by Pigeon Patrol | May 3, 2016 | 4-S Gel Bird repellent, Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Spikes
Long-term pigeon solution
There is no denying that feral pigeons are a huge problem in some areas and cause extensive soiling of property. Contrary to popular belief they do not pose a risk to public health. If you doubt this statement you are welcome to look up scientific articles online. It is only pest control companies that depict pigeons as a health hazard.
The fact remains that large populations of feral pigeons are a nuisance and need to be controlled, but culling is not the way to do it. Culling is a completely ineffective method for the control of pigeon populations. A sudden reduction in numbers simply creates an increase in the resources available to the remaining birds.
A population is sustained by the resources that surround it. As long as there is enough food to sustain them, the population will keep replenishing.
Pigeons are also prolific breeders and dedicated parents can hatch several clutches back to back. A single a pair of pigeons can churn out two self-sustaining fledglings roughly every 40 days.
How long would it take for the remaining population to reproduce the amount of birds culled? The reality is that it would only take a couple of months at most.
Even if the shooters managed to kill a whopping half of the population and even if we assume that half of the babies born were to die before leaving the nest, it would still take less than three months for the remaining pigeons to reproduce the culled half of their flock, thereby making the entire exercise useless.
Our local councils can either keep using very short-term and short-sighted methods that do not achieve any tangible results, or they can start being proactive
Contraceptives, though certainly more effective than culling, are not an ideal solution either. They are expensive, and to be effective you need to feed the correct dosage regularly over a long period of time. Can one reliably control or even know how much of the medication the pigeons are consuming?
Also, as I understand it, there is the inherent risk that other wild bird populations can also consume the contraceptive. This may or may not be a concern in Sliema but I do not believe that contraceptives are the best solution to nuisance pigeon populations.
Instead of looking only at available options, let us look at some success stories.
Take for example Nottingham City Hospital that in five years managed to reduce a flock of birds to just 63, an incredible 95% drop in the population. Surrey Heath Borough Council also achieved an 80% reduction in their pigeon population in five years.
Heath Park Hospital in Cardiff says it prevented the birth of 150 pigeons each month with the help of one single volunteer. Paris claims to have prevented over 5,000 pigeon births in one year. How did they do it?
They built a pigeon loft, encouraged the pigeons to sleep and breed there, and tossed out the eggs they laid. The majority of the soiling and damage is done when the pigeons are roosting at night.
By building a safe and welcoming environment for the pigeons to roost in, while also installing anti-roosting systems on buildings, the birds can be drawn away from the problem areas and into a controlled environment.
Furthermore these lofts allow for access to the single most effective method of population control there is: egg removal. By encouraging the birds to breed in a controlled environment the city can effectively gain control over the breeding of its resident pigeon population.
All one has to do is manage the loft properly, weekly replace any laid eggs with fake eggs, and regularly clean out the area to avoid insect infestations. This method of control was established with success by the Pigeon Control Advisory Service (PiCAS International http://www.pigeoncontrolresourcecentre.org/html/reviews/artificial-breeding-facilities.html) as far back as the 1970s.
Unlike culling, it is not only extremely effective when done properly, but is a cost-effective long-term solution. Lofts can be built cheaply, though Paris chose to invest a huge amount in installing state-of-the-art lofts in its parks. Lofts can really be made from pretty much anything, utilising unused spaces and recycled materials, as long as they meet the pigeons’ needs.
At the end of the day the goal is to reduce the negative impact pigeons have on their urban environment. Our local councils can either keep using very short-term and short-sighted methods that do not achieve any tangible results, or they can start being proactive and figure out where and how to implement a long-term solution that allows the births in the population to be controlled, that encourages the birds to roost away from buildings, and invest in educating the public to better control refuse and litter and limit the available food source.
One can start by looking at the online resources and advice available, for example from the PiCAS International website itself which last I checked offered free guidance to public institutions on how to install and manage a pigeon control loft correctly.
Furthermore why not involve the community in the project? Perhaps entice University students to use the project as part of their studies, whether from a design aspect, a management aspect, an agricultural and animal husbandry aspect, or even in the use of recycled materials. There is so much potential in such a project above and beyond reducing pigeon numbers.
This method of pigeon control is a long-term project for a long-term solution. As with any long-term project, it will only work if the council sticks to it and keeps up with the management, cleaning and egg removal. It is not a one-time solution that will fix everything overnight, but it is the only method that will successfully control the pigeon population and reliably and effectively reduce pigeon numbers in our towns and cities.
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 Pigeon Patrol | May 2, 2016 | 4-S Gel Bird repellent, Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Spikes
They undertake some of the most audacious journeys in the animal kingdom, navigating across thousands of miles to arrive at a precise location.
Now scientists have unravelled exactly how migrating birds, butterflies and other animals are able to use the Earth’s magnetic field to help them find their way.
They have discovered proteins that ‘act like a compass’ are produced in the retina and nerve cells running from the eye to the brain.
Pigeons are known for their navigational ability but now scientists claim to have discovered the molecules the birds use to find their way. The animals, along with many other species, have proteins that form a rod-shaped complex that orientate themselves in a north to south direction in the Earth’s magnetic field
These molecules form a rod-like complex with light sensitive proteins and orientate themselves in a north to south direction in a magnetic field.
Together, this complex allows the animals to sense the direction they are travelling by combining information about the Earth’s magnetic field and the position of the sun.
RUSSIANS USE MAGNETS TO THROW MIGRATING BIRDS OFF COURSE
Long-distance songbirds perform incredible feats of navigation during their spring migration.
While scientists know the birds use the sun or stars as a ‘map,’ the idea that birds use magnetic compasses has been difficult to prove.
Now a group of researchers have used a magnet to deliberately send Eurasian reed warblers off course, to show they rely on a geomagnetic map cues to point them in the right direction.
In the experiment, the birds were captured at Rybachy, Russia, during their spring migration.
To test the role of magnetic fields, Dmitry Kishkinev of Queen’s University Belfast and Nikita Chernetsov at the Biological Station Rybachy housed caught birds outdoors in wooden and cloth cages so they had a clear view of the sky and their surroundings.
They observed the birds naturally orientated north-east, which matches the chosen direction of migration recorded over the previous decade.
They then generated a magnetic field identical to that found in the town of Zvenigorod near Moscow.
The system allowed them to manipulate the magnetic field without obscuring the birds’ ability to pick up on other cues, including the sun, stars, landmarks, and scents, which are also thought to help birds find their way across vast distances.
During the several days that the birds were housed in the magnetic coil system, they were led to ‘think’ they were in Zvenigorod, some 621 miles (1,000km) away.
Perhaps most astonishingly, the researchers discovered that humans also express these same proteins, albeit in far smaller amounts, raising the prospect that we too have some ability to sense the magnetic field.
Dr Can Xie, a molecular biologist at Peking University in China who led the research, said the proteins appear to act just like a compass needle and send information to the nervous system.
Writing in the journal Nature Materials, Dr Xie and his colleagues said: ‘The notion that animals can detect the Earth’s magnetic field was once ridiculed, but is now well established.
‘The biocompass model we present here may serve as a step towards fully uncovering the molecular mechanism of animal navigation and magnetoreception.
‘The existence of a human magnetic sense remains controversial but geomagnetic fields are thought to affect the light sensitivity of the human visual system.’
Many animals are thought to use the Earth’s magnetic fields to help them navigate including sharks, sea turtles, birds, insects, wolves, whales and even worms.
However, exactly how they do this has remained a mystery.
Some researchers previously identified specific cells in the eyes and beaks of birds like pigeons that seem to respond to a magnetic field.
The exact source was unknown, and some researchers identified clumps of iron bound by molecules as being responsible, while others attributed it to light-sensitive proteins called cyrptochromes.
The research by Dr Xie and his team, however, has found that these two systems in fact work together to form a navigational complex inside the cells of these animals.
In particular, they discovered a gene called MagR that produces a protein that combines with cryptochrome to form a cylinder shaped complex.
Ten cryptochrome molecules encase 20 MagR proteins to form this rod that then aligns itself with a magnetic field.
They were so magnetic that the researchers had to develop special plastic tools to conduct their research
Insects, including monarch butterflies (pictured) were also found to produce the proteins to help them navigate. Monarch butterflies undertake one of the greatest migrations on the planet, travelling up to 3,100 miles
The scientist found these molecules are particularly highly expressed in the retinal neurons running from the eye to the brain.
Fruit flies, monarch butterflies, pigeons and humans all produce these molecules while other creatures including minke whales and naked mole rats also have these magnetic proteins.
The researchers say their findings may also now lead to a new area of research that could have numerous biological and industrial applications.
It could lead to new types of genetic treatments that respond to magnetic fields or ways of increasing magnetic sensitivity.
The MagR proteins form a magnetic core inside a coat of light sensitive cryptochrome molecules (Crys) to form a cylinder. The graphic above shows how they orientate in the complex on the left while the diagram on the right shows the cylinder of proteins in a cross section
The MagR proteins form a magnetic core inside a coat of light sensitive cryptochrome molecules (Crys) to form a cylinder. The graphic above shows how they orientate in the complex on the left while the diagram on the right shows the cylinder of proteins in a cross section
They said: ‘It has not escaped our notice that the magnetic features of the MagR polymer and Cry/MagR complex may provide a useful tool for the isolation and manipulation of macromolecules with external magnetic fields, give rise to magnetogenetics and inspire numerous potential applications across different fields.’
Dr Steven Reppert, a neurobiologist at the University of Massachusetts who was not involved in the research, told New Scientist that the research could have huge implications.
He said: ‘It’s provocative and potentially ground breaking. It took my breath away.’
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 Pigeon Patrol | May 1, 2016 | 4-S Gel Bird repellent, Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Spikes
SDLP Councillor Martin Reilly has called for improvements on the Craigavon Bridge in Derry to address the problem of “unpleasant and unsafe” pigeon deposits which, he claims, are causing distress to cyclists and pedestrians.
Cllr Reilly was speaking after he was contacted by members of the public who use the cycle path along the lower deck of the bridge (pictured) who, he said, were “annoyed” at the gathering of pigeon mess which made cycling and walking “unpleasant and unsafe.”
Cllr Reilly: “Unfortunately, this part of the bridge is too narrow for Council cleansing vehicles – and in the past Council worked with Transport NI and Sustrans to close this stretch to carry out the necessary cleaning works.
“While this cleaning work is welcome the effects do not last long and a more permanent solution is required.
“Transport NI previously suggested installing netting in this area to prevent pigeons from roosting.”
Cllr Reilly concluded: “I am therefore calling on these statutory agencies to work together to find an adequate solution which would encourage further use of this key walkway and cycle route.”
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 Pigeon Patrol | Apr 30, 2016 | Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes, UltraSonic Bird Control
In the first case of its kind in North Wales, Brenda Hawkins was fined by a council for feeding the birds too much
Harold and Diane Fredman from Rhos on Sea praised council for prosecuting their neighbour over bird feeding
A family whose neighbour fed birds so much it caused a nuisance, said the garden was like a scene from the Alfred Hitchcock film The Birds.
Brenda Hawkins regularly left food out for small birds but pigeons and seagulls swooped in to her enclosed Rhos on Sea gareen.
Conwy County Borough Council prosecuted her on Friday for breaching a Community Protection Notice in the first case of its kind in North Wales.
Her neighbours Diane and Harold Fredman own a property in Cambrian Drive that backs onto Mrs Hawkins’s garden in Brookfield Drive.
Their daughter Alex Harvey, 35, said: ”It’s like a scene from a Hitchcock horror film The Birds when huge flocks of mainly pigeons and seagulls swoop into their garden. The noise is unbelievable as they feed on her lawn.”
Read about Mrs Hawkins’s court case
Mrs Harvey, of Whitby, North Yorkshire, said: “I was frightened to bring my three-year-old daughter Olivia there.”
She added: “My parents wanted a peaceful retirement in Rhos on Sea but that has not been possible. My mum and dad like birds and are animal lovers, they have a dog.
“I think the council has done the right thing in prosecuting her as often councils come into criticism for not listening to people and this time they have listened and acted to prevent this nuisance neighbour.
“I hope now that she will heed the judgement the court has made and let people live in peace.”
Brenda Hawkins was fined for feeding birds in her own gardenBrenda Hawkins was fined for feeding birds in her own garden
Mrs Fredman, 69, also praised the council for acting.
She said: ”We are very grateful to the council. There were 100 pigeons at times and the noise from the flapping of the pigeon wings was tremendous. The noise from the seagulls was horrendous.”
Mrs Fredman, a retired personal assistant and shorthand typist, added that she is “very fond” of birds and animals,
Read about Mrs Hawkins hitting back at council
She is a member of the RSPB, RSPCA, Peta (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) and World Animal Protection.
But she insisted: “Putting that amount of food out with no consideration for neighbours is ridiculous.”
A spokeswoman for the council said: “This was the first prosecution in North Wales for breach of a Community Protection Notice.”
Mrs Hawkins, Rhos on Sea Townswomen’s Guild chairwoman, was fined £200 and ordered to pay costs of £409, a criminal court charge of £520 and a surcharge of £20.
She later branded her treatment “draconian”.
Use the comments section below to tell us what you think about this story.
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 Pigeon Patrol | Apr 29, 2016 | Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services, UltraSonic Bird Control
A FORMER mayor of Derry has called for action over pigeon poop along one of the city’s main thoroughfares.
Martin Reilly has said measures need to be taken to stop pigeons dropping their “unpleasant and unsafe” deposits on unsuspecting pedestrians and cyclists using the city’s Craigavon Bridge.
A common problem in all urban areas, pigeon droppings are unsightly and can cause disease. Local authorities spend large sums of money in their attempts to control pigeon numbers. However, as the birds breed all year round, efforts are often ineffective.
Problems caused by pigeons often attract huge interest. Rufus, an American Harris Hawk, is widely known for his exploits in killing the birds over the All England Tennis Club before and during the annual Wimbledon tournament.
In other areas, other forms of culls are carried out while many authorities cover buildings with specialised anti-bird netting to prevent the pigeons from roosting and breeding.
Mr Reilly, a former SDLP mayor, said he has been contacted by people using the cycle path along the lower deck of Craigavon Bridge who are annoyed at the mess made by the birds. He said the problem had become so bad that walking and cycling along the path was unsafe.
Mr Reilly said Transport NI had suggested using netting to prevent pigeons from roosting on the bridge. He said there could also be other ways of deterring the birds such as by using particular paints to prevent them from nesting.
“I am therefore calling on these statutory agencies to work together to find an adequate solution which would encourage further use of this key walkway and cycle route,” he said.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | Apr 28, 2016 | Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, UltraSonic Bird Control
The city of New Baltimore recently celebrated the completion of three federally funded projects that aim to improve water quality in Lake St. Clair.
Walter and Mary Burke Park now boasts three new rain gardens, two electronic bird deterrents and permeable pavers, which all work to improve the quality of the stormwater runoff that enters Lake St. Clair. A ribbon-cutting ceremony took place at the park on Oct. 21 to mark the completion of the project.
“These rain gardens and the pervious pavers above them will help improve the water quality at our beach and all of Lake St. Clair,” Mayor John Dupray said. “It will do this by reducing the pollutants that drain directly into the lake and improving soil erosion and stormwater runoff.”
Two of the new rain gardens are located near the lake front by the outdoor pavilion, and the third garden is located near the swing sets.
Rain gardens are created by digging out an area and filling it with materials that allow water to run down into the ground, such as native plants with long root systems that help infiltrate water deep into the soil. This allows the ground to absorb water slowly, rather than running into the lake without treatment.
The gardens are part of a solution to occasional beach closures at Burke Park, according to the city. Stormwater runoff is a key mechanism for contaminants to reach the beach and is considered one of the biggest sources of water pollution, according to Environmental Consulting and Technology Inc., the project engineer for the improvements.
ECT determined that stormwater runoff is a probable source of E. coli. Geese and seagull droppings also contaminate the runoff, which then makes its way to the beach.
To deter geese and seagulls from the beach area, electronic audial devices have been installed on each end of the outdoor pavilion in Walter and Mary Burke Park. The devices emit bird distress cries to discourage birds from landing in the area, including the boat docks.
“The bird deterrent devices should reduce the mess the gulls and Canada geese cause and improve the health and concerns of our park visitors,” Dupray said.
New Baltimore Parks and Recreation Department Director Lee Miller said the city’s goose deterrent program was extremely successful this summer, significantly reducing the amount of goose droppings in the park. Continued…“As a result of that, we only had to close the public beach once the entire summer,” Miller said. “In years past, we would have to close the beach on an average three to four times, but this year, our lake water was extremely clean.”
In addition, the newly installed permeable brick pavers at the entrance to the park also work to improve water quality by allowing water to enter the soil while still providing a solid and stable walking surface. The former impervious surfaces at the entrance to the park did not absorb water, potentially allowing runoff water to carry pollutants directly into the lake.
“I think the three projects that were completed in the park have turned out very well,” Miller said. “The brick pavers at the main park entrance look great, and we are very excited to see the rain gardens grow and bloom into beautiful landscaping.”
Miller said he thinks the city’s efforts will not only benefit the nearly 1,000 people who visit the beach each weekend during the summer, but also the environment and the wildlife that lives in it.
“Lake St. Clair has an extremely vibrant eco-system with a wide variety of fish populations,” he said, “and we believe that our efforts will play a part in keeping Anchor Bay environmentally healthy.”
The projects were completed with a roughly $260,000 grant obtained through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. The work was overseen by the Macomb County Office of Public Works and was completed by Tom Ward & Sons Inc. of Casco Township, Dupray said.
“I am very pleased with the quality of the work and the end results,” he said. “We were certainly fortunate to receive this federal grant and to have Macomb County Public Works Department oversee the construction, all at no cost to our residents.”
Construction took about a month and a half to complete. The popular dahlia garden is expected to return to the park next spring.
“The Koenig family has been patient through the construction and will be back with the city’s adopted flower for all to enjoy,” Dupray said.
The amount of park space was also temporarily reduced during construction due to fencing placed around the gardens. The parks and rec department worked to alleviate inconvenience by offering “construction refunds” to pavilion renters as well as an opportunity to cancel with a full refund, Miller said. Continued…“There were many pieces to the puzzle for this project, and with that being considered, I think everything went very well,” he said.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | Apr 27, 2016 | Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes
The playground with its new fence near the Forth Scol estate in Illogan.
THIBODAUX, La. (WGNO)- Thibodaux Police have arrested a man who they say may have stolen $96 in loose change from parked cars.
Officers arrested 25-year-old Javon Davis after he was caught jumping yard fences in the area of Lynn Street.
According to detectives, officers found a large amount of loose change in various denominations in Davis’s pockets. They also recovered a Crown Royal bag filled with more change in one of the yards that he was in.
Police arrested Davis after a call around 7 a.m. Wednesday morning of a suspicious person jumping fences in the area.
Davis was arrested for criminal trespassing. Detectives say he also admitted committing a vehicle burglary in the area.
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 Pigeon Patrol | Apr 26, 2016 | Bird Netting, Pigeon Spikes, UltraSonic Bird Control
Birds of prey are being drafted in to help deal with problem pigeons posing a health risk in Daventry town centre.
Peregrine falcon Grin and saker falcon Jackson will patrol the skies above Daventry while Harris hawks Goose and Ruby are walked around the streets in an effort to scare the pigeons away.
The action is being taken by Daventry District Council in response to concerns over the growing number of pigeons creating a mess in the town, particularly Bowen Square and Foundry Place.
As well as looking unsightly, bird droppings carry disease and can erode stonework on buildings and block gutters.
During an intensive fortnight-long programme, experienced handlers from NBC Bird and Pest Solutions will fly their falcons in a wide arc around the town centre, deterring pigeons from roof tops and balconies.
The Harris hawks will be walked around the town to move the pigeons from paths and walkways.
Birds of prey are increasingly being used as an effective deterrent to pigeons and other unwanted birds.
Rufus the Harris Hawk has been keeping the Wimbledon tennis championships pigeon-free for many years, while NBC have carried out their falconry programme in a number of town and city centres in the east midlands as well as at Luton Airport.
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 Pigeon Patrol | Apr 25, 2016 | 4-S Gel Bird repellent, Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services
These days a lot of people are spreading seed for winter lawns. While they’re at it, they’re feeding pesky pigeons and our other fine feathered friends that gobble up the grass seed almost as fast as it’s laid down.
A neighbor of mine has set out a plastic owl with an evil eye that’s supposed to scare the birds off her seeded yard. As is the case every time I see these scarecrows used, I’ve noticed that the doves and pigeons didn’t get fooled for long.
However ferocious the owls look, the live birds have them pegged as a non-threat, maybe because they’ve figured out the fakes never move.
Trying to stop the feeding frenzy seems to me to be a lost cause – so much so, that I’m half-expecting the owl to come to life and join in the feast.
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 Pigeon Patrol | Apr 24, 2016 | Bird Netting, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons in the News, UltraSonic Bird Control
A pigeon in Russia did nothing to enhance his species’ reputation as an urban pest after causing a three car smash.
The crash was captured on another car’s dashboard camera – showing not only the aftermath but also the culprit.
In the moments leading up to the collision, the pigeon can be seen on the pavement, before deciding to march headfirst into two-way traffic.
Live LeakPigeon causes three car pile upPigeon Street: The bird clearly thinks it has right of way
It briefly disappears behind a car in front before re-emerging in the middle of the road.
Apparently oblivious to the fact it can fly if it wants to, the bird nonchalantly struts across the street and into the path of an oncoming car.
The driver brakes suddenly, causing the car behind to veer to the right, scraping the side of the motionless vehicle.
Live LeakPigeon causes three car pile upCrash pest dummy: Chaos ensues
Another car then rams into the back of the first car, before the confused drivers step out into the road.
The video was uploaded to LiveLeak and has divided opinion amongst users.
Several think the driver who stopped was going at appropriate speed and was right to brake – while others say they would not have stopped in the same situation.
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 Pigeon Patrol | Apr 23, 2016 | Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services
When my husband was a boy he somehow had access to a rifle. He took this weapon and shot a defenceless little mourning dove. I think he even surprised himself by this act. When he told his mother about it she was not very happy. She asked him where it was and told him to bring it home. He looked for it in the bush in North Kildonan, found it and brought it home.
“Now,” she said, “I will cook it and you will eat it.”
That proved very difficult for him but he obeyed. I don’t think he shot a bird again after that.
Fast forward about 50 years, when we were in Paraguay as teachers. An invitation came for supper at our friend’s place for Tauben noodle soup.
“Tauben” is the German name for mourning doves. Apparently, every year the farmers’ fields are overrun with them, to the point that they ruin the farmers’ crops completely.
So, there’s a massive effort to get rid of them. Noodle soup is on the menu quite often at this time of year. I found it easier to eat the soup if I called it Tauben noodle soup rather than mourning dove noodle soup. (It’s also called “guiso,” but that’s another story.)
The Canada Goose here is in a similar position the mourning dove is in South America. But geese are not so tiny; in fact they’re quite plump and awkward looking, especially when they waddle across the road. And what a mess they leave behind.
My husband has suggested, in a hopelessly maudlin mood, that the authorities make it law that everyone eat goose for Christmas dinner this year. Not that it will happen, but it could make a difference in the winged population next year. Who knows?
We used to have many, many pigeons here in North Kildonan apartment territory. No one knows, or else they are not telling, what happened to them but it does seem slightly mysterious.
The winged population has given rise to so much good poetry and songs about the life of our birds here in Canada. My favorite is Something Told the Wild Geese, by Rachel Lyman Field:
Something told the wild geese,
It was time to go;
Though the fields lay golden
Something whispered, “Snow!”
Leaves were green and stirring,
Berries lustre-glossed,
But beneath warm feathers,
Something whispered, “Frost!”
All the sagging orchards
Stemmed with amber spice,
But each wild breast stiffened
At remembered ice.
Something told the wild geese
It was time to fly —
Summer sun was in their wings,
Winter in their cry.
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 Pigeon Patrol | Apr 22, 2016 | Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services
SINGAPORE – Every day for at least a year, pigeons that congregate outside Masjid Haji Muhammad Salleh mosque will get an extra ingredient in their breakfast.
They will be fed a corn-based feed containing a drug called nicarbazin, which will either prevent the female birds from developing eggs or cause them to lay eggs that do not hatch.
This is a new method being tested by the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) at a field outside the mosque along Palmer Road near Shenton Way. The trial was started on Oct 13 this year.
This new trial coincides with increasing number of pigeon-related feedback received by the AVA. About 3,400 were received from January to October this year, more than some 2,500 they received in the whole of 2014 and some 2,100 in 2013.
Feedback on all birds have also grown from around 4,400 in 2013 to around 6,100 in the first 10 months of 2015 alone.
The field outside the mosque has an estimated pigeon population of around 400, a number which has doubled since three years ago. So far the AVA has caught 13 feeders.
Mr Mohamed Idris, secretary of the mosque’s management board, said the pigeon problem has always been around but worsened over the last 10 years.The pigeons fly into the mosque compounds, making them a nuisance to staff and people who go to the mosque to pray.
“They leave their droppings on the floor and you walk on it…they congregate at the food preparation area as well,” said Mr Mohamed.
The persistent and growing problem has led the AVA to choose the mosque as the first area to trial the method.
During a demonstration of the method on Thursday (Nov 5), Ms Janet Chia, executive manager of the Operations (Wild Animals) section at AVA, said that it will take about a year to see a drop in the pigeon population there.
Around five mosque volunteers will be in charge of feeding the laced feed to the pigeons. The method could be rolled out to other areas in Singapore if the trial proves successful.
When tested in Italy, the method was found to reduce the pigeon population there by 30 to 40 per cent over four years.
The drug does not harm the birds and is only toxic to cats or dogs if 40kg of the feed is consumed. For it to be toxic to a child, 60kg of the feed will have to be consumed.
The AVA urged the public not to feed birds as it causes them to congregate and increases their population.
Feeding pigeon is illegal and those found to flout the rules face a fine of up to $500.
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 Pigeon Patrol | Apr 21, 2016 | 4-S Gel Bird repellent, Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting
Culling pigeons is becoming an attractive solution for local authorities but is ineffective in dealing with the root of the problem, according to an ornithologist.
“Shooting pigeons is a temporary solution,” Natalino Fenech told the Times of Malta. “The only solution is to introduce contraceptive feed while also ensuring that the dilapidated buildings where pigeons nest are shut.”
The Sliema local council angered some residents last week by carrying out a pigeon cull, which continues.
Mayor Anthony Chircop said the cull was the only solution to the “uncontrollable infestation” and that other methods – including contraceptive feed – had been tried but proved ineffective.
Dr Fenech, however, said the effect of contraceptive feed wore off after a few weeks, so the measure had to be sustained to yield a noticeable result and serve as a long-term solution.
Martha Vella Kane, a Sliema resident and former member of the locality’s animal welfare committee, blasted the council for not working with residents to find a solution and called the cull a “massacre”.
You have to work with those feeding the pigeons, not against them
“You have to work with the people feeding the pigeons, not against them,” she said. “For an animal lover, putting up signs saying not to feed the pigeons has no effect.”
Ms Vella Kane said feeders would be ready to switch to contraceptive feed and added that residents had similarly spent a year neutering cats in the area, which greatly reduced the stray population. “At the same time, you don’t want to eradicate pigeons altogether, just keep the population down,” she said.
“Imagine St Mark’s Square, in Venice without pigeons.”
Sliema is not the only locality facing problems due to an overpopulation of pigeons, which can spread disease and damage street furniture and buildings with their waste.
Birkirkara mayor Joanne Debono Grech said that her council had recently tried an innovative approach using a non-toxic repellent gel, which tricked the birds into thinking buildings were on fire.
However, Ms Debono Grech added, the approach was not effective enough and the council was considering other options, although she had no intention of opting for a cull. According to the mayor, the area around the church had been worst affected and some residents had resorted to their own remedies.
Culls have also been carried out by the government’s animal welfare department in Balluta in St Julian’s and at St Luke’s Hospital in Pietà in recent years.
A spokesman for the Pietà council said further measures were being studied after “daily” complaints by residents but there were no immediate plans.
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 Pigeon Patrol | Apr 20, 2016 | Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services, UltraSonic Bird Control
I AM appalled at the latest invasion of pigeons in Widnes town centre.
I’ve never seen so many.
There must be hundreds roosting round the shops.
I am very worried about the health risk they pose as they are vermin and carry disease.
These birds are even inside the Greenoaks shopping mall causing a nuisance to shoppers.
This sudden rise in pigeons is very alarming and totally unacceptable.
Why should we have to put up with them as we go about our daily lives?
I’ve seen young families and pensioners trying to get out of their way.
It’s about time we did something to get rid of these invasive birds.
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 Pigeon Patrol | Apr 19, 2016 | Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes
THE new experiment to control the pigeon population in Singapore should be conducted with care, to make sure that only the targeted species – pigeons – are affected, and not other bird species and stray animals.
That was the response from two civil groups we spoke to when we asked them about Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore’s (AVA) newest pilot – to control the pigeon population in Singapore by feeding them a a corn-based feed containing a drug, nicarbazin, which either stops the female pigeons from producing eggs or causes them to lay eggs that don’t hatch.
Both civil groups – Society For The Prevention Of Cruelty To Animals (SPCA) and the Nature Society Singapore (NSS) – called the trial a good move, but added that it should be conducted with care.
The trial, which started on Oct 13, is currently being limited to a field outside the Masjid Haji Muhammad Salleh mosque in Palmer Road, near Shenton Way. The number of pigeons outside the mosque has doubled over the last two years – there are now over 400 pigeons. It would take about a year to see a drop in the pigeon population, and if the trial is successful, the method will be tried out in other parts of Singapore.
When tested in Italy, the method was found to reduce the pigeon population in the test area by 30 per cent to 40 per cent over four years.
In the past year alone, there have been 3,400 pigeon-related complaints – 36 per cent more than the 2,500 complaints that AVA has received in 2014. Most of the complaints are about hygiene, environmental issues resulting from their droppings, and concerns over diseases and people feeding them.
A larger picture shows that feedback on all birds have also been on the rise – there were 6,100 bird-related complaints this year. This is a 38.6 per cent increase from the 4,400 bird-related complaints submitted to AVA in 2013.
Ms Corinne Fong, executive director of SPCA, said that SPCA has always advocated sterilisation for stray cats and dogs. “If AVA is embarking on this with birds – controlling the population by sterilising them and not culling them, that would be fantastic,” she said.
She also added that SPCA has had various complaints about the pigeon population in Singapore, but since it doesn’t have the capacity to deal with birds, the complaints are generally referred to NEA. However, she added that those carrying out the trial would have to be careful of other stray animals.
“The contractors for AVA would have to be mindful that there are community cats and dogs, and children for that matter,” she said. “They must be observant of other stray animals – if any – that are going around picking the food.”
The pigeon feed will not harm other animals or humans if consumed accidentally in small doses. However, if consumed in large doses, it can be toxic – it would take 40kg of the feed to see toxic effects in dogs and cats, and 60kg for a child.
Mr Wing Chong, chairman of the Bird Group – which is a special interest group of the Nature Society (Singapore), said that the execution of the trial would have to be well controlled.
“The location and the manner of the pigeon feed should be carefully selected, so that only the targeted bird species should be affected,” he said. For example, a trained personnel should be present when the pigeons are being fed, and they should be careful that no excess drugged feed should be left behind. “The feed should also not be administered near water, or under rain, to prevent uncontrolled spread of the drug,” he added.
Currently, five mosque volunteers will be in charge of feeding the drugged feed to the pigeons. The question is: Should we have more trained personnel handling the feeding, since it might have adverse effects on other birds if ingested?
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 Pigeon Patrol | Apr 18, 2016 | Animal Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, UltraSonic Bird Control
The University of Canterbury (UC) hopes a native falcon will eradicate hundreds of pigeons plaguing the campus.
In its latest move to reduce the pigeon population, a karearea bird – as pictured on the $20 banknote – has been trained to make territorial flights to scare off flocks of pest birds from buildings and the campus.
Marlborough Falcon Trust handlers Vikki Smith and Rob Lawry have been free-flying the specially bred one-year-old karearea, called Tappe, in what is believed to be the first programme of its kind in New Zealand.
Marlborough Falcon Trust handler Rob Lawry hopes Tappe, a karearea bird, will stop University of Canterbury’s pigeon problem.
DEAN KOZANIC
Marlborough Falcon Trust handler Rob Lawry hopes Tappe, a karearea bird, will stop University of Canterbury’s pigeon problem.
UC engineering services manager Rob Oudshoorn said the pigeon problem had “escalated dramatically” since the quakes when central city roosting spots were pulled down.
Combined with an abundance of food from the ruined city and the campus’ proximity to town, the university’s pigeon population has ballooned into the hundreds and affects more than 20 buildings.
The falcon is the university’s latest innovation to solve the problem after unsuccessful attempts using electric fencing, spikes and controlled culling with slug guns, Oudshoorn said.
Excrement is the biggest problem the birds bring as it piles around doors, windows, footpaths, and roofs, he said. Where pigeon numbers are high, buildings deteriorate more rapidly and the spread of disease increases.
“And depending on the scale of it, it can become quite an issue. In the extreme if it’s left there for a long period of time, those piles of excrement bring in maggots, and the excrement itself is pretty toxic too really.”
With a population of around 6000, karearea are rare. They are a natural predator to pigeons, which use avoidance and escape as a natural defence.
The natural bird control technique is used around the world, including Dubai, airports and London’s Trafalgar Square.
Lawry said the birds are trained to fly to a lure held by an instructor, rather than to capture birds.
“As the falcon comes rocketing towards the lure I pass it behind me in the direction I want it to travel, and so he goes up high in that direction. When he goes high the pigeons will go ‘I’m out of here because there’s a falcon here’. But at that point if there’s a really slow pigeon the falcon might get it.”
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 Pigeon Patrol | Apr 17, 2016 | 4-S Gel Bird repellent, Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes
A fox trying to get some sleep on an abandoned mattress in a disused Bournemouth garden. Must credit Blue Planet Society @Seasaver
LITTER blamed on young people is in fact often caused by foxes and pigeons, a Bournemouth councillor has claimed.
Cllr Michael Weinhonig made the assertion after asking the Environment and Transport Overview Scrutiny Panel what could be done to “deter the influx” of the urban animals.
The Strouden Park ward councillor, who said he was raising the subject after conversations with residents, asked if an article could be included on the subject in the council’s magazine, BH Life.
“We should perhaps educate residents not to feed them and also encourage other environmental measures for the natural environment of hedgehogs and other wildlife,” said Cllr Weinhonig.
Cllr David Smith, cabinet member for environment, responded that foxes “cannot really be controlled”, explaining that their territorial nature means when they are killed others from neighbouring areas always take their place.
He added that the problem of pigeons “has been going on for some years in this town”.
Cllr Smith cited the decline of pigeons in London’s Trafalgar Square as an example of how “robust” measures can help reduce numbers.
Cllr Weinhonig, however, said he would like the matter to be “taken more seriously”.
“If you were to starve [the foxes] out they are not going to come back to that territory,” he said.
“Take the litter element for example – there are bins where pigeons and foxes are diving in and creating litter – which is often attributed to young people and I think there can be something done.”
Cllr Smith told Cllr Weinhonig he did take the matter seriously and would liaise with the authority’s pest control officer to look for a solution.
After the meeting, Cllr Weinhonig told the Daily Echo he was not calling for a cull of foxes and pigeons. He said he was calling for more education, in particular to encourage residents not to feed the animals.
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There are only two legal methods to dispose of foxes – shooting and cage trapping in combination with a lethal injection.
Hackney council in London was recently forced to scrap an urban fox cull – which would have been the first in 30 years – after pressure from animal rights activists.
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 Pigeon Patrol | Apr 16, 2016 | 4-S Gel Bird repellent, Animal Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services
Owning a cat is known to have positive health effects, such as reducing stress and improving mood. But it can have downsides, too.
Allergy UK estimates that half of all asthmatic children are allergic to cats, for example.
Now scientists are looking at whether Britain’s ten million cats are putting their owners at risk of another condition: anxiety.
The focus of their investigation is Toxoplasma gondii, a tiny, single-cell parasite commonly found in cat droppings, which causes the disease toxoplasmosis.
Pregnant women have long been advised to avoid emptying cat litter trays, as ingesting the parasite accidentally from unwashed hands in early pregnancy can cause miscarriage or stillbirth. In adults, more rarely it can also lead to blindness by causing scarring at the back of the eye. Other sources of infection include undercooked meat and unwashed fruit and vegetables.
Now scientists think exposure to Toxoplasma gondii could be to blame for many cases of anxiety.
It’s a theory backed by some of Britain’s leading experts on parasitic diseases.
In a study at the University of Michigan, blood samples from 450 adults were checked for antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii.
The presence of these antibodies is a sign the person has been infected. Researchers then identified the study participants who had been diagnosed with generalised anxiety disorder, or GAD.
Anxiety is a normal but temporary response to stress or danger. But with GAD, the anxiety is excessive – a constant worrying when there is no danger present. Up to 7 per cent of the population – nearly five million people in Britain – are thought to be affected with symptoms, ranging from a racing heartbeat and shortness of breath to agitation and constant dread. The University of Michigan research, published in the journal Brain, Behaviour and Immunity, found that people with antibodies to the parasite were twice as likely to have been diagnosed with GAD.
And those with the highest levels of antibodies, suggesting greater exposure to the parasite, were three times more likely to be affected by GAD. It’s thought that while antibodies might destroy some parasites, others evade detection and head for the brain.
The researchers said: ‘Our study is the first to examine the association between T. Gondii infection and diagnosed anxiety disorder.’
This is not the first time the parasite has been linked to brain-related problems. Previous research has linked infection with this parasite to an increased risk of schizophrenia and learning disabilities in children.
‘There are even some fascinating studies showing Toxoplasma can cause decreased reaction times and a greater chance of being involved in road accidents,’ says Professor Joanne Webster, from the Centre for Emerging, Endemic and Exotic Diseases at the Royal Veterinary College in London, whose research in the Nineties led to an extraordinary discovery about the effect Toxoplasma had on rats’ behaviour.
The parasite exits the body via droppings – and, if these are then eaten by a rat, the parasite heads straight for the brain, where it somehow switches off the innate fear the rodent has of cats, and makes it crave the smell of feline urine.
All the rat’s survival instincts disappear and it effectively serves itself up as dinner for a cat. ‘It’s basically manipulating the rat’s mind,’ says Professor Webster.
It’s this same ‘manipulation’ which scientists think might trigger anxiety in humans.
To be on the safe side, wear gloves when cleaning a litter tray
Studies suggest Toxoplasma produces its own supply of dopamine, a brain chemical that sends signals between cells.
The parasite’s dopamine might disrupt the normal chemical balance in the human brain.
Although too little dopamine has been linked with anxiety, so has too much, and research suggests that the parasite can trigger over-activity in the amygdala, the area of the brain that is involved in expressing anxiety.
But should cat owners be worried? There are only 350 confirmed human cases of toxoplasmosis in England and Wales a year.
But according to NHS Choices, up to a third of us will be infected at some point, yet not even notice any symptoms (typically it causes flu-like symptoms that last for a couple of weeks).
Maggie Roberts, director of veterinary services at Cats Protection, says: ‘I have lots of friends who are vets and have handled hundreds of cats and were tested during pregnancy for Toxoplasma – and I don’t know one who has tested positive.’
She says cats are infectious for only about ten days in their whole life. Afterwards, they are resistant. ‘To be on the safe side, wear gloves when cleaning a litter tray and wash your hands thoroughly afterwards.’
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 Pigeon Patrol | Apr 15, 2016 | 4-S Gel Bird repellent, Bird Netting, Pigeons in the News, UltraSonic Bird Control
Birds of prey are being drafted in to Northamptonshire, to help deal with problem pigeons posing a health risk in Daventry town centre.
The action is being taken by Daventry District Council, in response to concerns over the growing number of pigeons creating a mess in the town, particularly Bowen Square and Foundry Place.
As well as looking unsightly, bird droppings carry disease and can erode stonework on buildings and block gutters.
During a two-week programme, experienced handlers will fly falcons in a wide arc around the town centre, deterring pigeons from roof tops and balconies. The Harris hawk will be walked around the town to move the pigeons from paths and walkways.
The birds of prey will then be brought back to the town, to deter the pigeons from returning.
“Our falconry response programmes create a visual deterrent, letting the pest birds know that the area is no longer safe.The presence of a hawk or falcon quickly makes an area undesirable to feral pigeons and encourages them to establish a new pattern of behaviour. This is a natural method of bird control which utilises nature’s instincts to move the pigeons on – they will not roost in an area where they know there is a predator and over time pigeons will leave the area.”
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 Pigeon Patrol | Apr 14, 2016 | Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons in the News
This pigeon is giving pizza rat a run for its money.
A photo uploaded to Reddit by user connierubirosa on Sunday shows a pigeon perched outside a park wearing a bagel around its chest like a necklace.
It’s not clear where exactly the photo was taken, but the image was uploaded to the NYC subreddit forum with the caption, “Most New York photo I’ve ever taken.”
It’s also unclear why the pigeon is donning the unusual fashion statement, but Gothamist and other websites have posted other photos of pigeons wearing baked goods around their necks in the past.
It’s the latest in a string of humorous sightings featuring New York City’s wildlife with some of the city’s iconic foods.
Mets, Royals Meet in World Series
Last month, social media users were fascinated by the now-famous pizza rat, which was caught on camera dragging a slice of pizza down a set of subway stairs. Video of the rat garnered more than 8 million views on YouTube.
And last week a picture of a raccoon chowing down on pizza in Central Park looked to become the Big Apple’s latest culinarily inclined rodent star
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)
