by Ryan Ponto | Feb 27, 2017 | Bird Netting
Flying rats spreading filth and disease or just wild birds as deserving of our concern as any others?
Views about pigeons have always been divided, but does anyone really understand the law when it comes to controlling them?
This week I witnessed an old fellow brazenly flouting the law. Even after I pointed out what he was doing he simply ignored me and carried on.
Openly feeding pigeons on the street from two huge bags of grain, he refused point-blank to accept what he was doing was wrong.
The trouble is, when I pointed out his actions to a passing police officer he simply advised me to mind my own business and not to get involved.
If we’re not prepared to enforce our laws you have to ask what is the point in having them?
Surely controlling pigeons benefits everyone and by not taking action against these anti-social, irresponsible people who feed these birds we are condoning their actions, justifying what they are doing and encouraging the spread of disease.
Pigeons are recognised as pests right across the country, but the UK doesn’t have any law forbidding the feeding of wild birds. Instead, we rely upon a hotchpotch of bylaws drawn up and overseen by borough councils which adopt wildly different approaches to the issue.
Some don’t even recognise the problem while others not only make it clear it is illegal to feed them but actually offer advice on how to kill them as humanely as possible.
I think it is high time all councils in our area published their policy and their bylaws very clearly on their websites so everyone knows where they stand.
A lonely woman who said she fed pigeons in her garden because they were the only company she could get was fined £2,300 after her neighbours complained and she refused to stop feeding them.
Meanwhile, Beryl Withers, 81, who’d just finished a sandwich, emptied out the remaining crumbs for the birds. Council wardens told her she was breaking the law and could face a £2,000 fine – in the end she had to pay £50.
So, in theory anyone who leave titbits out on a bird table could end up being fined.
All this while, the guy I saw in the town centre goes on unquestioned.
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 Ryan Ponto | Feb 26, 2017 | Bird Netting
A pigeon problem in Ventnor could soon be resolved thanks to one unlikely deterrent.
Ventnor Town Council has employed Rentokil Pest Control to bring in a Harris Hawk to soar through the skies of the town to scare off the birds.
In recent weeks, the town has seen an influx of the pigeons, so the hawk “Sharka”, has been brought in to help.
Layla Bennett, from Rentokil Pest Control, said:
“There are a number of different methods that can be used for pigeon control, some of those are lethal, the council would prefer to stay away from lethal methods if possible. We’re looking at, first of all, to use hawks to disturb the pigeons, instead of killing. There’s also methods that involve netting or spiking but these can be quite unsightly.
“Shaka is a male Harris Hawk and he will be literally present in the area, flying around under the control of his falconer and that will deter the pigeons wishing to live here. We are yet to create the bird’s management plan but I expect he will be required between once or twice a week.”
For residents who may be worried about red squirrels in the area, Layla has this message:
“Your red squirrels are exceptionally safe. Our hawks are what we call ‘social imprints’, which are used to being hand-fed by people. The hawk will return to its falconer for a gift of food. He’s not a hunting birds he won’t catch any red squirrels. I’m a huge admirer of red squirrels myself.”
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 Ryan Ponto | Feb 25, 2017 | Bird Netting
RAND earned a shot at its fifth successive premiership with an 88-run win over Brocklesby in the preliminary final at Rand on Saturday.
After winning the toss and batting, the Pigeons made 181 and dismissed their opponents for 93 in the 21st over.
Brocklesby started the chase well with Jordan Schilg (27) and Matt Kelly (23) putting on 54 for the opening wicket.
But Kelly’s dismissal triggered a dramatic collapse with the visitors losing 10-39.
James Kreutzberger ran out Schilg soon after and Will Swift took the prized wicket of Mitch Koschitzke for two when he trapped him leg before wicket.
Swift, Brayden Lieschke, Nathan I’Anson and Mark Kreutzberger grabbed two wickets each.
Mark (54), James (33) and Chris (36) Kreutzberger led the way with the bat for Rand.
Burrumbuttock will host Rand in Saturday’s grand final.
by Ryan Ponto | Feb 24, 2017 | Bird Netting
PESHAWAR: Pigeon lovers here on Sunday held race of their pet birds by releasing the specially trained racing pigeons from Jehlum district to cover a distance of around 295 kilometres for returning home in Peshawar.
“The wining pigeon covered the specified distance in three hours and fifteen minutes and reached to Aswa Baba area on Warask road near Chaghar Matti,” informed Jan Muhammad, a pigeon lover and organiser of the event.
Talking to APP, Jan Muhammad said his pigeon won the competition and he has been awarded with a trophy.
He said in all a total of nine pigeon lovers participated in the competition by releasing their birds in Jehlum.
Jan said he released his 13 pigeons in the race and all returned to home while the winning bird reached in three hours and 15 minutes.
He also informed that another race was also held in Gujar Khan in Rawalpindi to Peshawar which was won by the pet of Shamshad Khan of Hassan Gharhi area.
In that race, my pigeon reached a minute late, Jan informed.
Jan said in the pigeon race a special breed of pigeon, known in local language as Qasid (messenger) Racing Homer, participates.
The pigeons of other breeds cannot travel such a long distance and only the Qasid breed has the ability to reach home by travelling hundreds of kilometers distance, he explained.
Competing pigeons were especially trained by the owners by releasing them frequently from the distance starting from 10 kilometer to hundred of kilometres, Jan added.
He said in the beginning, the pigeon was released by the owner from Pabbi, which is around 13 kilometres from Peshawar, and later the distance was increased with the passage of time.
Usually, a pigeon released from Faisalabad reaches Peshawar in six to eight hours. The time it takes to cover the specified distance is measured and the bird speed of flying is calculated and compared with all of the other pigeons in the race to determine which bird returned the earliest.
The winner of a pigeon race is the bird with the highest velocity, he reiterated.
In response to a question as how it is judged that which bird reach at which time, Jan said every pigeon carries a code number tied in his leg and as the bird reach home, the owner inform the organiser and his claim is ascertained by tallying the code.
Jan said objective of holding pigeon race is to encourage bird lovers who have preserved this past practice, dating back to 220 AD or possibly earlier.
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 Ryan Ponto | Feb 23, 2017 | 4-S Gel Bird repellent
IT is not often one takes notice of a pigeon, but with the help of kindhearted Karyn Lund and a small push from social media, a six-week old racing pigeon was returned to its owner.
Something happened during one of its first flights, forcing it to land. With his luck he landed in food heaven, the Campus Cafe at Curro HCA High School. “Being a huge animal lover, cruelty-free living is my family’s thing, I Googled what the right thing to do was. Apparently homing pigeons like to hang out for a few days and then sometimes make their way home,” said Karyn Lund, the tuckshop owner.
The pigeon, nicknamed Mr Snax due to his love for popcorn and fries, found that Karyn’s handbag was the perfect place to nest. “Without wanting to be too invasive I eventually coaxed him into allowing me to pick him up. I retrieved the number off of the ring on his foot and asked for help on Upper Highway Info. Within minutes I had located his dad, Bruce Symons, and he is happy and back home with his pigeon friends,” said Karyn.
The Highway Mail caught up with Bruce to find out more about the sport of pigeon racing. The 40-year-old father of two is a member of the Hillcrest Pigeon racing Club which has 12 members, who are better known as pigeon fanciers. “The sport has been going on for hundreds of years and the local club has been running since 1976. In the old days it was called the poor man’s horse racing, It isn’t so much like that anymore as it definitely isn’t a cheap sport now,” he laughed.
What inspired you to get into pigeon racing?
When I was a child I had pigeons and it was a passion. I started racing in 2002 and there’s a drive to get better and better.
How do you train a pigeon?
It starts at home. When April arrives we chase the pigeons out the loft and do that for a couple of days. When they fly away from home we call it ranging. They then get their bearings right. The training consists of a 30km trip, then 50km, 90km. 120km and then 150km until we have the long training toss, sometimes ranging up to 800km. The birds fly back home from a certain point.
What is the worst part of pigeon racing?
Breeding the babies and the natural predators catch them. It is heartbreaking when you lose them. We lose about 40 per cent of our pigeons to wildlife.
What is the most rewarding part of racing for you?
When the pigeons come home. When that pigeon comes back, he has not only come back home but he has come back for you. I get goosebumps every time.
What three words would you use to describe the sport?
Rewarding. Exciting. Humbling.
Has a pigeon never returned before?
It does happen where a pigeon doesn’t come back. They could have been caught or killed and some of them just decide they don’t want to race anymore and become commons, a feral pigeon or rats of the sky.
What is the average time you need to train a pigeon?
To train a pigeon to fitness you only need six weeks.
Which breed of pigeon works best in the races?
The pacific racing pigeon as they have more muscle and better brain capacity.
How many pigeons do you currently own?
I have 130 babies and about 50 old birds.
Describe your typical competition day:
I am generally pacing up and down. Get a bottle of wine from my wife and we put on a potjie or braai.
Complete this sentence: Pigeons are… “the athletes of the sky.”
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 Ryan Ponto | Feb 22, 2017 | Animal Deterrent Products
It’s a last opportunity to qualify for the Pertemps Final at Haydock on Saturday but there may be an unusual element to this particular Qualifier with virtually none of the field likely to actually secure a run at the Festival unless they can up their ratings by a couple of pounds with a big run.
Mydor just about falls into category, having been handed a British mark of 133, whereas 135 has been the bottom-rating for the Final for the last three years. However, the Irish pigeon is adamant that Tony Martin’s runner he can overcome that problem by scoring here under Brian Hughes.
He hasn’t always been the most consistent performer, but cheekpieces have improved his application of late and he ran particularly well at Leopardstown on his latest start.
Warrantor is a young stayer who is still to produce his best over fences and should reward an each-way interest in the Betfred Grand National Trial at Haydock on Saturday.
Warren Greatrex has always held a candle for the eight year old despite the gelding’s somewhat patchy career so far over the larger obstacles. However, his two performances this season, a close second in a valuable handicap at the Open meeting at Cheltenham in November, and a respectable fifth on the same course on New Year’s Day suggest he is progressing nicely.
His stable are now in much better form than at any stage of the season, and he is likely to be well at home on what is likely to be dead tacky ground.
Fletchers Flyer has had his problems this winter, but he deserves his place in the line-up for the Reynoldstown Novices’ Chase at Ascot and should prove hard to beat. Harry Fry has some attractive targets for this highly-talented gelding upcoming, and he showed he can hold his own against top company when winning a handicap at the Punchestown Festival as a very raw novice.
The fact that the victory came during the embryonic stages of this campaign means he still qualifies for a race like this, and, not for the first time, this looks a relatively weak race for Grade Two level.
Beyond Conceit can retain his 100 per cent record over hurdles in the Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle on the same card. A smart performer on the Flat for Andrew Balding, he made light work of the opposition on his hurdling bow at Newbury four and a half weeks ago. Nicky Henderson is looking at one of the novice events at the Festival for the eight year old in just over three weeks’ time, and has given him a nice break since the win to try and ensure he is at his most potent for this very important warm-up race.
Divine Spear, a stablemate of Beyond Conceit, is improving with racing and he is fancied to add to his Fontwell win over Christmas in the Les Ambassadeurs Casino Handicap Hurdle. He still showed signs of inexperience when a staying-on third at Cheltenham last time, and should give promising claimer Ned Curtis another great ride in this open-looking race.
At Wincanton, Ben Pauling’s Whin Park was not unfancied when down the field in a bumper at Warwick on his debut and he should go well at a decent price in what looks a weak race for the Betway National Hunt Novices’ Hurdle.
There are two all-weather cards in Britain on Saturday and both could prove unusually informative as we move into a stage of the year when the major Flat stables are getting ready to fire their guns again.
Flight Of Fantasy was unlucky to get collared at Kempton last time, having seemed as if she had put the race to bed at the two-furlong pole and plenty will fancy her to gain appropriate compensation in the 32Red Maiden Fillies’ Stakes at Lingfield.
However, there’s a good word for the unraced First Moon, with Josephine Gordon aboard, as she makes her debut in the same race for Hugo Palmer. A Khalid Abdullah-owned filly, she reportedly excelled in a recent gallop.
Amy Murphy has proved a profitable trainer for Catching Pigeons readers to follow in recent weeks and she introduces Gwendolyn on her first run for the yard in the Betway Dash Handicap.
This is Gwendolyn’s third Newmarket yard and she hasn’t joined the stable looking especially well-handicapped, but there must be the possibility that she will find improvement for the in-form Murphy and could be worth a small bet if the price is right.
The two Jamies, Osborne and Spencer, are a very successful combination when they get together and should go close with Hungarian Rhapsody in the 32Red Maiden at Kempton on Saturday evening. The son of Exceed And Excel carries the familiar white colours of Michael Buckley, and has shown enough at home to suggest a bold show on his first racecourse appearance.
Queen Odessa beat the very highly rated Kayf Grace in a bumper last season and she should step up on her only outing so far this term in the 32Red Casino Mares Only Novices Hurdle at Market Rasen on Sunday. Although she has not seen action for three months, she should be fit enough and this looks a run-of-the-mill event.
There are few more popular horses in Newmarket than Stand Guard, who already holds the honour of having won more All-weather races in Britain than any other horse.
He’s 13 and clearly getting no quicker in his old age but John Butler believes there might just be a little more juice to be squeezed from these pips and he was a shade unfortunate to get undone by a ridiculously slow early gallop at Kempton earlier this week.
Stand Guard has an entry at Southwell on Tuesday and at first glance looks to have been found a very good opportunity to win again on a surface where he has plenty of old form in the book.
Claimantakinforgan will not have been missed much by racecourse commentators during a mid-season break, but this impressive Haydock bumper winner is held in high regard at Seven Barrows and his cheery fan club are looking forward to seeing him back in action, perhaps as early as this week
He is better than his most recent outing at Ascot suggests and is back in good form on gallops after his mid-term hols.
The valuable £50,000 Goffs Bumper at Newbury just after Cheltenham could be an early lucrative spring target.
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 Ryan Ponto | Feb 21, 2017 | Bird Deterrent Products
Council chiefs in Stoke-on-Trent have defended spending £75,000 on tackling the city’s pigeon problem.
Latest figures show that the council spends more than any other authority outside London on ridding the streets of the winged menace.
In the last three years, Stoke-on-Trent City Council has spent £75,000 on a range of measures including pigeon-proofing buildings, clearing up pigeon mess and removing dead pigeons.
A spokesperson from Stoke-on-Trent City Council said: “We have a duty to ensure our city is clean, well maintained and attractive for residents, businesses and visitors.
“More than a third of the money we have spent in the last three years has gone on permanent, long-term solutions to protect our buildings.
“This will create a cleaner and healthier environment for everyone and preserve the heritage of our city.”
Technical officer at the British Pest Control Association Natalie Bungay, said: “Pest control will be carried out against pigeons when complaints from the public come in.
“People don’t like to see them and complain about being swooped on and the mess that they create.
“This is a large problem throughout the country, but councils deal with them in different ways.
“The councils want to protect their buildings from the mess that pigeons make.”
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 Ryan Ponto | Feb 20, 2017 | Bird Netting
LAHORE – At least five persons received bullet wounds as two groups clashed over pigeons’ race in Kahna police precincts yesterday evening. The victims were shifted to a hospital where the condition of one of the injured was said to be serious till late Sunday night.
Heavy police contingents reached the spot and arrested six men in connection with the fatal shooting. Police said that two groups opened fire on each other as they clashed during the pigeon race. As a result, five people sustained bullet wounds. Four of the injured were identified by police as Asif, Aslam, Sharafat, and Nafees. The police also registered a case and were investigating the incident.
Kite flying
Many people defied the police crackdown and continued kite-flying in various parts of the provincial metropolis yesterday.
A police spokesman on Sunday said that at least 107 persons were arrested by police during the crackdown launched across the city to implement the ban on kite-flying. The police also filed more than 90 cases against the violators under the kit-flying act.
In 2005, Pakistan’s Supreme Court had banned the spring festival over a number of deaths caused by the use of sharp and glass coated strings. The festival of kite-flying was completely banned across the Punjab province
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 Ryan Ponto | Feb 19, 2017 | Pigeon Patrol's Services
SAO PAULO, Brazil — A pigeon in Brazil was busted for trying to smuggle a cell phone into a Sao Paulo state prison.
Guards at the Franco da Rocha prison caught the pigeon with a cell phone strapped to its body. Prison officials believe the bird was trying to deliver the phone to an inmate.
The guards were tipped off to the scheme when they saw several inmates running around trying to capture the pigeon.
Once guards captured the bird they discovered it carrying a small pouch containing a cellphone and battery.
Officials said they are investigating which inmate was behind the failed cell phone scheme.
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 Ryan Ponto | Feb 18, 2017 | Pigeon Spikes
High above Cambridge’s Trinity College, a hawk has swooped on the hapless bird as it perches on the college clock.
But the bird of prey got stuck behind the giant minute hand as it ticked towards 4.30pm – halting the century-old timepiece for more than three minutes.
Cambridge University engineering expert Dr Hugh Hunt, a fellow at Trinity, spotted the attack and posted pictures of it on Facebook.
He said: “Hawk eating pigeon on my clock dial, oblivious of looming minute hand. Will probably stop the clock.”
It did. College members who look after the pendulum-driven machinery later said on the Trinity website: “Quinn the Harris Hawk ate a pigeon and got stuck behind the minute hand, causing a 186-second stoppage.”
Several members were deployed to reset the clock and do “a top-up wind.”
Later Dr Hunt posted a diagram showing how the clock’s pendulum was affected, captioning it: “The amplitude of swing of the pendulum from yesterday afternoon. Definitely disturbed by the carnage.”
The clock is housed in one of the oldest buildings in Trinity, King Edward’s Gate, originally the entrance to King’s Hall, which joined with Michaelhouse in the 16th century to become Trinity, then called the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity.
The current clock was installed in 1910, and is unusual in that it chimes the hour twice.
The first chime is a low note, and is called the Trinity Chime, and the second is a higher one, the St John’s Chime. William Wordsworth, a St John’s alumnus, mentioned it in his 1850 poem The Prelude:
“Near me hung Trinity’s loquacious clock,
Who never let the quarters, night or day,
Slip by him unproclaimed, and told the hours
Twice over with a male and female voice.”
Birds of prey have been visiting Cambridge’s high towers and spires regularly. In the past few years, peregrine falcons have been seen nesting on top of the University Library and other tall buildings.
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 Ryan Ponto | Feb 17, 2017 | Pigeons in the News
VISITORS to Paignton saw nature red in tooth and claw when a magnificent sparrowhawk swooped down to feast on a pigeon lunch.
The bird of prey enjoyed its kill on the pavement in full view of busy shoppers on Hyde Road.
These images of the hungry raptor were captured by David Knowles, a member of Newton Abbot Photo Club, who was visiting the town on Wednesday.
He said: “It was amazing. There were a few people looking through a window and a scattering of feathers.
“She was clearly hungry as she allowed me and a number of other members of the public to get quite close and was totally unperturbed by us.
“It is a bit bloody but this is nature in the raw. It is why animals come in all shapes and sizes and why they all have a place on the planet.”
This particular spciment is a female sparrowhawk which is up to 25 per cent larger than males. The Latin name is accipiter nisus.
PC Josh Marshall, Totnes-based wildlife crime officer, said: “Whilst it could be considered a gruesome picture this is also a fantastic spectacle of nature. Sparrowhawks when found like the one pictured can be unusually accepting of human presence for such a wary bird. This is a sight often seen by persons who feed birds in their back gardens as sparrowhawks often hunt in these areas as a number of songbirds are attracted to food sources placed out by homeowners.
SPARROWHAWK FACTS:
Diet consists of primarily of birds.
Sparrowhawks regularly hunt in back gardens where they use their fast and agile flight to ambush songbirds taking them with their feet.
Female birds can take prey items up to the size of a woodpigeon. They will pluck the prey (as in this photo) prior to eating it.
Male birds show a rufous colour to the breast and have blue/grey upperparts.
They nest in May in coniferous/deciduous plantations where they lay 4-5 eggs, incubation lasting 33 days. The young are fed on small birds brought by both male and female birds and remain in the nest for around 30 days.
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 Ryan Ponto | Feb 16, 2017 | UltraSonic Bird Control
London boroughs spend the most to rid their streets of pigeons and gulls of anywhere in the country, it has been revealed.
Council spending on bird control across England has almost doubled over the last three years, new research shows.
The Borough of Southwark spent by far the most on bird control compared to other English councils, forking out £393,000 since 2013.
The next biggest spender was the Borough of Hackney which spent £162,000.
The third was the Greater London Authority which spent £137,000 on pigeon-proofing.
Analysis of data provided by the two thirds of English councils which responded to the BBC’s Freedom of Information (FOI) request, found that overall spending rose from £452,000 in 2013-14 to £830,000 in 2015-16.
Most councils said they used spikes on buildings to deter pigeons and gulls from landing, others said they used hawks or trained marksman to control bird numbers.
The British Pest Control Association told the BBC they thought the increase in spending might be due to the greater understanding of the diseases carried by the birds.
Experts warn that while pigeon-proofing may be the most humane way to control bird populations it may just move the problem elsewhere, as they simply move to an adjacent building or street.
But the Royal Society of the Protection of Birds said it “would always advocate non-lethal measures in the first instance.”
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 Ryan Ponto | Feb 15, 2017 | Animal Deterrent Products
Memes are a curious thing. They seemingly spring out of nowhere, dominant social media and often just as quickly and without warning, go away.
However, the latest meme to dominant Facebook is truly baffling. At least with past memes like Rick Roll’d, Pepe the Frog, Crying Jordan, or Super Bowl riffs, it’s pretty easy to figure out their origin stories.
So, what exactly is that head-banging bird you’ve probably been seeing all over your favorite Facebook pages?
World, meet Trash Dove.
The animated GIF was created by artist Syd Weiler and offered as a digital sticker pack. The Daily Dot reports that it really first took off as a meme in Thailand, though it’s unclear exactly why. In an interview, Weiler didn’t exactly clear things up, saying:
“Pigeons are such strange birds, they have very beautiful mottled, shimmery feathers, but they waddle around and bob their heads and beg for crumbs. They’re like beautiful doves, except they eat trash.”
Um, ok?
One Reddit user offered a theory:
“As for how it is popular, it is because some people somehow found the sticker (this one in particular) very annoying (well including me). Many other people think the sticker is cool and/or it’s funny how someone got annoyed over this and began spamming with it in comments section. This went viral when popular Facebook pages joined the spamming festival and soon enough it’s all over Facebook.”
And there’s no denying the Trash Dove has become near omnipresent and therefore quite annoying to lots and lots of people. So annoying that someone named Adam Lockwood started a Change.org petition to have it banned from Facebook – one that already has more than 10,000 digital signatures. As the petition language explains:
Remove the purple bird from Facebook, it’s constantly spammed in the comments and must be stopped, if you only sign one petition today, make it this one! #MakeFacebookGreatAgain !
Until then, you might have to start getting used to the annoying little purple bird head banging through the comments section of all your favorite sites and message boards.
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 Ryan Ponto | Feb 14, 2017 | Pigeon Patrol's Services
The amount spent on ridding streets of pigeons and gulls has almost doubled in the past three years, it has emerged.
About two-thirds of England’s councils responded to a BBC information request on bird control.
Their responses reveal the amount spent rose from £452,000 in 2013-2014 to £830,000 in 2015-2016.
The British Pest Control Association said the increase in spending might reflect a growing awareness of public health risks posed by some birds.
The figures come about two years after then Prime Minister David Cameron called for a “big conversation” about gulls in the wake of attacks on a dog and a tortoise in Cornwall.
Of the 103 authorities that specified the types of control methods used, 12 said they employed marksmen to shoot pigeons, 12 used hawks and 46 used spikes to discourage pigeons landing.
Scottish councils spent £950,000 over the past three years compared with £43,000 in Wales and £9,519 in Northern Ireland.
The biggest spender on bird control is the London Borough of Southwark, which has shelled out £393,000 since 2013.
Stoke-on-Trent City Council had the biggest spend outside of London, with £75,000 since 2013, followed by West Sussex County Council which spent £65,000 and Portsmouth, which spent £63,000.
Money spent by councils on bird control ranges from approaches such as pigeon-proofing buildings to clearing up pigeon guano and removing dead pigeons.
But some types of bird control – such as pigeon-proofing – simply move “problems on” to another building or area, said Dee Ward-Thompson, technical manager at the British Pest Control Association.
“If you totally exclude them rather than control the population, they sometimes just move to an adjacent building.
“What we are seeing more often now is landowners coming together to deal with issues collectively.
“In London, they are trying to exclude gulls from all of the buildings because otherwise they will just be moving the issue on.”
Common control methods used in England
- Netting, which prevents birds getting on to buildings
- Spikes to deter birds
- Bird wire
- Hawking
- Decoy birds of prey
- Electric shock systems
- Shooting
- Trapping
- Egg removal and egg pricking or egg oiling (to prevent hatching)
Pigeon control was usually carried out on public health grounds, she said, while gulls were targeted by some authorities because they can be aggressive.
Ms Ward-Thompson, who said bird control activities must be carried out by professionals because of the various laws involved in protecting animals, said she was unaware of a growing issue with birds that could explain the doubling in spending over three years.
Falconer Mark White, of East Anglia-based Step Pest Control, said councils were increasingly using non-lethal methods of bird control.
He uses a combination of methods ranging from netting and spikes to special gels which look like fire, hawks and even a high-powered laser beam.
“A lot of people think we in pest control use hawks for killing. It is in fact the complete opposite – we use the birds for disruption and discourage killing as much as possible.”
The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds said it “would always advocate non-lethal measures in the first instance”.
The RSPCA said: “The most humane way of deterring birds is to remove what attracts them to urban areas – mainly food or shelter.
“Means of doing this can include reducing food availability, or preventing them from accessing roofs or other areas where they could cause disturbance.
“If deterrence methods and all alternatives fail, and there is a proven case for control methods, we urge people to use only humane methods and trained, experienced professionals.”
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 Ryan Ponto | Feb 13, 2017 | Pigeon Spikes
London boroughs spend the most to rid their streets of pigeons and gulls of anywhere in the country, it has been revealed.
Council spending on bird control across England has almost doubled over the last three years, new research shows.
The Borough of Southwark spent by far the most on bird control compared to other English councils, forking out £393,000 since 2013.
The next biggest spender was the Borough of Hackney which spent £162,000.
The third was the Greater London Authority which spent £137,000 on pigeon-proofing.
Analysis of data provided by the two thirds of English councils which responded to the BBC’s Freedom of Information (FOI) request, found that overall spending rose from £452,000 in 2013-14 to £830,000 in 2015-16.
Most councils said they used spikes on buildings to deter pigeons and gulls from landing, others said they used hawks or trained marksman to control bird numbers.
The British Pest Control Association told the BBC they thought the increase in spending might be due to the greater understanding of the diseases carried by the birds.
Experts warn that while pigeon-proofing may be the most humane way to control bird populations it may just move the problem elsewhere, as they simply move to an adjacent building or street.
But the Royal Society of the Protection of Birds said it “would always advocate non-lethal measures in the first instance.”
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 Ryan Ponto | Feb 12, 2017 | Bird Deterrent Products
IF YOU are one who enjoys reading the comments on Facebook posts, chances are you have come across a headbanging purple bird.
The meaning of the purple bird is very confusing with the meme going from innocent sticker to a right-wing symbol used by fascists and Neo-Nazis.
Originating from Florida artist and Adobe creative resident Syd Weller, the “Trash Dove” is part of a sticker set featuring a large-eyed purple pigeon in various situations — most notably the bird vigorously thrashing its head up and down.
The sticker suddenly went viral after being featured alongside a dancing cat on a Facebook page with millions of followers.
After going viral, Trash Dove became the focus of dozens of memes and fan art, which includes porn based on the purple pigeon.
But now the symbol has moved past light trolling and is considered to be an alt-right meme used to spread neo-Nazi propaganda.
A campaign dubbed “Operation Nazi Bird” from 4chan’s /pol/ message board — the epicentre of far-right extremist activity — was responsible for the shift.
The campaign called for the alt-right to use the bird to clog up the comment section of prominent leftist Facebook pages.
Users are also being encouraged to start photoshopping Trash Dove into images of Nazi propaganda, with users quick to comply.
Is the Trash Dove meme a symbol for Neo-Nazis?Source:Supplied
While not everyone associates the meme with Nazi propaganda, it’s apparent some people have been taking the bait.
People are starting to get upset over this meme.Source:Supplied
So in closing, Trash Dove started as a simple Facebook sticker, before far-right trolls on 4chan attempted to make it a neo-Nazi symbol. Where it will go to now is anyone’s guess.
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 Ryan Ponto | Feb 11, 2017 | UltraSonic Bird Control
This week’s bird mystery is the opposite of the one presented here last week. Last week, we had a bird that was seen and not heard; this week, we have a bird that was heard but not seen.
The sound was a kind of cooing, or perhaps hooting, that I heard while I was sitting at my desk last month. At first, I thought it was the mourning dove on the battery-driven bird clock that my Secret Santa gave me at a Herald holiday party a decade ago.
Yes, the clock is still working.
I even went downstairs to check if the hour was right.
But then I heard the cooing sound again, not on the hour and not at nearly the same time as I had heard it the first time.
The mystery deepened.
I considered the possibility that the sound could be coming from a mourning dove. Mourning doves have been known to winter here, but they are not hardy birds, mostly because their feet freeze. This leaves them unable to forage, and they starve to death.
This has been a tough winter.
So probably not a mourning dove.
Besides, the sound wasn’t quite right. The cadence was different. It had a slightly hollow sound, unlike the rich, full cooing notes of the mourning dove.
Other possibilities
So, then I wondered if it could be an owl. This is the season for owls. They’re establishing territories and establishing themselves ahead of the breeding and nesting season. There’s been a great-horned owl hanging around my place. Great-horned owls are mostly nocturnal, but it wouldn’t be impossible for an owl to be calling, especially on an overcast, gray February day.
An owl then.
Another possibility I considered was the rock dove or common pigeon. I rejected that out of hand, again because the sound was wrong and because pigeons are show-offs, seldom bothering to hide themselves. Plus, they usually occur in crowds.
So what’s left?
There’s one other possibility, and that must have occurred to some of you.
But I rejected the Eurasian collared dove because I hadn’t seen the bird, and if a collared dove were around, I would expect it to be feasting at my feeders, but I never caught it there.
Collared doves were a possibility, I knew. They’ve colonized many of the small towns in northeastern North Dakota, where they often scavenge spilled grain near elevators. I’ve had many reports from people entertaining collared doves at feeders in small towns, and some from larger communities such as Devils Lake and Grand Forks.
But I’d never heard any from the countryside.
So I was predisposed to doubt the bird could be a collared dove.
But that is what it turned out to be. I know this because I encountered two of the birds when I walked up to the mailbox late one morning. Actually, it wasn’t so much of an encounter as it was a “fly by.” The birds were heading west at velocity, moving from one sheltering evergreen to another on the other side of the yard.
There was no doubt they were collared doves. They were doves, clearly, by the elongated shape of the body and the pointed wings. They were not mourning doves because they were too large. Plus, they showed off the telltale sign of collared doves, the collar itself. This is a narrow black band at the back of the neck that is usually pretty easily seen.
The collar separates the collared dove instantly from the other doves that occur here. The rock dove is a plumper bird with shorter wings. It occurs in a broad color range. The mourning dove is similar to the collared dove in shape and general habits, but it is a more richly colored bird, brown overall but with subtle shades of tawny and rust. Plus, it has a decidedly pointed tail, giving it a kind of arrow-shape pattern in flight.
The Eurasian collared dove is a plainer bird overall, usually appearing dull gray or off white, but sometimes showing some shades of brown or even pink. It has a square tail. Importantly, too, it has outsized bright legs and feet, bright red in color—tough looking feet. These may be the assets that allow collared doves to survive winters in the Red River Valley.
The collared dove is a relatively recent immigrant, arriving in the United States about 1975 and in North Dakota in 1999. It’s become pretty well established—and for me from now on an expected, not a surprising, species.
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 Ryan Ponto | Feb 10, 2017 | Pigeons in the News
Fifteen pigeons were released around 7.30 am at the Kilinochchi railway station in celebration of the 69th Independence Day on February 4 and the birds returned to their home in Wattala with messages of peace and unity and of course phone numbers so Loni de Lanerolle could call the dignitaries still somewhere in the North to say their messages were received.
The whole trip took the pigeons less than four hours. Attended by religious heads, the Government Agent S. Arumainayagam and senior police officers, the event was organized by Loni de Lanerolle, a pegion fancier, who is an animal enthusiast and trainer of racing pigeons since childhood.
He hopes to revive the spectacle of messenger pigeons by carrying out a series of such events across the country. We were greeted by Papaya the macaw. The blue-yellow-green beauty had a lousy loud call that totally contradicted its good looks. But it was quite harmless despite its inquisitive bahaviour. Two beagles (dogs) were dozing off in a coop and it was the two Chihuahuas (breed of dog) who announced our arrival with barking and tail wagging at the same time. A few tortoises were doing their lawn rounds and the place was a mini zoo. Apparently pigeons were not Pigeon-man Loni’s only interest. He is an all-round animal enthusiast.
The pigeons were in coops while some were perched on a wooden bird perch. They were robust and the plumage around their necks glittered in sea green, pink and brown the likes of which can only exist in nature.
Their living room had the ambiance of an upcountry cottage, or one of those quaint old houses you find only in old English novels. The living room had wooden carpetted floors and one wall consisted of photographs that spanned six De Lanerolle generations. The only thing that was missing was a fireplace. Loni and his wife Monika designed their house in Wattala together. A photograph of two riders on a beach adorned another wall and with muscles gleaming and horses’ hooves splashing on the water, the photograph taken with an Instamatic camera was very lively. Loni once owned a stable with 16 horses and had previously won the Governer’s Cup. Now the stables have been replaced by a tea factory, owned and run by the Lanerolles. Loni’s olfactory senses have gone for a six because of the tea. “I was the first one to flavour tea in Sri Lanka,” informs Loni. Back in 1981 he worked with tea for many hours in his room, due to which he effectively loss his sense of smell.
He was the first to import a thoroughbred in 1996. One of Loni’s sons took to horses and is the only British qualified horse trainer in the country also known as BHSI or British Horse Society Instructor who trains members of the island’s Mounted police. “When the other kids were getting ready to go to school, my kids were out riding on the beach or learning how to bait a hook at 3am in the morning,” said Monika. That’s all their parents were interested in, the great outdoors.
“My boys can shoot,” said Loni who recalled that one of them won the Junior Nationals.
“Whatever the father did the boys also followed suit,” chipped in Monika.
When asked how she put up with a house full of people who loved the great outdoors, Monika said, “I was the only child in my family and when I married Loni it was like taking over a farm. His parents were only too glad to get rid of his pigeons and ponies,” recalled Monika laughing.
In fact, Loni bought a pair of eagles with his first salary. He bought a pony next. At one time he had owned 21 Persian cats. Ever heard of geese guarding houses? Loni’s geese do. They previously owned a watch dog in the form of a blue coot as well. “Whenever someone came to our house the blue coot would fly from its watch post and peck the visitor’s toes,” said Loni. He revealed that geese are equally territorial, guarding their home against any intruder. He owned a pair of carrier pigeons when he was very young and recalled famous stories of pigeons been used to send messages from the frontline to the main camp during wars.
Loni’s 30-strong flock consists of birds of documented champion bloodlines from Germany and Switzerland and claims that they have never fallen ill. His flock is given special vitamins imported from Australia and a special concoction of bird feed made from various grains, such as Kollu and corn according to his own ratios. “It’s an instinct,” says Monika. “He just knows what to give the birds.”
Loni can identify each bird just by looking at it. And he knows what to give them. If they look a little tired or dozing off, he gives them more Kollu as it gives them more energy.
Loni had his first pigeon trial in Puttalam against his father’s warning that he’d lose the birds. But Loni trusted his featured companions more than anyone else. It was a rainy day and the pigeon returned the following day. But he also lost a few. Once Loni released some of his pigeons at Elephant Pass and his gardener filmed the whole episode. Loni did not realize that a falcon swooped down on one of the birds which he knew only after viewing the video footage.
Ten years ago one of Loni’s friends in Germany sent him eight pigeons. They were able to get them cleared from Sri Lanka Customs, but two escaped while in quarantine. A month later his friend from Germany called to ask him whether he let two birds out in Frankfurt. Apparently they escaped from Colombo and flew 10,000 miles back to Frankfurt.
Being a hunting man Loni bagged many migratory ducks in Puttalam. “These ducks are ringed with markers and they come from Siberia which is much further than Germany. But racing homers (pigeons) are much faster than ducks”, said Loni. Loni uses his pigeons to deliver messages only when the occasion calls for it especially when there are dignitaries and the release of pigeons is deemed necessary as a symbol of peace and unity.
“Most of them (dignitaries) don’t believe that pigeons can actually carry messages. So when the birds fly back with the phone numbers and we call them, they are quite shocked,” said Loni. “Sometimes the pigeons have beaten the dignitaries to Colombo.” The trick of the trade is to keep the ladies at home, something that most pigeon breeders know. But Loni has gone a step further and usually keeps the males and females in separate cages. The night before they are to be let out he allows the lads to meet their ladies. Once they are released, whether it’s Colombo or Kilinochchi or Point Pedro, they find their way to their partners.
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 Ryan Ponto | Feb 9, 2017 | Pigeon Spikes
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — Pigeons are disappearing from New York City streets, but not for natural reasons.
As CBS2’s Valerie Castro reported, some say the birds meet a violent death across state lines after being illegally snatched up in broad daylight.
Pigeons are affectionately – or perhaps derisively – called flying rats. Indeed, they may not be the most beloved New York City wildlife.
But the NYPD said removing them from city streets is illegal.
That has not seemed to stop one man, who was seen trapping at least a dozen unsuspecting birds in Greenpoint, Brooklyn earlier this week.
“It’s really bizarre,” said one woman who witnessed the trapping.
The woman, who does not want to be identified, said birdseed was used as a lure
“With a massive net — looked like a big butterfly net — he captured a bunch of pigeons and threw them in to a van, and then drove off,” she said.
Someone who appeared to be the same man was captured on cellphone video in the East Village last year, walking away with a net full of birds.
In the most recent incident, he was seen on surveillance video walking down the sidewalk with the large net and he appeared to pounce on the unsuspecting birds just around the corner. Another angle showed some pigeons fluttering away after the net was thrown.
The man hurries across the street with his catch to the waiting van.
“It’s obvious that he knew what he was doing was wrong, and he was probably doing something kind of nefarious with the pigeons and that’s why he didn’t want to be caught,” the woman said.
The Humane Society of the United States said the practice is an ongoing problem.
“Pigeon netting has been going on for some time,” said Brian Shapiro of the Humane Society.
The Humane Society claimed the pigeons caught in New York are sold across state lines to Pennsylvania, one of the few states that allows live pigeon shoots.
The practice is controversial, but legislative bills to end it in that state have never passed.
“I think it’s more than coincidence that whenever we see events happening in Pennsylvania, that we hear of pigeon nettings happening here in New York City,” Shapiro said.
The Humane Society of the United States said there is a bird shooting event in Pennsylvania this weekend. But where the birds are coming from is unclear.
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 Ryan Ponto | Feb 8, 2017 | Pigeon Patrol's Services
A couple of weeks ago, a feral pigeon arrived on my doorstep, and forced me to reconsider some cherished preconceptions.
It had been attacked, by a cat, perhaps by a gull. All its tail feathers were missing, raw flesh was exposed on its rump. When I tried to shoo it away, it couldn’t, or wouldn’t, budge.
Why was I shooing it away? Well, I like to think I take a tough-minded attitude to these things. Wild animals kill and eat each other all the time. An injured pigeon is a meal for some other hungry creature. Part of me thinks we should never interfere in these interactions.
Victims of predators are generally weak or sick. Predation not only feeds the attacker, but benefits the health and ultimately the evolution of the prey species.
However, that rational but rather cold Darwinian argument seemed less and less compelling, every time I stepped over the unfortunate bird. It had an uncanny way of catching my eye with its own tiny green one. I don’t delude myself that it was asking for my help, but it was certainly suffering.
And there just didn’t seem to be any good excuse for not helping a suffering being.
Unlikely to survive
But I had a tough-minded way to deal with that notion too, though it didn’t last more than a few minutes. I assumed, for no very clear reasion, that the pigeon was most unlikely to survive. Therefore I should just put it out of its misery.
But how? I’ve wrung a blackbird’s neck after hitting it with my car, many years ago, but a subsequent effort to kill a pigeon in similar circumstances turned out disastrously. No point in making this one’s suffering any worse…and upsetting myself more, if I’m honest.
So, hours later than I should have, I began googling emergency vet numbers. One referred me to Kildare Animal Rescue. That seemed like too long a shot for a Stoneybatter resident, but within 20 minutes a trained volunteer arrived from nearby Cabra to take the pigeon away. To my surprise, it has not been euthanised, but is apparently making a full recovery. It may soon be returned to its natural urban habitat.
Curious to find out more, I went to see the Kildare foundation for myself. It was founded in 1994 by Geraldine O’Hanlon, who still runs it. My guide was Dan Donoher, who has worked at the wildlife unit full time for 15 years, after volunteering aged 17. His commitment and practical, professional approach were evident.
The foundation is near Kildare town, in a farmhouse surrounded by outbuildings, many of which are occupied by dozens of abandoned pets. These are rehabilitated and, where possible, offered to new homes.
But the wildlife unit is different, orientated towards eventual release. It had 43 inmates when I visited. We started in the hospital section, where injured animals are confined in small cages for recuperation, often after surgery by specialist vets.
Two buzzards, each with a wing in an incongruously coloured vetwrap sling, glared at us when Donoher pulled back the curtain on their cages. The centre has nursed a dozen of these large birds of prey back to health recently, largely due to a spate of shooting incidents. This seems to have been sparked by sensational media reports claiming falsely that they kill pets and livestock.
Poisoned prey is a problem too, and children at Scoil Bhríde in Kilcullen were amazed to find a very sick buzzard staggering around their school yard one morning last year. They contacted the centre, and the bird recovered in its care.
The children were then able to witness the stirring spectacle of the bird their school had saved taking to the air again.
The hospital section also contained a rook, a rabbit, feral and wood pigeons and a collared dove, a mallard, a black-headed gull and a blackbird. All had been found injured by members of the public, sometimes passed on by the National Parks and Wildlife Service. This agency has statutory responsibility for injured wildlife, and licences every individual cared for by the centre.
Climate
There was a severely underweight hedgehog, apparently tricked by this very mild winter to emerge too early from hibernation. It had found few worms, snails and insects to build up its strength again. Its plight is probably another indication of the myriad impacts of our changing climate.
Out in a larger recuperation unit, the animals have much more space to exercise, before moving to an outdoor area that is the last stage before release. However, in some instances, such as foxes found as cubs, an inmate is assisted through a further stage with a mobile post-release shelter. This is placed out in the wild, and they can come and go to be fed until they learn to hunt for themselves.
Donoher says the centre has monitored several of its releases, including badgers and pine martens, through radio-tagging, and they generally appear to survive and thrive. See badgerdiary.net/the-beginning/
The only other full-time worker at the centre is Michael O’Toole. Like Donoher, he describes the work as very rewarding, though not, he concedes, in financial terms. “There are other riches in life,” he says.
There were three volunteers working there the day I visited. Martina Broughall is a nurse, and gives up her free Saturdays plus a morning a week to work there. There were also two transition year students, Lauren Reynolds from St Conleth’s Community College in Newbridge, and Lisa Lyons from Scoil Mhuire in Clane.
They spoke with infectious enthusiasm about their work. “It’s much more interesting than working in retail or something like that,” said Lauren. “We got to hold a ferret, see foxes up close.”
“I was surprised by the buzzard,” says Lisa. “I never knew we had such big birds of prey.”
They say the experience is leading them to consider careers involving “something in the line of animals.”
I left feeling more than a little humbled. There are more paths into engagement with nature than birding, botany, ecology and conservation activism. And Darwinism doesn’t offer helpful answers to every encounter with a wild animal.
Finding help for injured animals
“We can’t keep up with the demand,” says Emma Higgs, director of Wildlife Rehabilitation Ireland. She now logs up to 4,000 wild animal casualties a year, far more than the National Parks and Wildlife Service, overstretched as ever, had been aware of.
Higgs is a veterinary nurse who set up this group to co-ordinate the activities of people who want to help injured wild animals recover, from individuals to institutions such as the Kildare foundation.
WRI has organised 17 training courses for 20 people each over the last five years. Higgs is working full time pro bono, but aims to set up a wildlife rehabilitation and teaching hospital eventually.
If you find an injured animal, before taking any action you should contact one of the WRI contacts list
And, as spring comes on, do remember that fledgling birds and young animals that may appear abandoned are actually in the care of a nearby parent, and are best left well alone.
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)
