Pigeons are a facet of New York City life that are so ubiquitous that you probably wouldn’t even notice if one or two or a dozen of your neighborhood flying rats went missing. Which seems to be the theory a man wandering around Greenpoint is counting on, considering that earlier this week he was seen snatching up pigeons in a huge net. And sadly, it’s probably not because he’s just a very eager pigeon trainer.
According to CBS2, at least one witness saw a man place down birdseed as a lure on a Greenpoint street, lunge at the pigeons who came to eat it with a big butterfly net and then quickly take his net full of pigeons into a van. The anonymous witness’ account is corroborated by surveillance footage from the area, which shows the net-wielding man leap off the screen and re-appear with a net full of squirming birds. Other footage from the same block, taken at the same time, shows startled birds flying away from something, but the actual trapping of the birds wasn’t caught on camera.
“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 witness told CBS.
She was right to assume the man was up to no good, since as we went over that time someone was suspected of stealing all the pigeons from Washington Square Park, the birds are most likely brought across state lines to Pennsylvania, where they’re used as live target practice. Pennsylvania is one of the few states that still allows the birds to be used as live target practice according to CBS. Even if the man didn’t have a nefarious end for the pigeons, it’s still illegal to trap the birds in New York City without a permit.
Last year, a similar-looking man from the CBS story was seen stealing pigeons off the street in the East Village, before throwing the squirming bag of birds into a van:
The practice of illegally trapping pigeons became enough of an issue that people put up flyers decrying the practice, one of which a tipster sent Gothamist in 2015:
One thing I know for sure: This dude better pray that Mike Tyson doesn’t catch him stealing 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.
POOLE is one of the biggest spenders on bird control in England, according to new figures.
According to data from a Freedom of Information request by the BBC, the authority has spent £45,060 over the past three years on measures to control pigeons and gulls.
This places it 14th on a table of the biggest spenders, although some way behind leader the London Borough of Southwark which has spent more than £390,000 since 2013.
Speaking to the Daily Echo, a spokesman for the authority said it spends £24,000 per year on bird control at its waste transfer station.
Councillor John Rampton, cabinet member for environment, said: “It is a requirement of the operating licence of the Waste Transfer Station to control the bird presence on site.
“Without controls in place we would be in breach of the site licence and at risk of prosecution.
“The use of a licensed bird of prey is an industry standard way of managing birds and is the most humane way of controlling their numbers at the site. Other deterrents are unable to be used in this case due to the proximity to protected land and wildlife.”
The bird of prey is not released and is simply used as a deterrent.
It is not clear whether or not Bournemouth council has responded to the FOI request, but the authority was unable to provide figures to the Daily Echo on Friday.
A spokesman said: “Our pest control team now only has one person – this means that a lot of the work to control birds in the town centre is subcontracted out to the private sector.
“We cannot touch gulls anyway as they are a protected species.”
The BBC report found the amount of money spent nationally among two-thirds of England’s councils had doubled from £452,000 in 2013-2014 to £830,000 in 2015-2016.
Of 103 authorities that explained what methods of control they used, 12 said they employed marksmen to shoot pigeons, 12 used hawks and 46 used spikes to discourage pigeons landing.
Gulls, in particular, have been the subject of much discussion in recent years due to rising reports of them attacking people and pets. Herring gulls are listed as a vulnerable species and protected.
In August last year Bournemouth councillor Michael Filer said the authority had few powers to interfere with the birds, limited to using netting and wires in highly populated areas and potentially removing eggs from nests – a process described as expensive.
Natural England published advice on gull control in 2015, saying local authorities should use netting to discourage birds from nesting in specific areas, keep food waste facilities secure and discourage the feeding of birds by members of the public.
A general licence is in place allowing councils to remove the nests and eggs of gulls where they pose a risk to “public health and safety”, and it also allows for the “lethal control” of black-backed gulls.
Last week it was reported that “vigilantes” in Berwick-upon-Tweed have been arming themselves with guns and carrying out their own gull cull.
Conservative MP Anne-Marie Trevelyan said the impromptu pest control was “appreciated in some quarters” but “brought the risk that people are having to take the law into their own hands to deal with these really difficult and aggressive birds”.
Like all wild birds, gulls and their eggs and nests are protected from the public under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
According to environment minister Therese Coffey the government has commissioned research to look into contraceptives for gulls, but there are no plans to change their legal protection.
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.
The fate of Abbotsford’s urban pigeon prohibition is still unclear after council received a report last week that noted the bird ban aligns with the city’s current zoning bylaw, but that those regulations are currently under review.
The issue was raised last fall by Gurbir Brar, who raises pigeons and says the bylaw banning them is irrational and unnecessary.
Brar told council in October that other jurisdictions, including Calgary and Surrey, allow the keeping of hobby pigeons in residential areas, without a problem. He compared pigeons to cats, and said the birds – when properly trained – are much less disruptive than felines to the surrounding community. He was accompanied by more than a dozen fellow pigeon fanciers.
Staff were directed to prepare a report, which was presented to council last week.
In it, assistant planner Nick Crosman notes that pigeons are currently defined as poultry, rather than pets, and thereby are an agriculture use. Currently, residential zones don’t permit such uses.
But the city’s zoning bylaw is currently undergoing a revision to align it with the 2016 Official Community Plan. That document would seem to be more friendlier to pigeon-rearing, and includes a statement that suggests council consider allowing “urban agriculture activities that encourage self-sufficiency.” Pigeons and backyard fowl aren’t mentioned in the OCP.
The updated zoning bylaw will come to council for approval or revision. Any changes would require a public hearing.
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.
Sunday was not just the polling day for Old City. It was also a day for setting up the traditional weekly ‘kabootar mandi’ (pigeon market) on the lane that runs adjacent to Company Bagh. Despite the poll fever, which had the entire city in its grips, the spirit of the pigeon handlers remained high and they turned up in good numbers to purchase the birds of their choice.
It is believed that the ‘kabootar mandi’ is the preferred destination of pigeon handlers from all parts of the country. “‘Shauk badi cheez hai’ (hobby / interest means a lot). That’s why we are here all the way from Varanasi to buy pigeons of a specific breed,” said Mohammed Salman, a pigeon handler fond of ‘Kabootar-baazi’ (pigeon racing).
The sport, said Salman , is an age-old tradition from the time of the Nawabs and the Mughals, who started and promoted the practice. “It is as common as reading, listening to music, swimming or any other hobby,” Salman told HT.
This pigeon market too is an old one, going back to the times of the Nawabs. It includes some 100-odd makeshift shops, neatly arranged alongside the road. They sell a variety of pigeons, including some much sought-after species. “We deal in all varieties, including Bedag, Ambarsaria, Saldaar, China, Shajahanpuri, Hara Shajahanpuri, Girabaaz and many others,” said Shahbaaz Khan, a shop owner.
Each variety has its own speciality, he added. “The key factor that guides a handler’s preferences is the pigeon’s ability to fly for a long time. Girabaaz can fly non-stop for 12 hours. It’s the most preferred species and costs around Rs 1,200-10,000,” said Khan.
Javed Khan, a pigeon handler who bought birds worth Rs 23,000 on the day, said, “Generally, there are two sports that are common among pigeon handlers. In one, the competing handlers will set of their group of pigeons (both groups having equal number of birds). While coming back, whichever group has more pigeons in it, that handler wins the contest. The second type involves solo flight – where only one pigeon per handler is set off. In this, the ability of the pigeon to fly for a long time will ultimately decide who gets to be the winner,” he explained.
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.
SINGAPORE — When it comes to managing Singapore’s animal population, culling will be done only as “a last resort”, said Minister of State for National Development Koh Poh Koon in Parliament on Monday (Feb 20).
He was responding to questions by Member of Parliament (MP) Louis Ng (Nee Soon GRC) and Non-Constituency MP Daniel Goh in relation to the culling of 24 free-roaming chickens in the Sin Ming area, which had sparked a public outcry recently.
Dr Koh pointed out that the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) had found that the free-roaming chicken population in the Sin Ming area had “more than doubled” in the past two years, from about 20 in 2014 to 50 last year.
Given that chickens are more susceptible to bird flu, compared to other birds such as pigeons, and can transmit the virus to humans, Dr Koh said the AVA decided to remove some of the chickens, and to keep their population close to the “baseline level”.
When asked by Mr Ng for the number of people who complained, rather than the number of complaints relating to the chickens in Sin Ming, Dr Koh disclosed there were three people who complained in 2014, five in 2015 and 13 people last year.
Countering suggestions that the chickens could have been easily relocated to the wild, such as in Pulau Ubin or other forested areas, Dr Koh said this could create a situation of inter-breeding, thus adversely affecting the genetic stock of the endangered species of red junglefowl, which are found in Ubin and the Western Catchment area.
And while rehoming of chickens is a possible solution, it cannot be done in the same way it is done for cats and dogs, since the fowl cannot be housed in Housing and Development Board flats and they also carry the risk of transmitting avian influenza.
However, Dr Koh said that the AVA acknowledged that engagement and communications with residents and other stakeholders on the Sin Ming chickens issue “ought to have been better managed”.
Adding that there is no “magic number” on what the threshold figure should be before the authorities decide to cull, and citing a lack of specific recommendations on when to cull free-roaming chickens when there is no bird flu infection, Dr Koh reiterated that the AVA takes a “calibrated and measured approach” to reduce the risks posed to public health.
To find the best way to manage the population of free-ranging chickens and other birds, the AVA is currently undertaking research with academics, wildlife experts and other public agencies, he added.
For instance, in January last year, the authority initiated a study with the National University of Singapore to better understand the ecology and population of selected bird species, such as free-range chickens, in Singapore.
Separately, in response to another parliamentary question filed by Dr Lee Bee Wah (Nee Soon GRC), Dr Koh said the AVA received about 21,000 cases of bird-related complaints in the last three years, mostly related to the feeding of pigeons by the public, and pigeon nuisance.
Beyond reducing cases of birds feeding on leftover food in hawker centres, Dr Koh cited other solutions to the problem, such as bird deterrent gels, oral contraceptives for pigeons, and fogging trees to deter mynahs.
However, in situations where the authorities perceive the risk is high or there is a higher incidence of bird flu around the region, for instance, they might have to step up measures “more aggressively”, such as culling these birds to reduce the risk.
“Clearly, there is no perfect answer. If you want a perfectly safe environment, then yes, we should go all out, guns blazing, to remove every single bird from the sky of Singapore.
“But that’s not a practical approach … You can cull a thousand birds today and tomorrow, another thousand will fly in from somewhere else … So, it’s something we have to take a practical view and escalate when necessary,” Dr Koh 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.
Doha: A race of carrier pigeons were held recently from Al-Qassim in Saudi Arabia to Hazm Al-Markhiya in Doha.
The 800-kilometre challenge was organized by the carrier pigeon section of Youth Hobbies Center, which comes under the Ministry of Culture and Sports.
The popular race saw 16 competitors with 222 carrier-pigeons taking part.
Setting a record, the pigeons reached the destination at the Youth Hobbies Centre building at Hazm Al-Markhiya in Doha on the same day starting from Al-Qassim, Saudi Arabia.
One of the participants from Qatar said: “The record and the enthusiasm of participants in this race may help to developing this hobby in the country.”
Ali Al Ajmi came first in the challenge with his champion pigeon. Injaz Loft with two pigeons stood second and third. Pigeon of Khaled Al-Emadi was fourth, Katara Loft fifth, Rawdat Al Hamama came sixth and pigeons named Darb Al Saei took positions from seven to eleven.
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.
Hackney Council’s proactive work to rid the streets of pigeons and gulls has made it the second biggest spender on bird control in the country.
Figures obtained by the BBC show the town hall forked out £162,683 between 2013 and 2016 on ridding streets of pigeons and gulls, second only to Southwark.
The sum has been put down to the town hall staying ahead of the problem.
Neighbourhoods and parks boss Cllr Feryal Demirci, said: “Our in house pest control team proactively deals with pigeons on our 35,000 council homes as well as private homes and commercial premises.
“Prevention is better than cure, so last year we installed pigeon proofing measures on over 500 buildings.
“This means we get relatively few complaints about pigeons from residents, as we try and sort the situation out before it becomes too serious.”
Dee Ward-Thompson, technical manager at the British Pest Control Association, said proofing was the ultimate way to tackle the problem.
“It’s the best solution,” she told the Gazette. “Proactive work is the right way to go about it and we fully support that. “But if you do one building it can encourage them to move on to the one next door. What a lot of councils are doing is working with other building owners to proof as many as possible.”
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.
Some prison guards intercepted a pigeon trying to deliver a cellphone to inmates inside a facility in Brazil, corrections officials in the country have said.
The Department of Penitentiary Administration said guards at the Nilton Silva prison in Franco da Rocha spotted some inmates attempting to catch a pigeon that was wearing a vest-like garment apparently designed for smuggling contraband into the prison.
The guards intercepted the bird and discovered the vest contained a cellphone and battery.
In a similar vein, Telegraph reports that, two carrier pigeons carrying mobile phones to detainees at a prison in Sorocaba, 62 miles from Sao Paolo, were intercepted.
“Penitentiary agents found the pigeons outside the Danilo Pinheiro prison but, fortunately, the birds did not have time to enter the prison building with the material,” said Rosana Alberto.
Each pigeon was carrying a small bag containing a mobile phone and charger, she said.
The birds were caught on two successive days, last Wednesday and Thursday, February 9 and 10.
The use of pigeons to smuggle contraband into jail is the latest twist in a ongoing struggle by criminal networks to deliver forbidden goods into Brazil’s prisons.
Criminal organizations like “Red Commando” in Rio de Janeiro or the “First Commando of the Capital” in Sao Paulo, which are well established in the detention centres, have extensive supply networks.
In the past they have use accomplices, from lawyers to corrupt prison guards, to smuggle in banned substances, weapons and mobile phones to the detainees, according to the police.
The goods are then traded or used to organise crimes from inside the jails.
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.
A PERSISTENT pigeon feeder has vowed to continue his hobby despite being fined £300 by a court and warned he faces jail if he continues.
Paul Charlton is known as the ‘Pigeon Man’ in Bath, Somerset, where he draws large crowds by allowing dozens of birds to balance on his arms and head.
Last year he was slapped with a Community Protection Notice by the council but was convicted of breaching it on a number of occasions.
He has now been handed a two-year Criminal Behaviour Order and warned he will be hauled back before magistrates and jailed if he breaches it.
But Charlton, 42, claims that feeding the birds is his ‘profession’ and he is refusing to pay the fine or stop encouraging the airborne menaces.
He told Bath Magistrates’ Court: “I’m going to carry on feeding the pigeons. I will have to go to prison before I give you a single penny.”
Charlton was spotted breaching his order on three occasions – May 9, May 10 and September 23 last year.
He denied three counts of breaching the notice against him but was convicted in his absence on November 21.
Last year the birdman was slapped with a Community Protection NoticeThe eccentric performer earns a living by balancing pigeons on his arms, shoulders and head and gives members of the public grain to feed them in exchange for coins.
Speaking before the sentencing, he said: “This has been my job for the past four years. It is how I pay my rent and my bills. I make a living out of it.
“It’s my occupation whether people want to see it as an occupation or not. It makes people happy.“
Charlton, 42, claims that feeding the birds is his ‘profession’Barrister Carrie-Ann Evans, acting for Bath and North East Somerset Council, told the court: “He understood what was required of him to stop feeding the pigeons.
“Despite this he carried on feeding the birds and providing grain.”
She also read out a victim statement from the manager a café by the Roman Baths, who said: “Paul Charlton feeds the pigeons directly outside my premises.
“We have a responsibility to make sure the tables are clean and hygienic.
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.
MOSUL, Iraq – For the first time in over two years, flocks of white and grey pigeons can be seen circling Mosul’s rooftops.
Among the many rules imposed by the Islamic State group when it seized the northern Iraqi city was a ban on breeding or flying the birds, which many Iraqis keep as pets or raise for food. The extremists feared young men practicing the hobby would neglect their religious studies or spy on female neighbors from the rooftops.
Many Mosul residents slaughtered their flocks or confined them to cages, fearing detention or death if they were found out — but 17-year-old Mustafa Othman couldn’t bring himself to do it.
“I couldn’t bear locking them up, my heart wouldn’t allow me to do it,” he said. “They were created to fly.”
Othman would sneak upstairs to feed his birds. He couldn’t clap or yell to fly them in formation, but he left the hatches open so they could come and go.
“Every time he came up here, he risked his life,” said his brother, Afan. “It’s crazy, but he loves them.”
Othman’s father gave him his first birds when he was just 11 years old. He always loved animals, and the pigeons were one of the few pets his family allowed him to have in their small home.
Their rooftop and the balconies betrayed other secrets kept from Islamic State militants, who overran Mosul in the summer of 2014 and imposed their harsh version of Islamic law.
The Othmans threw a blanket over a satellite dish near the pigeon coop, so they could keep up with the news. They hung thick curtains across balconies so that women in the family could water plants and hang laundry without wearing the all-encompassing veils mandated by the extremist group.
When Iraqi forces at last drove IS from the neighborhood earlier this month, Othman celebrated their liberation by releasing his birds into the smoke-filled sky. “All I felt was happiness,” he said.
Today, the birds share the skies with U.S.-led warplanes and Iraqi helicopters, as Iraqi forces work to drive IS out of the remainder of the city. Over the last three months, they have fought their way from the east to the Tigris River, which divides the city in two, but IS still rules western Mosul.
“Sometimes, birds we don’t know land on our roof and they have cigarettes tied to their ankles,” said Younis Fathi, Othman’s uncle. He assumes the birds are used by smugglers to reach IS-ruled neighborhoods, where smoking is forbidden.
The streets below Othman’s rooftop betray the heavy toll the war has taken on the city. Buildings are flattened, walls are pockmarked and bridges destroyed. Just across the street, the bodies of two IS militants have been left to rot in a building destroyed by an airstrike.
But Othman mostly looks upward where the birds wheel overhead in formation.
“I would have died for them,” he says. “But we survived.”
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.
The success of a pollution-fighting pilot program involving pigeons and the Internet of Things has taken flight in a big way. This month, it has expanded to involve humans. The Pigeon Air Patrol recruited about 100 volunteers in London to wear air quality sensors.
But this newest phase never would have happened without the innovative thinking of Pigeon Air Patrol creator Pierre Duquesnoy. Duquesnoy, who works at the London office of marketing and technology agency DigitasLBi, says he came up with the notion of giving pigeons connected air sensors as part of a Twitter contest called #PoweredByTweets, in 2015.
He took part in the contest with his then creative partner, Matt Daniels. „At that point I was learning about air pollution,” he says. „I had read a few papers on the subject, and one said there was a need for more data about the problem in London.”
See also: Tech and the environment
The city has a number of met stations that provide very exact readings, he says. But they are in fixed places, so cannot track air as it moves around. Since people cannot see the dirt and poisons in the air, it is hard to get them to react to it.
„It’s a problem that you can’t see,” says Duquesnoy. „And that means people don’t think about it. I thought: ‘How could we wake people up and at the same time get more data?’” The Pigeon Air Patrol concept woke people up enough to win one of two first place prizes in #PoweredbyTweets. At that point, though, it was just a concept. Duquesnoy was not sure if it would go any further.
Then Duquesnoy took a phone call from a Paris-based startup called Plume Labs, which is working towards cleaner air around the world. Plume had an ultra-light air quality sensor. Would he like to use it for the Pigeon Air Patrol? Duquesnoy leapt at the idea.
But he soon found that hooking pigeons up to a data capture system was easier said than done. For a start, the birds had to be happy flying with sensors on their backs. That meant stripping the already small sensors down to their bare basics, to make them as light as possible. Then tiny jackets had to be built in order to hold the sensors in place. The Pigeon Air Patrol team worked with a racing pigeon owner and a vet to train 10 pigeons to fly with the sensors.
The team released the birds from a number of points around the city, at the height of rush hour every day for a week. The effort paid off.
For the first time, the sensors measured ozone, nitrogen dioxide, and volatile compounds, giving the team important data to show pollution levels right across the city.
The pigeons provided data over the mobile phone network that would have been hard to get any other way, especially since the use of drones is controlled in London. The birds crossed London in about half an hour, a fraction of the time it would have taken to cover the same distance at ground level, and showed pollution levels in the sky above Londoner’s heads.
Perhaps the biggest gain of all, though, was that the Pigeon Air Patrol campaign helped turn air pollution tracking into a top news item. Major news outlets, from The Guardian to CNN, ran the story. As a result, Plume Labs was able to secure people and funding for the next phase of its fight against pollution. This involves having humans wear the sensors, and getting data on an ongoing basis rather than just for a week.
The people phase kicks off in January, and will involve more complex sensors. London’s Imperial College will provide data analysis. In the meantime, the feathered heroes of the Pigeon Air Patrol have gone back to normal life in the loft.
But Internet of Things (IoT) expert Dima Tokar, of MachNation, says there are plenty more networked animals springing up in their place. „In the farming industry, several firms are developing solutions for livestock management,” he says. „In the consumer space, there are a variety of connected solutions for pet tracking.”
Other connected-animal applications include using sensors to track and protect endangered species from poachers and rogue hunters, and even a Dutch company that trains birds of prey to hunt down hostile drones, Tokar says.
„Creating new revenue streams and driving down costs are major benefits that are driving the adoption of the IoT,” he says. „All industries, including those working with animals, are likely to be revolutionized.”
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.
The Border Security Force (BSF) on Monday seized 20 pigeons and arrested a smuggler from West Bengal’s Nadia district, an official said.
Acting on a tip-off, troopers at Vijaypur border outpost in Nadia district staged an ambush and apprehended a person with 20 pigeons in a plastic bag, the official said.
“A person named Samarjit Biswas (21) Awas arrested near the international border at Vijaypur and 20 pigeons in a plastic bag were recovered from him,” R.P.S. Jaiswal, DIG PRO of BSF South Bengal Frontier confirmed.
Stating the pigeons would be handed over to the Zoological garden in Kolkata’s Alipore, the officer said the BSF has recovered several protected wildlife animals including 88 birds of different species, 70 snakes and 74 Indian spotted turtles from the smugglers in the last one year.
In a separate raid, another smuggler was arrested by the BSF personnel from Nadia district’s Mahakhola border with two gold biscuits weighing around 200 grams.
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.
Bath’s Pigeon Man has appeared in court to learn his punishment after continuing to feed pigeons despite a community protection notice ordering him to stop.
Paul Charlton was fined £300 and ordered to pay £300 costs and a victim surcharge £30 after being convicted of three charges of failing to comply with the community order.
The defendant was also handed a criminal behaviour order which will last for two years.
In those two years the pigeon man must not provide food for members of the public to feed the birds – and he must also stop feeding them himself.
If Charlton breaks the CBO by continuing to feed the pigeons, he could face time in prison.
The 42-year-old got his nickname thanks to his act of balancing pigeons on his arms, shoulders and head and giving members of the public grain to feed them in exchange for loose coins.
Despite being hit with a large fine and the threat of prison, Charlton told Magistrates: “I’m going to carry on feeding the pigeons.”
He also said he would not pay his fines and that “I will have to go to prison before I give you a single penny.”
Last year, Charlton was issued with a community protection notice by B&NES Council ordering him to stop feeding the pigeons.
But on May 9, May 10 and September 23 he was seen by council officers to be carrying on his act.
Charlton denied three counts of breaching the notice against him, but was convicted in his absence on November 21.
The defendant appeared for sentencing in Bath Magistrates’ Court on December 19, but the case was adjourned until today (January 23) pending a psychiatric report.
Just 10 days after his first appearance for sentencing, the pigeon man was back outside the Roman Baths, where he told the Bath Chronicle: “This has been my job for the past four years. It is how I pay my rent and my bills. I make a living out of it.
“It’s my occupation whether people want to see it as an occupation or not. It makes people happy.”
The defendant arrived at court today in his performance attire – a feathered hat, blue scarf and long coat.
Barrister Carrie-Ann Evans told the court on behalf of the local authority: “He understood what was required of him to stop feeding the pigeons.
“Despite this he carried on feeding the birds and providing grain.”
She also read out a victim statement from the manager a café by the Roman Baths, who said: “Paul Charlton feeds the pigeons directly outside my premises.
“We have a responsibility to make sure the tables are clean and hygienic.
“Many members of the public are uncomfortable and often find the number of pigeons unacceptable.
“We have had pigeons fly into the shop on multiple occasions. They have landed on our cakes which then have to be thrown away.
“There is an absolutely clear correlation between his presence and the pigeons. There’s an emotional cost of frustration.”
Charlton responded that it was “a bit rich” for the court to go at him about feeding birds and called the legal system “totally corrupt”.
After some deliberation, Magistrates decided to accept the local authority’s application for a CBO against Charlton.
Mr Taylor said: “Mr Charlton there are three offences that have been brought before us.
“And for each of those offences you will be fined £100 – that’s £300 in total.
“You will also pay a victim surcharge of £30 and £300 in contribution to costs.”
Charlton started putting his coat on while receiving his sentence and left the court while magistrate Peter Taylor was still talking.
He exited court with a final “Tata”.
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.
Around 2,500 pigeons preened their feathers and strutted their stuff as their owners competed for ‘bird of the year’.
For the 40th year on the run the British Homing World Show was held at Blackpool’s Winter Gardens, with an estimated 25,000 breeders and fans travelling from across Europe to be at the event.
And the bird that came out on top was presented to adoring fans by breeder John Bell of Ayrshire – who lifted the trophy for the fifth time.
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.
The universal acclaim that greeted Planet Earth II shows that people still love watching nature documentaries. Optimists would see this as a sign that we still care about the environment. I am not so sure.
As a child, I watched nature documentaries to actually learn about the natural world. Now, people watch nature documentaries for their graphic violence and sexual content. Having lived in the 21st century for almost seventeen years, their minds now respond to little else.
Like everyone else, I was deeply saddened to see the end of Planet Earth II. Sex and violence abounded. I’ve never liked wasps, since one stung me on the ankle for absolutely no reason as a boy, and I like to see frogs do well, so what better way to spend a Sunday evening than watching a frog repeatedly kick a wasp in the eye? Few moments in modern British television have equalled the sight of the mighty snow leopard, wandering around the Himalayas, occasionally urinating alluringly on a rock.
The last episode of the series went into our cities. Pigeons were treated badly, being eaten by both peregrine falcons and immigrant fish. Monkeys did well; in one city in India they have convinced the locals that they are gods, and now abuse the humans’ goodwill, running around completely naked and demanding food.
The urban slant to this episode did however get me thinking about the animals that can be found in Oxford—and I’m not talking about the freshers! Most Oxford students are disgustingly self-centred, not only do they never take the time to appreciate the animal kingdom—the dissolute life they lead even has a harmful effect on animal life.
Instead of just looking at the nice river, they insist on rowing on it, killing innocent fish with every oar stroke. Instead of walking around the nice meadow, they must run around it in tight sportswear, every other step crushing a duck’s windpipe. Instead of just going to the nice nightclub and listening to the music, they insist on taking ketamine—thereby depriving horses of much-needed stress relief in the modern business environment.
In my one and a half years at Oxford, I have come to appreciate the amazing wealth and diversity of wildlife in Oxford, and I now take almost as much pleasure in looking at animals in real life, as I do from memes. Oxford’s animals have evolved over time to take advantage of the city’s scholastic environment.
In my first term at Oxford I was surprised to stumble upon a reading group for Marxist pigeons, convened in the bird pond outside my building. Magdalen College was originally set up to that local aristocratic families could provide an education for their deer herds, but after the publication of George Orwell’s Animal Farm, which warned all landowners of the dangers of talking animals, an age-old tradition was ceased.
Now the deer must make do with the occasional piece of cheap airport literature thrown into their paddock by ‘allied’ students.
I could go on enumerating the many wonders of Oxford’s animal scene: the feminist rats, the techno cattle, even the queer squirrels. I have learnt however in my time at Oxford that most students are simply not interested in the benefits that quiet contemplation of nature can bring. Nature is only of interest to them when it appears mediated by a television screen and David Attenborough’s rasping death rattle.
Compared to the glamourous lives of the animals we see in Planet Earth, it is easy to wrongly believe that Oxford’s non-human inhabitants are boring creatures. This couldn’t be further from the truth. The animals that David Attenborough presents to us are horrible show-offs, whereas the rats and pigeons of Oxford retain a modicum of traditional British reticence.
Your average black rat is perfectly capable of hunting giraffes in the desert, or of catching a fish for its wife and family in the waters of the Antarctic. It chooses not to however out of its natural modesty.
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.
The annual British Homing World Show came Blackpool from the 21-22 January 2017. This year’s event marked a special occasion as it is the 40th anniversary that the Royal Pigeon Racing Association (RPRA) has held the event at the Winter Gardens, Blackpool.
Show participants bring more than 2,000 homing pigeons making it the largest event of its kind in Europe. With 200 exhibitors stands for everything pigeon, organisers anticipate around some 15,000 visitors over the course of the weekend.
The RPRA has worked continuously with VisitBlackpool over the years to bring the event to the resort and ensure the visitors have a great weekend.
To celebrate the 40th anniversary, Blackpool was decorated with welcome banners and a giant pigeon flag will fly from the flagpole at the top of Blackpool Tower.
Two giant “pigeons” in the form of Mr and Mrs Pigeon were in resort on January 21st to entertain visitors to the show.
Ian Evans, RPRA General Manager is delighted the 40th year in Blackpool will be his first year in charge. He said “This is a massive event in our calendar and it always proves to be hugely popular. Not only have you got the attraction of so many pigeons and fanciers in one place but it also gives our members the opportunity to enjoy a weekend away”.
The British Homing World Show of the Year takes place over two days at Blackpool Winter Gardens with the iconic Empress Ballroom hosting the main event.
Council Gillian Campbell, Deputy Leader of Blackpool Council said: “We are delighted to welcome the RPRA back to Blackpool. The show provides a great boost to the local economy; January is usually a quiet month for most seaside resorts but events like this proves that Blackpool is open for business all year round.
“In particular, I am thrilled to congratulate them on the 40th anniversary show here in Blackpool, this is truly a fantastic achievement and we hope to see them return for many years to come”.
Every year visitors to the show have helped to raise money for various charities, with nearly £3 million raised so far.
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.
MUMBAI – Indian media, which leaves no stone unturned to defame Pakistan, believes that Pakistan’s secret agency, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), is planning to carry out terrorist attacks in Mumbai through pets.
Producing empty rhetoric, Zee News claimed that Pakistan’s intelligence agency can send dogs strapped with explosives to hit the markets and other packed areas of Mumbai and Maharashtra.
According to the news channel, the Mumbai police and Maharashtra anti-terrorist squad have issued alerts to warn the people to inform the police if they find any dog or other pet wearing anything suspicious.
It has also warned that the agency would try to hit the areas through dogs where most destruction could be spread by killing most people. The police have kept a vigilant eye on people roam in the city with animals, the channel said.
Targeting Pakistani film stars and the Prime Minister, the channel concluded,“Raeeson aur shareefon ki bheer ma kbi b koi terrorist ghus sakta hai”.
Earlier, the Indian police had claimed to arrest “spy pigeon” after crossing border from Pakistan carrying a threatening note for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
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.
For most birds, wings are for flying. For penguins, they’re for swimming. But for Rock Pigeons, they’re also for clapping. Startle a flock of Rock Pigeons, and you’ll hear something like this: Rock Pigeon wing claps.
When Rock Pigeons erupt into flight, some of them may slap their wings together above their bodies. It’s called a “wing clap.”
A male Rock Pigeon will do this when courting. He’ll posture and coo alongside a female …
… then fly sharply upward in an aerial display. The brisk series of claps is a shout-out of his courtship plans to the female watching from the rooftop.
Short-eared Owls have evolved wing-clapping, too. These medium-sized owls fly by day on long wings, rounded at the tip. And mostly they fly slowly, gracefully, like enormous moths. But when a male displays to a female or attempts to warn off an intruder, he snaps his wings together below his body in a burst of two to six claps per second, producing a sound that sounds remarkably like…applause.
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.
Around 1,700 pigeons fluffed their feathers and strutted their stuff at the UK’s premier showcase at Blackpool’s Winter Gardens over the weekend. The birds were judged for their good looks and general composure with a winner and a supreme champion chosen from the flock.
It was the 45th annual British Homing World Show and the 40th to be held at Blackpool, drawing pigeon fanciers from across Europe.
Visitors had the chance to peruse around 200 stalls promoting specially designed pigeon lofts and veterinary services during the two-day event.
Organiser Ian Evans of the Cheltenham-based Royal Pigeon Racing Association said: “It was very successful, we’ve probably had about 15,000 people visiting so it’s been very very busy so it will have had a good impact on the local economy here.“
Also we have the UK’s 10 best-performing racing pigeons here which will be going to Brussels next week to compete in the Pigeon Olympiad.”
Pigeon racing became a sport of the masses in the early 1900s, and pigeons were used extensively as message carriers by armies on both sides during the two World Wars.
In the UK the sport probably reached its height of popularity after World War Two.
Each year the BHW Show collects money to give to charity and the £55,000 raised last year was presented to a variety of different charitable causes.
Over its last 40 years the show has raised £3m for charity.
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.
Kendrapara : About a hundred pigeons have succumbed to an unknown disease triggering avian flu scare in a far off village in Mahakalapada tehsil of Kendrapara district, sources said.
Some death incidents of fowls were also reported from nearby localities last week. The avian beauties are dying almost on a daily basis, a veterinary official said.
With scares of bird flu gripping the state after such incidents of crow deaths and culling of poultry at Khurda, Keonjhar, Rourkela the deaths of pigeons in Mahakalpada has triggered panic situation of bird flu.
Meanwhile, veterinary experts have visited the area to take stock of the situation and have collected blood samples of the winged species for laboratory examination.
Although the exact reason for the death of the birds is yet to be confirmed experts said there was no reason for panic since the deaths could also be due to ‘Ranikhet’, a virus borne disease or could be due to Vitamin C deficiency or even due to food poisoning, a senior veterinary official 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.
