577 pigeons from every county in Ireland, north and south.
Along with this, he won three old bird races and two young bird races in the club this year.
The club’s annual awards night this year was held in Carpenter’s bar with 16 individual members receiving trophies.
Donal Begley won the young bird and old bird averages, the old bird derby and the Caulfield Cup. And James O’Connor did very well, too, winning the young bird derby along with two young bird races.
All of the club members would like to thank committee members PJ Nangle and Colin Nolan for their hard work and dedication, which is much appreciated. Special thanks also goes to John Dowling for his sterling efforts in keeping the clubhouse running every week.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by johnnymarin | Dec 30, 2018 | Pigeons in the News
New York City’s official bird, the humble pigeon, is ubiquitous, intelligent, nutritious (uh, for hawks) and extremely helpful. But they get really thirsty, especially after eating a bagel. On Thursday, one man decided to give one pigeon a hand by turning on a water fountain.
Steven Pesantez and Mariel Mitkowski were at the Staten Island Ferry Terminal in St. George when they saw the pigeon perched on the fountain. “The pigeon was just sitting there and he looked thirsty,” Pesantez recounted. “So I decided to get up and help the little guy.”
Mitkowski filmed the exchange, and Pesantez admitted, “I expected him to stay for a little bit but I didn’t expect him to start drinking!”
“It felt cool to help out the pigeon,” he said. “It was very zen.”
Very zen, and also a much better use of a water fountain than an impromptu doggy bidet.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by johnnymarin | Dec 29, 2018 | Pigeon Patrol's Services
Flimby West Coast show race for Bedhampton attracted 54 entries, judged by John Devlin. Tickets: 1, 8 Hodgson and Saldart; 2 Mr and Mrs Carter and sons; 3, 4 Williams and Hadfield; 5 Mr and Mrs Walters and son; 6 McLuckie bros; 7 Mr and Mrs Proctor.
With £100 sponsorship from Bill McDonald Fencing of Cleator, the prize money on offer for the race will be: 1 £94; 2 £70; 3 £47; 4 £23.50.
The club’s show race for Marlborough had 51 entries which were judged by Morris and Wayne McLuckie. Tickets: 1 Martindale and Lawman; 2, 4, 6, 8 Williams and Hadfield; 3, 5 Berwick and co; 7 Hodgson and Saldert.
The race prizes will be: 1 £91; 2 £68.25; 3 £45.50 and 4 £22.75 and was boosted by £100 from sponsor K B Scaffold of Moor Row.
The final show race is for Carentan. Birds will be judged at Flimby Social Club on Wednesday at 7.30pm. Entry to the race is £5.
The show will be for any age cock or hen and the race will be sponsored for £100 by Jonny Walker Plant Hire of Workington.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by johnnymarin | Dec 28, 2018 | Bird Deterrent Products
It normally takes time to build up a talented crop of racing pigeons to taste success, but Latrobe’s Mark Cooney was the star of the Tasmanian circuit in his debut year.
Cooney won two Tasmanian Racing Federation races from Beckley Park in Victoria, won the federation loft points, was first and second in the ten dollar ring race out of Tantanoola in South Australia and was the loft point winner for the Northern region of Tasmania.
Cooney said he had background with pigeon racing when he was growing up on the North-West and it was that love affair that got him back into the sport.
“I first got into pigeon racing when I was about seven years old and a bloke up the road from me in Burnie used to race pigeons and I would go up there every day,”
“He actually gave me pigeons when I was eight and fancied them and when I moved to Devonport and I raced three times when I was 17.
“It wasn’t until last year when I worked with a bloke who raced pigeons and got back into them.”
Cooney said he would not have been able to be as successful as he had been in his opening season with out the help
“I was playing golf with Phil Matthews and he said his brother Chris raced pigeons and a week later he got in touch with me.
“He told me to go see Warren Connell (Devonport Flying Club president) and he would give you ten pair.
“Warren would have bred me another 30 and I had a pretty good year on land and it is not a one man operation.”
For young people who would love to get into pigeon racing, there are a lot of good people at the clubs who will help you.
Mark Cooney on the accessibility of the sport
Following the support Cooney received from the Devonport Flying Club to get started, he now owns over 130 pigeons that he trains to race.
Cooney said pigeon racing was actually not an overly expensive sport to get involved in if you speak with a racing club when you want to get started in Tasmania.
“For young people who would love to get into pigeon racing, there are a lot of good people at the clubs who will help you.
“And by helping you, I mean they will get you a few birds and help you look after them and train them if you need help.”
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by johnnymarin | Dec 27, 2018 | Pigeon Patrol's Services
Dozens of pigeons packed in a cardboard box were found last month inside a rest stop trash container along Interstate 65 in western White County.
According to a story from the Associated Press, Indiana State Police released a statement Thursday about the Dec. 10, 2018, incident. About 60 pigeons were “packaged” in boxes and left as garbage at the rest stop near mile marker 196. They were discovered by Trooper David Vido.
With the help of Kim Hoover, a wildlife rehabilitator from Pulaski County, and Kelly Thomas, vice president of “A Critter’s Chance,” a nonprofit based in Plainfield that specializes in exotic/domestic pet rescues, about 57 pigeons were recovered from the trash bin.
Hoover told the AP the pigeons most likely came from a homing pigeon race, where the birds are taken to a designated location and fly back to their roost. Hoover said it is rumored to have large sums of money tied to betting on when and if the pigeons will return.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by johnnymarin | Dec 26, 2018 | Pigeon Patrol's Services
BUCKHANNON — Pesky pigeons have become more than just a nuisance at the Upshur County Courthouse. Their droppings are causing problems with the most iconic feature of the 1899 structure — its dome and cupola.
Commissioner Terry Cutright said, “They are damaging the dome. The feces they are dropping is acidic and we are afraid that it is going to start eating holes in the dome.”
County administrator Carrie Wallace said that comparing photos of the dome and cupola from a year ago to more recent photos is “astounding.”
More pigeons began roosting around the courthouse after their access point to another nearby building was closed off.
To shoo away the pigeons, the commission has tried other measures such as a noise machine.
“The county already purchased a noise machine that was basically guaranteed to take care of the pigeons,” she said. “It has not worked. They basically just moved up a story.
“This is needed to prevent further deterioration of the dome and cupola,” she said. “They have tried other avenues with the pigeons that have not worked. At this point, it’s either install the spikes or have to renovate the dome again in another few years.”
On Thursday, the Upshur County Commission approved a request for proposals to go out for a dome cleaning and pigeon spike installation project.
All sealed bids must be received no later than 4 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 12. For more information and a bid packet, visit www.upshurcounty.org/government/commission–office/bid.php.
“It is estimated that 1,200 linear feet of spikes will be required to do all the locations where the pigeons are perching or could possibly perch on the dome and the cupola,” Wallace said. “There is also the unknown of where the pigeons are going to relocate.”
Maintenance director Greg Harris expects there to be 500 linear feet left over that could do some of the window sills and other areas where the pigeons like to be, including right outside county clerk Carol Smith’s office.
The sealed bids will be opened at the Feb. 14 commission meeting.
The commission also approved a request for bids for the Community Oriented Policing Services camera surveillance project. All sealed bids must be received by 4 p.m. Tuesday, March 5 and will be opened at the March 7 commission meeting. The Upshur and Lewis County School Systems received a U.S. Department of Justice grant of just over $309,000 to fund the project.
The Upshur County Commission was the applicant for the grant on behalf of the schools.
Commission president Sam Nolte said, “This is a great project; it’s nice that we got the grant.”
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by johnnymarin | Dec 25, 2018 | Pigeon Patrol's Services
Dozens of pigeons are recovering after the birds were discovered in a dumpster at a highway rest stop in Northwest Indiana.
Indiana State Police say the 57 birds were packed into boxes at a rest stop on I-65 north of Lafayette when they were found Dec. 10.
Kelly Thomas of the animal rescue organization “A Critters Chance” says the birds were caked in filth and unable to move.
Some birds died of malnutrition, but the rest appear to be getting better, she said.
“They’re starting to preen themselves. They’re trying to flap their wings. They’re gaining strength, they’re perching,” Thomas said.
The pigeons will be placed up for adoption, and she says they make great pets.
“Pigeons are quiet and they are affectionate and smart. They are very pretty. They’re just very good birds,” Thomas said.
Police believe the pigeons were used in an illegal pigeon-gambling race.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by johnnymarin | Dec 24, 2018 | Pigeon Patrol's Services
Police in Indiana say dozens of live pigeons found in cardboard boxes in a dumpster may have been used in races in which bets are placed on when the birds will arrive at their roosts after being released elsewhere.
State police said Thursday that Trooper David Vido found 57 pigeons in cardboard boxes Dec. 10 at a rest stop in White County along Interstate 65, about 85 miles (137 kilometers) northwest of Indianapolis.
Five were dead and two others died later. The survivors will be put up for adoption.
Police initially said they believed the birds were used in an illegal gambling race where their wings are clipped and they race around a track. Later Thursday, police said the pigeons were unable to fly when they were recovered due to their poor condition.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by johnnymarin | Dec 23, 2018 | Pigeons in the News
Different people have different hobbies. In my childhood rearing and flying pigeons was one of the common hobbies in the down town area particularly. Four five decades before one could see pigeon towers erected on roof tops called as Kotar Adda after every ten fifteen houses and the pigeon flyers would at times remain on roof tops from morning till evening and have there meals also who where considered to be chronic pigeon flyers known as “Kaini Kotarbaz”
These pigeon flyers were known for the sharp eye sight and patience. They could visiuallise any pigeon whether same is male or female even though pigeon was flying very high because the game or trade was dependent on that. Pigeon had their own names like Zag, Chattur, Tichal etc because some males were considered efficient in enticing female of any other Adda while flying to his own Adda so were some females expert in bringing some male pigeons to there own Adda. Every flyer was trying his best to send his pigeons in the sky to bring the pigeons of others to his own Adda through this process and this exercise at times gave commercials dividends also.
Most unfortunately our political class as seen these days is nothing more that these pigeon towers where we see one political figure be it ex minister, legislator, office bearer or worker running from one adda to another that too so fast keeping the possibility of forth coming assembly elections in view. The way pigeon is not loyal to any adda permanently the same way these political pigeons have no principles, ideology, conviction and dedication for the betterment of the people but only and only goal is to grab power and amass wealth at the cost of human blood and in this process it seems they have all undergone invisible plastic surgery of having shameless faces. The result is obvious because this unfortunate State has tasted all the known parties in power who have proved worse than one another in every respect yet brazenly and facelessly again and again go to the people and ask for their votes. Those who swore on the holy book not to take part in electoral politics are eyeing for contesting all seats. Those who gained public support against communal politics after winning good number of seats aligned with the same for the sake of power and worse sufferers were the people who voted them. Those who enjoyed power with the blessings of Delhi throughout are trying now to raise their voice against powers at the centre only and only to hoodwink the gullible people with the sole purpose of somehow to gain power for their vested interests. We are most unfortunate people for not having a political class who is not wedded to any principles and ideology for the sake of power for which people could vote and trust them that is why none of them are respected by people in the heart of their hearts. Worst kind of human rights violations a decade before were ignored by the party in power and propagated by opposition and when the same opposition came to power they changed the role and did still worse and party in opposition now started beating the drum.
Those who condemned militancy few months before and paid their respects to those soldiers who were killed in operations by laying wreaths on there body is now after losing power condoling the demise of militants which is the reverse gear of the said political party.
This is the peak season of our political pigeons for running from one Adda to another while assessing the prospects of each Adda to gain power without any remotest interest for the betterment and progress of the people and public also is to be made accountable for not assessing the least evil amongst the class of devils we all are caught in.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by johnnymarin | Dec 22, 2018 | Pigeon Patrol's Services
The “El Chapo” trial took an interesting turn this week. It appears that an I.T. guy is a principal in making the case against the cartel leader.
This is from the Washington Post:
In February 2010, Cristian Rodriguez showed up at a Manhattan hotel expecting to attend a business meeting of sorts.
An information technology expert living in Colombia, he had previously set up an encrypted communications system for Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, making it impossible for law enforcement to eavesdrop on phone calls placed by the alleged leader of the notorious Sinaloa Cartel.
Joining him in New York was a potential client who needed a similar system for his own shadowy crime syndicate – or so Rodriguez thought.
In fact, the man – who posed as a Russian mobster, according to the New York Times – was actually an undercover agent.
Testifying in federal court on Tuesday, FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen Marston said the agency had become aware that cartel members were using an encrypted voice-over-Internet system to make phone calls but had been unable to crack the code.
After the clandestine meeting, however, federal agents persuaded Rodriguez to cooperate, allowing the U.S. government to listen in on hundreds of incriminating phone calls, including conversations in which Guzmán allegedly plotted drug deals and ensured that Mexican officials were being paid off to look the other way.
That evidence may prove to be crucial in Guzmán’s ongoing trial, which began nearly two months ago in federal district court in Brooklyn.
This is huge and will send most cartel leaders into shock. Don’t be surprised if they throw away all of their phones and tablets in the garbage and go back to messengers or even pigeons.
A few years ago, I remember stories of how the cartels were run by sophisticated MBAs and I.T. people. In other words, the cartels ran their business through “front companies” that laundered money and processed communications, not at all different from any other multinational doing business in Mexico.
At the top of the sophisticated organization sat a cartel leader who checked the accounts and messages before sitting down for breakfast. The “boss” was further protected by a network of guards also speaking to each other by phone.
A few weeks ago, I watched a documentary titled Getting to El Chapo through His Inner Circle. In the end, El Chapo and his wife were discovered in a hotel room, tracked there by means of a guard’s phone.
The I.T. guy’s testimony is huge and may bring down quite a few cartels. It won’t end the criminal enterprises, but the days of hiding behind encrypted phones are over.
The cartels are smart, and they will adapt. They will go back to messengers or even pigeons.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by johnnymarin | Dec 21, 2018 | Pigeon Patrol's Services
The Royal New Zealand Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) said it received up to 30 calls in recent weeks reporting sightings of sparrows and pigeons with tinsel intentionally tied to their bodies.
“Many try to pry the foreign objects off their bodies with their beaks and feet, becoming further entangled and preventing them from eating, drinking and flying. With others, the decorations are wrapped so tightly it completely cuts off their blood circulation,” SPCA spokeswoman Jessie Gilchrist told CNN.
“Those that do survive and arrive at our center are often in a very bad state, they are so malnourished and distressed that we have had to humanely euthanize them.”
Since 2015, the charity said there has been over thirty cases of “decorated” birds found dead or with injuries severe enough to require euthanasia.
On Tuesday, SPCA officers were called to a house in Kilbirnie, a suburb of the capital Wellington, where they rescued several birds covered in decorations and paint. The birds were in a distressed but otherwise healthy condition.
“One pigeon had quite bright red Christmas tinsel wrapped around its wings and then the top of its head had been painted with red paint as well as its wings had been tipped with red paint,” Gilchrist said.
While charges have yet to be laid against the owners of the house, Gilchrist said the case “remains an ongoing investigation.”
Sparrows and pigeons — which forage for food on the ground, in shrubs or shallow water — face a number of threats from predators, including foxes and racoons, as well as larger birds and snakes.
But humans are perhaps the biggest threat to the birds. In 2015, New Zealand recognized all animals, including birds, as “sentient” under law, extending protections and making it easier for charities like the SPCA to prosecute people for animal cruelty.
One stated purpose of the law was to “remove uncertainty around the ill-treatment of wild animals by targeting acts of wilful or reckless ill-treatment.”
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by johnnymarin | Dec 20, 2018 | Pigeons in the News
The pigeon population in the city has exploded and pigeons are becoming quite a menace. Birders, experts and veterinarians suggest a ban on public feeding of the birds.
The pigeons in the city are dominating other bird species and occupying all the nesting places. Pigeon droppings and feathers are unhealthy for humans and also spread viruses to other bird species.
Pigeons can be seen everywhere in the city. They have stopped searching for natural sources of food and depend on being fed by citizens. A Telangana forest department official says in the name of helping the birds, citizens are feeding the pigeons and damaging the ecosystem unknowingly. “The over population of these birds is dominating other bird species. We can see that the spaces occupied by the pigeons were earlier used by other birds.”
Space, habitat, feed, water, protection and climate determine the population of any species in nature. But, if we start feeding an animal or bird, they will become assured of food irrespective of environmental factors, and tend to multiply faster, exceeding the natural carrying capacity of the area.
“The primary feathers of the pigeon are very small and can be inhaled through our nose. These feathers can cause respiratory problems in humans. The pigeons are spoiling the environment with heavy population. The government should ban feeding of pigeons or else it will not be possible to control the population,” said senior veterinarian Naveen.
The reputed bird watching society, Deccan Birders, admits that the pigeon population has turned into a menace. Secretary of Deccan Birders, Shafat Ulla, says a ban on feeding pigeons must be imposed and that pigeon droppings affect the health of humans.
“There is a ban on feeding pigeons in several countries and there is nothing wrong in it. The government should initiate the ban in the city. Noticing that the pigeons are fed at KBR Park, we Deccan Birders have organised an awareness campaign. We can see people feeding them across Hyderabad,” Mr Ulla said.
Dr Aftab Ahmed says pigeons can cause diseases through their droppings. “If we take water that is contaminated with the droppings of the pigeon there is possibility of Histoplasmosis and Cryptococcosis. The disease mainly affects lungs and other body parts with fungal infections.”
Though the GHMC does not consider the pigeons a menace, its workers have a tough time cleaning the droppings.
“So far it has not been brought to our notice as a major menace. But, yes, bird droppings do contribute to street waste in the city,” said GHMC Additional Commissioner N.V. Ravi Kiran.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by johnnymarin | Dec 19, 2018 | Pigeons in the News
The New Year splashes in, the gusting rain disappointing skiers, skaters and snowman makers. It rains and rains through the night and finally clears in the morning to a sparkling blue sky. The first birds of the year here at the house are the usual suspects: chickadees and titmice, cardinals and bluejays, downy, hairy and red-bellied woodpeckers. Finches are few and far between. Now and then I’ll look out the window and see a trio of goldfinches at the feeder. Then, later in the day, a pair of purple finches drops by. A junco hops over from the edge of the woodland and waits patiently while seven mourning doves work the seed-ladened ground under the feeders.
While in the spring you may see a pair of mourning doves sitting close together canoodling on a wire or a branch, at this time of year, they, like many other species, flock together. Some days there are only three or four here; while other days may bring in 20 or so. They feed mostly from the ground, picking and pecking through the spilled detritus. But come the colder, snowy weather, they will invade the platforms and wing away any competitors. So much for the dove of peace.
The mourning dove, Zenaida macroura, is the most common dove throughout North America. The bird has a lovely subdued plumage in colors ranging from bluish gray to pinkish brown. This dove is a little larger than a robin with a relatively small head and long, rounded tail that flashes white along the outer edges. A dark spot decorates the cheek and a spill of more dark dots are apparent across the back.
But who or what is the bird mourning? Early birders thought his ooAAH, cooo, coo, coo-ing sounded quite sad as if he were totally grief-stricken. Others thought it was reminiscent of an owl’s hoot, but no one called him the owl dove. Mourning dove became the name of choice.
FLYING TREE RATS
In “A Guide to the Birds of New England and Eastern New York” (1904), Ralph Hoffmann lists the mourning dove as a common summer resident with a footnote about the Wild Pigeon, Ectopistes migratorius, stating that it is nearly extinct in this area. Soon the passenger pigeon, as this species is known throughout the ornithological world, once the most abundant bird in North America, did become extinct, the last living specimen dying in 1914.
Hoffmann has no entry for the other common pigeon/dove of this area — called rock dove, rock pigeon or feral pigeon — often seen under bridges, around barns and on top of silos. These were European birds, Columba livia, brought over by the immigrants. The birds escaped from domestic, rooftop dovecotes and took to the wild probably around the turn of the 19th century. Their success is history. Most cities throughout the world now are rife with these pigeons often derogatorily referred to as “flying tree rats.”
The words pigeon or dove refer to the same birds, though the connotations are completely different. We do not ever hear of “mourning pigeons” or “feral doves.” Pigeons/doves from ancient times were symbols — depending on the cultural tradition — of love, fertility, longevity, faithfulness, of the Holy Ghost, of Christ, of purity, and, of course, of peace. It is the dove of peace, not the pigeon of peace.
Writers often refer to the kindness of doves, but the ferocity of pigeons, of doves with meek eyes, but pigeons with cold beady ones, of soiled doves, not soiled pigeons, of stool pigeons, not stool doves. Pigeons are thought to be the smartest of birds, the most versatile and the most adaptable. Carrier or homing pigeons were trained by the Ancient Greeks to transmit messages and even during World War II pigeons were used to bring vital information to and from the front.
After the French Revolution, the people insisted that all dovecotes be destroyed. The elite bred and hunted pigeons and doves, but did nothing to stop the birds ruining farmers’ crops.
Yet, rifle-slinging gunners are more likely these days to hunt mourning doves, not rock pigeons. Only nine states ban mourning dove hunting, including all of New England, New York and New Jersey. Seasons throughout the country may range from September through November, or December or January. The normal bag limit per day is seven per person.
Do these people feast on what they kill? Likely as not, it is primarily for sport, for it takes a very-skilled gunner to bring down a dove on the wing. They are quick fliers, twist and turn in flight, and soon are out of range. Fortunately, live mourning doves are no longer launched from traps for target shooting contests! Most now use clay pigeons — not clay doves.
Are these birds so abundant in field, farm and forest, that they can withstand a constant thinning of the population? Fortunately they are not colonial nesters like their long lost cousins, the passenger pigeons where hundreds were netted at a time while roosting. But neither are they prolific breeders. Mourning doves build really flimsy nests, lay only two eggs at a time and usually raise two broods during the summer.
BRAINY BIRDS
Pigeons were once a favorite test subject of behavioral scientists. Donald Blough supposedly taught his pigeons to recognize all the letters of the alphabet. What was the next step? A pigeon spelling bee? Algebra? Other scientists have proven that not only do pigeons see many more colors than humans, but they also see in slow motion. Not sure where that science was heading.
And who first taught that pigeon in NYC to ride the subway? No need to teach these smart creatures. These birds are not seeking a short cut from Main Street, Flushing to Times Square, but are following crumbs dropped by hungry subway passengers as they rush to catch the #7-Train. As soon as the birds are finished eating, they quietly await the opening of the doors at the next stop — minding the gap, of course.
Mourning doves may not hitch rides or act like Hansel and Gretel, but they are a pleasure to watch and listen to around the house!
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by johnnymarin | Dec 18, 2018 | Bird Deterrent Products
Dozens of birds in New Zealand have been found dead or injured with Christmas decorations tied around them, prompting calls for anyone with information on who is behind the cruel attacks to come forward.
The Royal New Zealand Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals(SPCA) said a number of sparrows and pigeons have been reported with “decorative trinkets” tied to them in the capital, Wellington.
Some of the animals died of starvation as they were unable to fly and find food, the SPCA said. The charity noted that while there had been similar incidents in the past, there has been a spike in sightings in recent weeks.
“Those that do survive and arrive at our centre are always in a very bad state, and are so malnourished and distressed that we have had to humanely euthanise them,” the SPCA’s spokesperson Paige Janssen told the BBC.
Janssen said there had been several reported cases of “decorated” birds since 2015 but the number of sightings had increased over the Christmas and New Year period.
“We received around 30 calls alone just over this period. They were multiple sightings of a dozen birds that are still mobile and flying around the Kilbirnie area that we are unable to reach,” she said.
On Wednesday a property was searched in an attempt to find the so-called Wellington sparrow killer and the local SPCA said it was looking for the suspect behind this “case of cruelty”. Last week it put out an appeal for information.
The SPCA general manager for the central region, Ros Alsford, told the New Zealand Herald that decorated pigeons were removed from the property on Wednesday, and brought to its hospital where they were given a check and had the trinkets removed.
She said the birds were incredibly distressed when first brought in but were fine now. “They were in OK health, the vets gave them a good health check. And once we removed the trinkets we sent them back to the property … The reason we did that is they were sitting on nests of eggs so we had to return them back to their nests.”
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by johnnymarin | Dec 17, 2018 | Pigeon Patrol's Services
During his 40-year career with The Florida Times-Union, Foster Marshall was known as an innovative photographer who came up with the idea of using a homing pigeon to carry film of a presidential visit from a locked-down naval base. A few of the memorable events Mr. Marshall photographed were the Roosevelt Hotel fire, the visits of six presidents, the arrival of the Beatles and Hurricane Dora. Mr. Marshall died on New Year’s Day of complications from pneumonia. He was 83. He retired in 1994 as assistant managing editor for graphics. In 1970 Mr. Marshall was the only still photographer to shoot the sinking of a Navy vessel loaded with nerve gas. He was the pool photographer for all newspapers and wire services. “We flew figure eights over the ship, waiting for it to sink for eight hours,” he said in a 1985 Jacksonville Journal interview. They had pulled the plug, but it just wouldn’t sink. Finally it just slipped beneath the surface to the relief of everyone.” In his younger years Marshall had a reputation for being ready to do anything “He did some hair-raising things,” said Stephanie Marshall, his wife of 58 years. “I would say, ‘Don’t tell me before you go and do these things. Just tell me afterward.’ ” During Hurricane Dora in 1964, she said, he was taking photos on the Jacksonville Beach Pier when the wind started dismantling some of the boards. Mr. Marshall said in an interview that he remembered being awakened by a phone call from the fire department at 4 a.m. on Christmas Eve in 1956 and told that a plane had crashed. The 17 people aboard had been killed. He said it had a psychological effect on him seeing the holiday presents strewn around the wreckage. Another unforgettable disaster was the Roosevelt Hotel fire that took 22 lives in December 1963. Mr. Marshall took a haunting black-and-white image of three firefighters hauling a stunned, soot-covered woman out of the hotel. Times-Union photographers Bob Self and Will Dickey, who were hired by Mr. Marshall, related the pigeon incident. President Ronald Reagan and wife Nancy had come to Mayport Naval Station in 1984 to attend a memorial service for the sailors killed aboard the USS Stark during an Iraqi missile attack in the Persian Gulf. The day before the visit, the newspaper was told that the Secret Service would restrict movement on the base until Air Force One had departed. Self, who was covering the service, wouldn’t be able to leave the base with his film in time for the afternoon deadline. So Marshall told his staff to find a homing pigeon. Robert Bernard, a Jacksonville pigeon racer, agreed to help. Photo editor Don Ray devised a mini-capsule that was attached to the pigeon’s leg. Self carried the pigeon in a ventilated box onto the base with his jacket casually draped over his arm. He got shots of the grim-faced Reagans holding hands as they climbed down from the plane. Self placed the film in the capsule and released the bird. The pigeon flew to Bernard’s home, where a newspaper lab technician was waiting to speed the film across the Mathews Bridge and into the newsroom to the cheers of staff. “Foster came up with the idea and it worked,” Dickey said, adding that the journalistic coup got a lot of press attention. Mr. Marshall was born in Jacksonville in 1935. While attending Andrew Jackson High School, he worked for United Press as a telephoto operator. After graduating from Jackson in 1954, he joined the Times-Union photo staff. Mr. Marshall was promoted to supervisor in 1966 and was named chief photographer in 1970. Mr. Marshall became illustration editor of the TimesUnion in 1979, assistant director of news illustrations for the Times-Union and Journal in 1980, director and then assistant managing editor for graphics in 1983. Don Burk, a retired Times-Union photographer who also was hired by Mr. Marshall, said he was an outdoors enthusiast who enjoyed fishing and hunting. Mr. Marshall once said the job gave him the opportunity to fish with Joe DiMaggio and Jack Dempsey and see the heavyweight champion of the world turn green from sea sickness. In addition to his wife, Mr. Marshall is survived by a son, Scott of Pensacola, two grandchildren and a sister, Marlene Mizell of Keystone Heights. There will be no funeral service. Burial will be private.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by johnnymarin | Dec 16, 2018 | Pigeons in the News
A leading British talk show Good Morning Britain piers Morgan live decided to plant himself on the shoulders of two pigeons. However, soon they made a real stir in the Studio.
The video with the funny incident was published on Wednesday on Youtube.
Reportedly, a couple of weeks before the fun event, the son of leading compared with the character in the movie home Alone-2 — with a homeless woman feeding birds in the Park.
Viewers of the show noticed that a Morgan is quite similar to the actress from the movie, and the joke. The journalist could not miss the occasion to laugh with himself and went on the air with two doves on his shoulders.
The rest of the bird was short-lived: first, one of the pigeons got the lead on the head and began to beat his wings in the face.
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Not all twins are able to live together until old age. But it is certainly not for British women, Phyllis Jones and Irene crump. Sister recently celebrated her 102 birthday. They are not going to stop. The twins are confident that together they can overcome anything.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by johnnymarin | Dec 15, 2018 | Pigeon Patrol's Services
Birds staged in the Studio real chaos.A leading British talk show Good Morning Britain piers Morgan (Piers Morgan) decided to sneer at a, seated on the shoulders of two pigeons.
Soon the birds were out of control and wreaked havoc in the Studio, writes the Chronicle.info with reference to Depo.ua.
A few weeks before the incident, the son of Morgan compared the leading character of the movie “home Alone 2” – s a homeless woman in the Park feeding pigeons. Viewers of the show decided that apparently Morgan is very similar to that actress, and supported the joke. The journalist also wanted to laugh at themselves, so appeared on the air with two birds on his shoulders.
The pigeons did not sit still: first one got Morgan on the head and began to beat its wings in the face. He then flew around the Studio and pooped on the papers co-host Suzanne Reid (Susanna Reid).
Soon in the frame were the owner of pigeons who tried to catch the raging birds. He came to the aid of even the master of the weather. In the end the man managed to throw pigeons on the net.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by johnnymarin | Dec 14, 2018 | Pigeons in the News
I sometimes take mothering to the extreme. In that I find myself mothering everyone and everything.
I have found myself saying, “Make good choices!” to a 50-year-old co-worker leaving for the weekend. Just last night, I made kissy noises while passing my daughter’s friend sleeping on the floor of her bedroom. And because I live with people that collect animals, I find that I mother dogs, cats, bees, ducks, pigeons, chickens, geese and the occasional turkey, too.
I do love animals. In fact, as a child I always told my mom I wanted to grow up and marry a farmer. So, it shouldn’t be a surprise that I want to see all animals healthy and loved.
Our one legitimate pet is a dog. Nellie knows that I will keep her fed and safe. She also knows most of the fun stuff (hunting) happens with the boys. If she’s hurt, though, she’ll come to Mom.
Then there were cats. There was a sweet kitty hanging around our house when the kids were young. Matt started feeding him. I warned Matt, “You cannot bring an animal into our lives and think I will just turn my back in the winter.” Pretty soon we were buying cat food, taking trips to the vet and cleaning out a kitty litter box in the garage. And once you have one cat … what’s one more?
I almost forgot the season of rabbits. We had quite a few rabbits one year. They were huge and pooped incessantly, and I mothered them right along until the end. And this is how it goes.
Suddenly, one day in the spring (it’s always in the spring), I come home to a box. Who knows what is in the box? It could be nearly anything. We don’t have a home for it, we don’t know what to feed it, we have no plan for it, but here it is: a rabbit or two or five. Then I diligently mother those animals; I feed them and care for them and love them and get attached to them and then, eventually they die. And the kids and I cry and next spring there is another box.
Now there are birds — all kinds of birds. Some I like and some I don’t. But still, I do not want to see them die on my watch. We currently have nine chickens, five ducks (courtesy of a box that Logan brought home) and about a dozen pigeons. We have made a decision to over-winter the chickens and ducks. I have agreed on the pretense that I am not responsible.
I did not think this decision through properly. Both Matt and Logan are gone deer hunting. Last night I spent some time installing a heated poultry fountain and chasing a duck around in the dark to get it safely inside for the night. This morning, Laura and I spent an hour shoveling a watery poop/hay mix out of the coop and improvising a new setup for the poultry fountain. Apparently the ducks do not understand I have Christmas presents to wrap. But I love them anyway. It’s what moms do.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by johnnymarin | Dec 13, 2018 | Pigeons in the News
A dog, pigeon, horse and cat all proudly wear PDSA Dickin Medals alongside members of the RAF, Army and Royal Navy.
To mark the milestone 75th anniversary of the PDSA Dickin Medal – the animals’ Victoria Cross – vet charity PDSA gathered the animal heroes together at the Imperial War Museum.
At the height of World War II 75 years ago, a messenger pigeon named Winkie became the first ever recipient of the PDSA Dickin Medal, which is awarded to animals that display conspicuous gallantry or devotion to duty while serving in military conflict.
Since then, the life-saving actions of 72 incredible animals have been honoured by the charity; 71 animals – 34 dogs, 32 pigeons, four horses and one cat have received the medal.
An Honorary medal was also bestowed to ‘the real war horse’, Warrior, on 2 September 2014, on behalf of all 16 million animals that served in the Great War.
Some of the incredible images were found by family history website Findmypast’s collection of historical newspapers.
They include 1945 photo of Beauty, the Wirehaired Terrier, receiving her medal for rescuing over 63 people and animals trapped under rubble during the blitz.
And Irma the Alsatian receiving her award for finding 233 buried blitz victims, of which 21 were found alive.
In one incident, she refused to give up on the scent of two little girls who were trapped under a fallen building for two days.
First recipients
The inaugural medal was presented on the 2 December 1943 to Winkie, alongside fellow RAF pigeons, White Vision and Tyke.
Winkie was on board a Beaufort Bomber that ditched in the sea after coming under enemy fire during a mission over Norway. Unable to radio the plane’s position, the stranded four-man crew released Winkie in an attempt to raise the alarm.
Despite horrendous weather and being covered in oil, she flew more than 120 miles home, where her owner was able to pass her message onto RAF Leuchars in Fife.
A successful rescue operation was launched within 15 minutes of her return. Her actions saved the lives of her crew.
Cologne the pigeon – DM26
Owned and trained by William Payne, World War II messenger pigeon Cologne was a veteran of more than 100 operations with the RAF.
He ‘homed’ from crashed aircraft on a number of occasions, but Cologne is renowned for one truly astonishing mission.
Carried by a Lancaster Bomber crew downed on a mission to attack the German city of Cologne to use the official National Pigeon Service title, survived the crash. Five of the seven crew died, and the remaining two crew members were captured.
Cologne, despite serious injuries thought to have been sustained during the crash, managed to escape and headed home to Nottingham – a distance of more than 450 miles.
The flight took two weeks in all and Cologne was discovered to have completed this phenomenal journey with multiple injuries, including a broken breastbone.
Here, the Workman is representing the 32 pigeon recipients of the PDSA Dickin Medal.
Simon the cat – DM54
In the summer of 1949, at the height of the Chinese Civil War, HMS Amethyst came under People’s Liberation Army artillery fire while cruising along the Yangtze river.
The ship received more than 50 direct hits and despite the efforts of a passing Navy Frigate to pull it to safety, the ship and crew members were stranded mid-river for almost 10 weeks.
Hot, humid conditions were the perfect breeding ground for a rat infestation. The already-limited food supplies were in danger of being completely destroyed.
Despite shrapnel wounds to his legs and burns to his back and face, ship’s cat Simon was all that stood between the rats and the crew’s essential supplies.
The rats were bold and had even attacked crew members, but this didn’t stop Simon from hunting them down. For protecting supplies and lifting his injured shipmates’ morale when accompanying the Maintenance Officer on his daily rounds, he was promoted to ‘Able Seaman’ in recognition of his achievements.
The only feline recipient, Simon received his PDSA Dickin Medal posthumously in 1949 and was buried with full military honours.
Gremlin the cat is representing recipient Simon.
Sasha the dog – DM65
Sasha and her handler, Lance Corporal Kenneth Rowe, were scheduled to return home from their tour of Afghanistan in July 2008.
However, Corporal Rowe was aware that no dog team would be available to replace them and volunteered to stay to help protect their colleagues. It was a decision that, tragically, cost both their lives the very next day.
Four-year-old Labrador Sasha and Corporal Rowe were a highly successful specialist arms and explosives search team.
They worked alongside the 2nd Battalion Parachute Regiment stationed at the Inkerman base in the Kandahar region. During their tour they were credited with 15 confirmed finds, including mortars, mines, ammunition and explosives.
On 24 July 2008 the unit was on patrol with Sasha and Corporal Rowe leading at the front, looking for IEDs when they were ambushed by the Taliban.
Sasha was shot and injured by a sniper yet, despite her injuries, managed to make it back to her handler. Sadly, this revealed Corporal Rowe’s position and he was subsequently killed by a volley of rocket-propelled grenades.
On return to Britain, a parade in their honour took place in Royal Wootton Basset following a private repatriation service held at RAF Lyneham.
Sasha was posthumously awarded a PDSA Dickin Medal on 21 May 2014.
Pictured today is PDSA Dickin Medal recipient Mali the dog.
Sgt Reckless the horse – DM68
The Korean War included some of the fiercest combat in military history. Originally bred as a racehorse, Sgt Reckless – called after the nickname used for the ‘Recoilless Rifle’ she carried ammunition for – joined the Anti-Tank Division of the US Marines in October 1952.
She completed gruelling missions in mountainous terrain and often freezing conditions. Despite constant enemy fire and numerous hazards, including shell craters and barbed wire, Reckless carried out her duties and quickly became a much-loved, morale-boosting comrade.
During Battle of Outpost Vegas in March 1953, she made 51 supply trips to the frontline in five days – carrying more than 386 rounds of ammunition weighing around five tonnes in total – through steep mountains and open paddy fields.
Constantly under fire and facing up to 500 rounds per minute, Reckless was wounded twice.
She bravely transported multiple casualties to safety on her return trips. After loading up with ammunition, she repeated the process: again, and again and again. How many lives she helped save is unknown.
On 15 June 1957 she was promoted to ‘Sergeant Reckless’ in recognition of her combat record. She was posthumously awarded the PDSA Dickin Medal on 27 July 2016.
Warrior the horse – DM (Hon)
Known to many as ‘The horse the Germans couldn’t kill’, Warrior’s story is one of the most remarkable tales of animal bravery and endurance to emerge from the Great War.
General Jack Seely left his home on the Isle of Wight in 1914 to take command of the Canadian Cavalry Corps. His beloved horse Warrior, a thoroughbred stallion, travelled to the Western Front with him.
Over the next four years, Warrior witnessed the full horror of war during major battles, including the first day of the Battle of the Somme and the muddy hell of Passchendaele.
Trapped in burning stables twice, buried in rubble and mud, and regularly subjected to intensive attack from machine guns and mortar shells, Warrior survived it all.
In March 1918 he led a cavalry charge against the Germans at Amiens, which proved to be one of the most crucial battles of the whole campaign and helped bring the end of the conflict closer.
Warrior was posthumously awarded the Honorary PDSA Dickin Medal on 2 September 2014 to mark 100 years since the start of the Great War.
The only recipient to pre-date the Medal’s institution in 1943, he received the Medal on behalf of all animals that served.
Metropolitan Police Horse Upstart represents the four horse recipients of the PDSA Dickin Medal.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
