Large flocks of pigeons are part of San José’s daily landscape, and while pedestrians are mostly used to the scene, health officials say the local winged population is getting out of control. The Health Ministry recently ordered city officials to outline and implement plans to control the number of pigeons in public spaces, mostly in the capital’s downtown.
The feathers of common or feral pigeons (Columba livia) usually carry chlamydia as well as parasites that can be carriers of several other diseases. A 2012 study from the University of Basel, Switzerland, found pigeons can carry some 60 types of microorganisms associated with respiratory infections, as well as lung and brain damage.
Earlier this year, ministry experts conducted an inspection prompted by citizen complaints regarding a perceived increase in the number of pigeons in the capital’s parks, boulevards and other open spaces.
Inspections concluded that the high concentration of pigeons in those spaces is related to the large amount of waste from businesses in the area, and because people constantly feed them.
In April the Health Ministry ordered the Municipality of San José to take specific action to curb the increase in pigeon populations downtown. The ministry’s sanitary order called for an immediate ban on pigeon feed sold by street vendors. It requested that Municipal Police confiscate feed when found.
The ministry also asked the city to draft a plan for removing pigeon droppings from sidewalks and parks, and one for improving waste management in the area.
Public health problem
An investigation by the National University’s entomology lab concluded that people who spend time in San José’s public places with large pigeons populations are at risk.
Between 2012 and 2013, UNA experts collected samples of pigeon droppings at four of the capital’s locations where the largest populations are found: Plaza de la Cultura, Plaza de las Garantías Sociales, Parque Morazán and Parque Guadalupe, in northeast San José.
Among their findings UNA researchers found organisms that can be passed to humans, mostly salmonella, usually known as a food poisoning, and chlamydia, mostly known as a sexually-transmitted disease. In fact, chlamydia can be spread from bird to human through particles on the bird, in the bird’s poop or in the air.
The Health Minister at the time, María Luisa Avila Agüero, said that pigeons in these public places also carry two other diseases that can affect humans: toxoplasmosis andhistoplasmosis. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, toxoplasmosis is particularly dangerous for pregnant women, as an infection during the early months of pregnancy may result in serious consequences, including abortion, congenital malformations, hydrocephalus, blindness, deafness and intellectual disability. An infection in late pregnancy may result in a child born apparently in health conditions, but years later the child can develop visual disorders that can produce total blindness.
The National Theater, a San José arquitectural landmark, is one of the pigeons’ favorite buildings.
Alberto Font/The Tico Times
Damage to architectural heritage
Besides serious health concerns, citizens have requested the removal of pigeons from downtown San José because of the damage pigeon poop causes to buildings, including historic structures such as the National Theater, Melico Salazar Theater, Knor building (on Central Avenue), the Metropolitan Cathedral and La Merced Church, among others.
William Monge Quesada, director of the Culture Ministry’s Center for Conservation of Cultural Heritage, said that in recent years several strategies to address the problem have been unsuccessful.
He said city officials had tried many things, from placing metal mesh on cornices, fake owls to scare pigeons, and even ultrasonic systems that imitate pigeon predators. “Scare tactics worked at first but pigeons got used to them pretty soon,” he said.
Monge, an architect who previously worked at the National Theater, said metal mesh worked well but was an expensive solution. Also, at certain times of the year parakeets make holes that pigeons use to enter the ceilings and nest there.
Pigeon droppings corrode rooftops and, as rain washes them, they also corrode cornices and walls. Monuments and statues around San José are also suffering damage, including that of four-time president Juan Mora Porras, located next to the Post Office building.
The statue of ex president Juan Mora Porras is covered in pigeon droppings.
Alberto Font/The Tico Times
Who’s in charge?
The city’s director of tourism Carmen Azofeifa Vindas said authorities have a plan involving relocating the pigeons outside of the capital and implementing a birth control program to reduce the population. The latter could involve adding contraceptives to the pigeons’ food, Azofeifa said.
The relocation plan currently doesn’t have a timetable. Municipal officials are carrying out an investigation to determine an appropriate location for relocating the birds.
City officials are also consulting with counterparts in other countries, mainly in Europe, where authorities have successfully controlled pigeon populations that also were damaging historic buildings and affecting public health, she said.
Municipal officials hope a timetable for the relocation and birth control plan might be ready as soon as next month. Azofeifa, however, believes the municipality likely will need specialized help to carry out the plan. Officials have asked for assistance — at the suggestion of the Health Ministry — from the National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC) and the National Animal Health Service (SENASA) but both agencies say the pigeon relocation problem is not within their responsibilities.
Coordinating with these and other agencies could prove difficult for the city.
SENASA told The Tico Times through its press office that wildlife is out of the agency’s jurisdiction.
SINAC’s wildlife manager Joaquín Calvo Domingo said the city should take the first steps to deal with the problem. He thinks municipal officials first need to improve waste collection and prevent people from feeding the pigeons.
“Once these situations are under control, SINAC might get involved in the next stage of the plan to control overpopulation,” Calvo said.
On the cultural side, officials at the Center for Conservation of Cultural Heritage have yet to draft plans to protect the capital’s historic buildings. William Monge took office a month ago following the dismissal of most of the Culture Ministry’s top officials as a result of thefailed organization of this year’s International Arts Festival.
“I’ve said we need to appoint a person who will be responsible for coordinating efforts with other agencies on this issue,” Monge said last week. He said that person would likely be chosen within a few months.
Pigeons are not scared of fake owls anymore. Metal devices placed to keep them away now support their nests.
Alberto Font/The Tico Times
People touch pigeons unaware that they can be carriers of diseases.
Alberto Font/The Tico Times
Pigeon droppings are damaging several historic buildings in San José.
Alberto Font/The Tico Times
Street vendors sell corn for feeding pigeons, in spite of a prohibition from the Health Ministry.
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.
Wonky Pigeon Sure Is A Game About A Pigeon That Poos On People
I mean, I’m not really sure what else I was expecting. Let me set the scene for you: I had just finished taking a ClickHole quiz entitled “Can You Match The Pigeons To The Way They’re Ruining My Whole Life?” Afterward, I stepped away from my PC to go down to the building that houses my apartment complex’s washing machine, to put my laundry in the drier. Boom: from behind a rubbish bin emerged a pigeon, eyes afire with some sort of bird emotion (probably vengeance) screaming into the sky.
“OK,” I thought to myself, “that was a little weird.”
Rattled, I returned to my PC to engage in one of my favourite self-care/loathing acts: checking Steam’s new releases page. Of course, my eyes immediately gravitated to Wonky Pigeon. It is highly unlikely that any of these events are connected, but there’s your idea for a modern reboot of Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds, Hollywood.
So the game is about a pigeon trying to destroy cities with poop. Humanity played some kind of cruel joke on the pigeon, and then things got wacky. Also, apocalyptic.
But the rabbit — pigeon? — pigeon hole (ew) runs deeper. Look at this list of things that are in the game:
Both evil and comic game story — Use a pigeon to destroy a city with poo.
Beautiful cartoon graphics — You will love to shoot green poo.
Split screen coop mode — Two pigeons is better than one.
The dramatic poo cam — Drive the poo until it hits the target.
Pigeon sounds by John J. Dick — The famous actor who voiced Serious Sam.
That last one took me by surprise too. I guess he does a mad solid pigeon impersonation? Stock recordings of pigeons also do a pretty good pigeon impersonation, but to each their own!
Anyway, Wonky Pigeon is a game about a pigeon who poos on people. That is pretty much The Whole Thing. It just launched on Steam Early Access, although curiously, I am unable to purchase it at the moment. So yes, the world is weird, and pigeons are arseholes (with other miscellaneous bird parts attached).
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.
I was sitting in the High Street, outside M & S, waiting for Sue to finish buying up the whole store.
A chap came up and had a carrier bag of tit-bits for the pigeons.
They seemed to know him and flew down for a bit of lunch.
How healthy they looked with most of them still having their legs and toes.
In London practically all the pigeons look tatty, have no feet or are dragging a leg because it was entwined with cotton, wire or some other form of ligature.
Previously I had been sitting, waiting for the train, on Marylebone Station.
A couple of pigeons were gleaning what they could on the concourse.
There it was.
One had a definite limp with cotton wrapped around its leg, a ligature almost severing the foot.
How could I ignore it?
I couldn’t.
I went into M & S and bought some biscuits.
The plan was to entice our pigeon to come within distance then I could pounce and grab.
Did this without any trouble. Then to untangle the cotton from its leg.
Bad mistake.
As I started to unwind it the leg started to bleed profusely.
From being a hero I had become a villain who made pigeons bleed.
I stemmed the bleeding with tissues and getting a box, once more in M & S, I took my bemused pigeon back to Tiggys where, once the cotton had been removed, the leg could be sutured back together.
The true endorsement of the pigeon that I witnessed was in St Mark’s Square in Venice.
The local council had banned the sale of pigeon food. I was in Venice where a group of tourists in wheelchairs were having a fabulous time feeding the pigeons. They were loving every minute of it.
Leave the pigeons be.
Somebody loves them.
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.
Rick Gibson, UA Cooperative Extension
Birds can devastate young vegetable seedlings or ruin fresh fruit in the blink of an eye but if we know what to do, and take action before they strike, we can often prevent problems.
Many of us are all too familiar with damage caused by birds to ripening apricots, plums, grapes and other garden fruits. We know it happens and even come to expect it. However, few people realize that birds can also seriously damage vegetable gardens. The fact is that yes, birds can make pests of themselves in vegetable gardens, particularly when young plants are in the seedling stage. Some people would be quick to say that they can be very aggravating pests. For those who know what I am talking about, I sense your frustration.
Birds can damage fruit and vegetables in two basic ways. The most obvious is direct feeding and the other is contamination of food products. Let’s consider some examples.
Horned larks are notorious in the commercial vegetable industry and in home vegetable gardens for nipping at new seedlings emerging from the ground. They usually don’t really eat the plant. Mostly they just bite it, perhaps for a taste of the sap. Sometimes though, they will pull it completely out of the ground. In these cases, it is not uncommon to find the poor, abused seedling lying discarded nearby after this not too gentle treatment. Horned larks are not the only ones that do this of course, but they are notorious for this kind of damage.
Other birds like finches, sparrows, thrashers and wrens will peck holes in the soft flesh of ripening fruit. Figs, apricots, peaches and plums are common targets for birds. Woodpeckers and their relatives, the sapsuckers, peck holes in the rinds of citrus fruit looking for a juicy taste of fresh fruit. Many birds figure out how to hunt the seeds that you just put in the ground and have lunch at your expense. If you are growing your own grains, watch out for the red-winged blackbird. They and their cronies will absolutely love your harvest.
Birds also cause damage to garden crops through direct contamination of the edible parts of the plant. Bird droppings are usually not a problem when they fall on fruits that will be peeled, but when they end up on difficult to wash fruit like blackberries, strawberries and clusters of table grapes, they make a real mess and the residues could harbor disease.
The sight of bird feces on fresh fruit is guaranteed to quickly destroy any desire one might have to pluck a ripe fruit and plop it directly in the mouth. Even so, most produce can be cleansed with a careful washing. In fact, it is a good idea to inspect food materials carefully before you place anything in your mouth. Even if you can’t see any contamination, it is always good to wash before you eat. It is better to be safe than sorry, I say.
How do we prevent bird problems in the garden? When thinking about control, many people quickly jump to the idea of chemical poisons and repellents. However, since most gardeners do not have the proper training, certification and license to use chemicals to control birds, that way is out. Don’t even think about it. Put it out of your mind. Don’t go there.
The same goes for shooting with fire arms, sling shots or arrows. There are a whole bunch of laws that if violated, could bring embarrassment, financial difficulties and even imprisonment. Unless you have legal permission, birds cannot be harmed in any way. Just so we are clear, almost every bird you see is protected by state and/or federal regulations. Killing or injuring birds without a license carries a stiff punishment and could get you into big trouble. Don’t do it.
So, what can you do to protect your garden from the ravages of hungry birds? There are a number of things that can be done and most fall within three categories: frightening devices, mechanical barriers and habitat modification.
Okay, let me emphasize right here that I am not recommending the use of loud sounds in populated areas to frighten away birds. While farmers out in the country might get away with propane cannons, fireworks and blank shotgun blasts, no one in the city wants to wake up to a loud bang or pop at the crack of dawn. Not only will the neighbors be upset, but the local law enforcement community also. They take a dim view of such activities, even if it is in the name of good gardening, because there are laws against disturbing the public peace.
On the other hand, a good predator silhouette works very well to frighten birds away. It is quiet and causes no harm to the animals. Some people use hawks or snakes, but I like to use an owl. Strategically placed and moved regularly, birds have a tough time telling the difference between a real owl and a plastic one in the few seconds they have to make a life or death decision. I really like the plastic owl that, with power from a solar collector, is able to move its head. Any movement is good because it gives the birds a more realistic view. I have seen birds literally do a U-turn in mid flight when they suddenly see what they think is a live owl hiding among the foliage of a fig or apricot fig. Predator images seem to work equally well in vegetable gardens.
Mechanical barriers are another good way to keep birds away from sensitive plants. Many people already use bird netting over citrus, apricots, grapes and plums to protect their fruit. Floating row covers, light spun fabric especially designed for agricultural use or the netting you use on your fruit trees can be set up to keep birds away from tender vegetable plants until they are large enough that birds lose interest. The floating row cover can be laid directly on top of the plants because they are light enough that they do not damage plants. Netting can be laid on top of a pole framework to keep them off the plants.
The last way to prevent bird damage is to change the natural habitat around your garden. Modifying conditions to make the area less interesting to the birds will help prevent bird populations from becoming excessive. The fewer the birds, the less damage will be sustained.
Of course, birds can travel some distance to a feeding area so habitat modification may have its limits, but anytime we can camouflage or make a feeding site less interesting, the better off we will be. Common modification techniques include removing roosting areas like trees and shrubs in the vicinity of the garden area, moving the bird bath and decorative bird houses to another part of the yard and eliminating nearby resting areas.
Birds cause many types of damage in the garden. While there are some things that we definitely should not do, there are steps that you and I can take to effectively prevent bird damage without harming protected species.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
They may only have a brain the size of a thimble, but it appears pigeons can categorise and name objects in the same way a human children learn new words.
A new study from the University of Iowa has shown that the birds are capable of learning to categorise 128 different photographs into 16 basic categories.
Scientists taught three pigeons to attribute different breeds of dog or types of shoe, for example to a particular symbol in exchange for a reward.
CROWS ARE PROBLEM SOLVERS
Crows are widely thought to be among the most intelligent of birds, but a recent study found they are even smarter than first thought, capable of solving complex tasks previously thought possible only by humans, apes and monkeys.
Most impressively, they performed the tasks spontaneously – without any prior training.
Two hooded crows were placed into a wire mesh cage into which a plastic tray containing three small cups was occasionally inserted.
The sample cup in the middle was covered with a small card that had a colour, shape or number of items pictured on it.
The other two cups were also covered with cards – one that matched the sample, and one that didn’t.
The cup under the matching card contained mealworms, which the crows were rewarded with if they chose the correct match.
The crows were then required to conduct a similar task but with images on cards that did not precisely match.
Researchers were surprised that the not only could the crows correctly perform these relational matches, with a success rate of 78 per cent – 50 per cent being regarded as chance – but that they did so spontaneously, without explicit training.
However, the researchers said it took their birds around 40 days to perfect the task of learning just 16 categories.
Professor Edward Wasserman, a psychologist at the University of Iowa who led the work, said: ‘Our birds’ rate of learning appears to have been quite slow. Human adults regularly learn 16 categories in the space of an hour, yet, pigeons took 45,000 trials to reach their associative limits.
‘Would children learn faster than pigeons? Almost certainly. However, our pigeons came to the experiment with literally no background knowledge.
‘They did not understand the nature of the “task”, they had not encountered these categories before, and they had empty lexicons.
‘Children, on the other hand, bring all of these things to bear on the problem of learning words.
‘Thus, the more relevant comparison group may be newborn infants, who indeed take 6–9 months to learn their first words.’
On each training day, the researchers presented each of the pigeons with 128 randomly ordered images.
Each image fitted into one of 16 categories – baby, bottle, cake, car, cracker, dog, duck, fish, flower, hat, key, pen, phone, plan, shoe, tree.
The birds then had to peck on one of two different colour symbols presented to them on a touchscreen computer – one that was associated with the correct category and the other the wrong category.
If the birds selected the correct symbol they were rewarded with a pellet of food. Incorrect choices plunged the birds into darkness foir a new seconds.
After the training, the birds were then presented with images from the categories they had not seen before to see if they could correctly attribute them.
Pigeons are known for their ability to find their way home, but the new study suggests they are even smarter
One of the birds reached an accuracy of 80 per cent, a second achieved 70 per cent accuracy and the third was 65 per cent accurate.
Writing in the journal Cognition, the researchers said their experiment was a very simple mirror of the way children are taught words – by their parents pointing to pictures and asking them to name the object.
They said: ‘Our paradigm is not a direct analog of human word learning.
‘Nevertheless, it does offer a unique biological model of a critical property of word learning – namely, the fact that a learner must map many exemplars to many categories.’
Professor Wasserman added: ‘Unlike prior attempts to teach words to primates, dogs, and parrots, we used neither elaborate shaping methods nor social cues.
‘Our pigeons were trained on all 16 categories simultaneously, a much closer analog of how children learn words and categories.
‘Differences between humans and animals must indeed exist – many are already known – but, they may be outnumbered by similarities.
‘Our research on categorization in pigeons suggests that those similarities may even extend to how children learn words.’
The scientists taught the pigeons to group images of real objects into the 16 distinct categories shown above
Pigeons are known to be smarter than many birds and their homing instinct allows them to memorise their location and find their way home from hundreds of miles away.
Professor Bob McMurray, another psychologist who took part in the study, said the results showed that human learning is not as unique as was previously believed.
He said: ‘Children are confronted with an immense task of learning thousands of words without a lot of background knowledge to go on.
‘For a long time, people thought that such learning is special to humans.
‘What this research shows is that the mechanisms by which children solve this huge problem may be mechanisms that are shared with many species.’
CROWS ARE ‘LEFT-BEAKED’ OR ‘RIGHT-BEAKED’
Researchers studying New Caledonian crows recently discovered the clever corvids display a preference for holding a stick tool on a certain side of their beaks – and this could be to make the most of their wide field of vision.
The researchers believe the birds may be trying to keep the tip of the stick in view of the eye on the opposite side of their heads, so they can see clearly in order to use tools in the most dexterous way.
Lead scientist Dr Alejandro Kacelnik, from Oxford University, said: ‘If you were holding a brush in your mouth and one of your eyes was better than the other at brush length, you would hold the brush so that its tip fell in view of the better eye. This is what the crows do.’
New Caledonian crows surprised experts with their ability to use sticks to extract larvae from burrows and, in captivity, retrieve food placed out of reach.
The study, published in the journal Current Biology, also suggests that the birds’ unusually wide field of vision actually helps them to see better with one eye.
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.
Farmers cultivating fruits like grapes on ‘pandal’ are advised to erect anti-bird nets with subsidy under the National Horticulture Mission to protect the fruits from birds, squirrels, owls, etc., as the netting protects the crops from extensive damage to fruits and vegetables.
Anti-bird netting is an effective method for preventing crop loss usually caused by birds that invade the vineyards in flocks. Anti-bird netting can be done manually or mechanically depending upon the need. The anti-bird nets can also be used for holding animals in an enclosure, thus preventing any pillaging by birds and in some instances for keeping wild animals out and preventing consequent damage. With regard to aviary protection, wide-meshed nets are recommended.
Plastic anti-bird netting is a light weight but strong netting that will protect soft fruits and vegetables from bird attacks and browsing animals. Anti-bird netting can be used for fruit cages, protection of crops from birds, rabbits, squirrels and other similar pests, he added.
The plastic bird netting is lightweight, easy to handle and simple to install over fruit cages, directly over fruit trees and on vegetable or fruit growing areas.
The netting apertures allow smaller essential pollinating insects through and smaller butterflies while preventing birds. Anti-bird nets have a rectangular structure which creates a strong plastic mesh structure, making it easier to install and long lasting than the diamond mesh structured plastic bird netting.
Inspecting a field with anti-bird netting protection at Krishnapuram in the district, S. Raja Mohamed, Deputy Director of Horticulture, said 50 percent subsidy at the rate of Rs. 17.50 per sq.m. limited to 5,000 sq.m. per beneficiary was being given under the NHM to the farmers, who needed anti-bird nets.
As a promotional measure during the current fiscal, 1,000 sq.m. had been allotted to P. Ravichandran of Krishnapuram under this component with an allocation of Rs. 17,500.
“Farmers cultivating fruits like grapes and vegetables grown on ‘pandal’ may go for anti-bird netting with the NHM subsidy. While this effort fetches sizable assistance, the yield is also increased substantially by preventing invading birds and smaller animals,” Mr. Raja Mohamed 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.
Some very interesting new research has uncovered something remarkable about pigeons. Apparently, they can learn much like a human.
“The research shows the mechanisms by which children learn words might not be unique to humans,” comments study author Bob McMurray, of the University of Iowa. “Children are confronted with an immense task of learning thousands of words without a lot of background knowledge to go on. For a long time, people thought that such learning is special to humans.”
McMurray goes on to say, “What this research shows is that the mechanisms by which children solve this huge problem may be mechanisms that are shared with many species.”
Obviously, a pigeon does not have the same capacity for information as a human, but the study suggest that they have, at least, comparable capacity for learning.
“It is certainly no simple task to investigate animal cognition; but, as our methods have improved, so too have our understanding and appreciation of animal intelligence,” explains study author Ed Wasserman, of the University of Iowa. “Differences between humans and animals must indeed exist, many are already known. But, they may be outnumbered by similarities. Our research on categorization in pigeons suggests that those similarities may even extend to how children learn words,”
He presents hypotheticals: “Would children learn faster than pigeons? Almost certainly; However, our pigeons came to the experiment with literally no background knowledge. They did not understand the nature of the ‘task’ they had not encountered these categories before, and they had empty lexicons.”
“Children, on the other hand, bring all of these things to bear on the problem of learning words,” he says. “Thus, the more relevant comparison group may be newborn infants, who indeed take 6 to 9 months to learn their first words.”
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.
Two Aeroflot jets collided with birds in the past 24 hours, but no one was injured.
The pilots of an Airbus A-330 radioed air traffic controllers shortly after taking off from Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport on a flight to London to say that they had struck a large bird, Interfax reported Thursday.
“Nonetheless, the crew decided to continue the flight,” an official in Moscow’s air traffic control was quoted as saying.
The plane departed Moscow at 8:45 p.m. Wednesday. No serious damage was discovered to the aircraft after it safely landed in Heathrow.
The report did not say how many people were aboard the jet, which typically can carry 250-300 passengers.
The second bird strike occurred as an Airbus A-321 flight from Moscow was preparing to land at the Kaliningrad airport at 3:40 p.m. Wednesday. The bird hit the cockpit’s windshield, Moscow’s air traffic control said, without elaborating on whether the windshield was damaged.
Interfax did not say how many people were on the flight.
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.
March 2, 2015 — A READER ASKS: I live in a midsize co-op in Brooklyn. We have a huge pigeon problem. There are pigeon droppings everywhere. It’s not just unsightly; there’s so much of it now that I’m concerned about it becoming a health hazard. As far as anyone can tell, nobody in the building seems to be feeding them — we do have a policy in place against doing so. But is there anything the building can do to fix this problem and make the pigeons go away?
HABITAT ANSWERS: Pigeons find window ledges, rooftops, bridges, and warehouses to be ideal substitutes for the natural ledges in cliff sides that they have always used as roosting, nesting and sheltering sites. The good news is that there are some simple things that co-ops and condos can do to keep birds from their buildings — and the best part is that they are humane.
Stop Feeding the Pigeons
It’s good that nobody in your building seems to be feeding the pigeons, but that doesn’t mean that the building is not unintentionally doing so. Pigeons are going to hang around places where they can help themselves to discarded food and even crumbs. Keep the sidewalk clean and outdoor garbage tidy. Cleaning regularly will help discourage pigeons from gathering and setting up nests in your building.
Prevent Roosting and Nesting
Pigeons look for flat surfaces for roosting and nesting, so the building has to take steps to make flat surfaces unavailable to them. With the correct application of the right product, roosting structures can be rendered virtually pigeon-free. There are a variety of devices that can be used to change flat nesting spots into inaccessible spaces and prevent pigeons from roosting in areas where they’re not wanted.
The Humane Society recommends the following products, all of which can be ordered from birdbarrier.com or 800-NO-BIRDS.com:
Attach wood or metal sheathing (Birdslides) at a 45- to 60-degree angle over window ledges and other flat surfaces to keep pigeons from landing.
Install “bird wires” to keep pigeons off ledges, railings, awnings, and rooftops.
Where the problem is more serious, consider using strips that give mild electric shocks.
Use netting to keep pigeons out of large areas.
Netting is probably your building’s best bet — it’s not only humane and effective but also a lot more cost effective.
Never use polybutylene gel, adds the Humane Society. Sticky gel repellents made from polybutene can harm all birds and any animal that comes in contact with it. The HSUS strongly recommends that these dangerous repellents be avoided at all costs. The feathers of any bird that comes into contact with the dense, sticky gel will become damaged, interfering with their ability to fly and to stay water-proofed. These gel repellents are not selective. Other birds are likely to land on the gel, get stuck, and die. The polybutene gels are particularly harmful to smaller species.
Planned Pigeonhood?
As year-round nesters, a pair of pigeons can raise a dozen or more young each year. If pigeons have plenty of food and space, their numbers can quickly increase. Fortunately, a bird contraceptive is available that limits growth of pigeon flocks. Ovocontrol bird food is “birth control” for pigeons. Innolytics, LLC
Known as OvoControl, pigeon contraception comes in the form of a kibble-type food, which causes birds that eat it regularly to lay eggs that fail to develop. Combined with exclusion and other humane measures to discourage roosting and nesting, OvoControl effectively reduces hatching rates in pigeons, thereby limiting flock sizes and diminishing problems associated with large numbers of pigeons.
Talk to Your Property Manager
Whatever you do, and regardless of how frustrating the problem, do not resort to poisoning them. In New York, it’s illegal to kill pigeons. Your property manager can suggest viable options for your building and then present those to the board for a final decision. Your board should be involved in addressing any bird-related problems, because the solution will usually affect the building’s exterior.
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.
Pigeons never seem to crash. While their less-fortunate cousins occasionally take down airplanes, the humble city pigeon darts between lampposts, dodges skyscrapers and dips around oncoming traffic with ease. Now scientists have captured some of that action on film—and figured out how pigeons manage to squeeze through particularly tight spaces.
Pigeons need to strike the perfect balance between safe and efficient flight. When maneuvering between two poles, for instance, they can choose to either raise their wings upward in a mid-flap pause, or fold their wings inward. The so-called “wing-pause” is the more efficient method — it costs very little energy and results in almost no altitude loss. Meanwhile, the “wing-fold” position saps more energy and loses more altitude, but it’s easily the safest way to protect delicate wings from an unforgiving lamppost.
After training four pigeons to fly back and forth across a flight corridor, scientists dropped obstacles into their flight paths to test whether each bird would use the wing-pause or wing-fold maneuver. When it came to tight spaces, the scientists found that the birds favored the less efficient wing-fold maneuver — presumably because, in those situations, there was a high probability of ramming into a pole. But for larger gaps (12 inches, or about half a wingspan), the pigeons were less concerned about a collision, and chose the riskier but lower energy wing-pause maneuver. From the paper:
The choice between these two postures seems mediated by an element of caution or uncertainty…the efficient flight strategy is chosen where gaps are wider and there is less chance of a collision occurring.
The findings may explain why, despite the millions of pigeons in New York City, we rarely see them smash into cars or telephone poles. Beyond that the research suggests that some birds tune their flight strategies, rapidly weighing the odds of making it through a narrow pass.
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 medieval monument in England underwent a dramatic cleaning when a high pressure tanker sucked up about 25 tons of pigeon poo from the historic structure.
Measuring almost three feet deep, the bird droppings built up over decades inside the towers of the roofless 14th-century Landgate Arch in Rye, East Sussex.
Since there is no public access to the towers, the massive, mushy mess went unnoticed until last month, when members of the Rother District Council, which owns the ancient monument, made the stomach-turning finding.
“Whilst we’ve removed other massive blockages such giant fatbergs in sewers, we have never seen such a monumental mass of festering feces before,” Mike Walker, managing director for CountyClean Environmental Services, appointed to clean the towers last week, said in a statement.
He added that the build up behind the doors was such that cleaners had to force the doors open.
“Once inside, it was like walking on a giant chocolate cake and the smell was awful –- even through a facemask,” he said.
Had the guano not been removed, it would have continued to accumulate and cause structural damage to the monument. The acidic pigeon poo can damage stonework seriously.
The clean-up took four days using a powerful custom built machine.
“The machine provides high powered vacuum suction through hoses as well as high pressure water jetting,” Graeme Sanderson at CountyClean Environmental Services told Discovery News.
The only survivor of four fortified gateways, the Landgate Arch dates to 1329, in the early years of the reign of King Edward III. It features a chamber over the arch and was built to protect Rye from marauding French invaders.
Pigeons are often perched in the alcoves of the iconic Arch, which is still the only vehicular route into the medieval center of Rye and one of the town’s most photographed sights.
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 PIGEON was killed by a man in Exeter after it pecked at scraps from his hotdog, a court heard.
Exeter Magistrates’ Court heard the incident took place near Castle Street in the city on St Valentine’s Day last month, when a member of the public witnessed Jeremy Wayle, 48, of Totnes, crush the bird under his foot outside the cafe.
Appearing before magistrates Wayle pleaded guilty to killing a non schedule one wild bird, and through his solicitor said he “accepted it should not have happened and his behaviour was wholly unacceptable.”
The court heard Wayle had been having a nice day until he started eating a hot dog and a flock of pigeons descended near him.
Irritated by the avian invasion, he trapped one of the birds under his foot and crushed it to death, causing “shock and distress” to a female shopper.
The woman confronted him telling Wayle he was “nasty,” the court heard.
Wayle told the woman that pigeons were vermin.
Police were called and Wayle, who is unemployed, was searched and found to have a small amount of cannabis on him.
In mitigation, the court heard he suffered a head injury 30 years ago and had suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder. Magistrates heard he did not want to upset anyone and was very apologetic for his behaviour.
Wayle, was given a conditional discharge for 12 months, ordered to pay £15 to the court and had cannabis was forfeited and ordered to be destroyed.
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.
After years of war with the pigeons, Venice is now in war with the seagulls. The birds have become very aggressive. At one point last summer they’ve attacked a man working on a rooftop. Recently, the seagulls have become so brave that they jump on trays carried by the waiters in Piazza San Marco. They even hunt and kill pigeons for food. The point is, the new treat on the main Piazza in Venice comes from the seagulls who are no longer scared from humans and do not fear our reaction against them.
The numbers of pigeons in Venice have fallen sharply when a few years ago the city banned the sale of grains. However, seagulls are the new phenomenon that is gradually becoming even worse then the pigeons. You can see them early in the morning roaming around the trashcans, opening bags of garbage and eating leftovers, before the sweepers are able to pick them up.
gabbiani e colombi ai tavolini del caffe florianNow with the arrival of spring, the eggs hatch and with little to satisfy their hunger, the problem is getting greater. Finding a solution from the city, the region and the local health organization is urgently needed. Eighty nests have been found in the city since 2006 and their number has grown greatly since then. Now there are too many to be destroyed at once. “In Piazza San Marco which is a limited space you might think is the first place to begin the destruction – says Giuseppe Cherubini who is responsible for Hunting and Fishing of the Region – the nests are in the Basilica, in the Ducal Palace and the Magistrates, we are willing to give permission for their removal immediately.” The task however is not that easy. There has been even a proposal to introduce falcons or hawks that could naturally eliminate the great number of seagulls. However, an animal and birds expert, who asked to remain anonymous, said: “In Italy there are regulatory issues, the herring gull is a protected species.” According to other experts it is not easy to use hawks in a small space as the San Marco Square.
So, for now the problem will still stay unresolved in Venice. There is a new war between pigeons, seagulls and humans and so far the seagulls are winning. It seems that the easiest solution is to limit the food consumption on the Piazza San Marco to only designated areas and bars. Besides, who wants to walk around people who are using the square for a picnic site, spreading blankets and baskets with food?
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 pest control contractor hired by Halifax has been using poison to control the pigeon population at the Keshen Goodman Public Library.
CBC News uncovered the information when the city’s pest control contract came up for renewal. The new tender for services in Halifax includes a mention of “an Avitrol program” at the library.
Avitrol is described by its manufacturer as a flock deterrent. It’s designed to look like corn kernels and left out for birds to eat.
Once it’s consumed, Avitrol affects the birds’ central nervous system and causes convulsions that can last more than four hours. The prolonged, uncontrolled flapping is meant to scare other birds away.
The company’s website states there is no way to effectively use Avitrol without some birds dying from the product.
Hope Swinimer, founder of Hope for Wildlife, says poisoned pigeons are being brought to her shelter. (CBC)
Hope Swinimer, founder of Hope for Wildlife, says she’s seen a number of poisoned birds brought to her shelter.
“It looks like they are struggling, just like mini seizures,” she said. “They look really confused and there’s sometimes vomiting too.”
Avitrol is currently banned in New York City, San Francisco, the United Kingdom and Red Deer, Alta.
Visitors to the Keshen Goodman Library were surprised to hear the poison has been used to control birds in the area.
“I think placing poison for that is not a good idea,” said Brenda Gionet.
“Sometimes my kids fall down and they put their hands on ground,” said Herman Bhuller.
Poison may not be effective
“If there’s poison on the ground and if they swallow it, I think that would be dangerous.”
The poison may not even be very effective. Many wildlife experts said new birds often move into the area once the previous birds are killed or scared off.
“If you revisit the spot, six months down the road, you’re going to see the exact same problem,” said Swinimer.
After CBC News contacted the city with questions about Avitrol, officials said the poison would no longer be specifically mentioned in the next tender for pest control, up for renewal this year.
However, there is no ban preventing Halifax’s contractor or other pest control companies from continuing to use Avitrol on public or private property.
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.
SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS)— When most people think of pigeons, the common city street bird comes to mind, but there’s a different kind of pigeon in California and it’s at risk, according to environmental scientists.
Most of the Pacific Coast Band-tailed pigeons are dying specifically between San Francisco and San Diego. The stocky, reclusive bird is the state’s only native pigeon. Its head is a beautiful purple accompanied by a yellow bill and legs.
Environmental scientists at the California Department of Fish and Wildlife have identified a parasite as avian trichomoniasis, an organism that lives in the throat and mouth of the infected bird, which prohibits them from eating.
Dr. Jennifer Scarlett with the San Francisco SPCA said the street pigeon is thought to be the main source of infection for the bird.
“What happens is where there’s lots of birds congregating, especially around bird feeders and watering holes, is where we’ll see this transmit to the California native pigeon,” Scarlett said.
While there aren’t risks of transmission to other animals, the parasite can be transmitted to other birds such as raptors and hawks.
If you have a birdfeeder in your home’s yard, officials ask that you clean them or even to get rid of them for the next few months.
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.
While the peregrines are away, the pigeons will play.
Salt Lake City’s peregrine falcons are not using the nest box atop the Joseph Smith Memorial Building this spring, and pigeons — one of the raptor’s favorite foods — have taken advantage of the vacancy.
People checking in on the peregrine falcons via the web cameras installed at the nest box instead will see the lowly birds.
The 2015 nesting season dissolved when a female falcon that had been at the nest box was found injured and captured March 29. The female, which a state biologist believes has raised 11 youngsters in the box since 2011, was diagnosed with aspergillus, a fungal respiratory disease. She remains in a wildlife rehabilitation center.
Bob Walters, a watchable wildlife coordinator with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, says she is recovering, but has some lingering issues.
“If it clears up, we will let her go,” Walters said. “If it doesn’t, it is logical she could end up as an educational bird.”
Walters has spotted another pair of falcons hanging around the One Utah Center, at 201 S. Main St. He set up a nest box on the building April 21, but the birds have not been caught using it.
“Humans are pretty spoiled; we expect success,” Walters said. “Nature doesn’t always happen that way.”
The free-loading pigeons may be soon be evicted and the cameras turned off.
“I’m an optimist. We will wait a little longer,” Walters said.
Most peregrine falcons have already hatched this season, he said. “We are just waiting to make sure no falcons show up, and then we will likely close up the box.”
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.
It has come to my attention that there’s been some mirth at Hollister City Hall’s expense over the current field experiment with stereophonic raptor cackles in the downtown area. A steady stream of screeches and cackles emanates from the parking garage at Fourth and San Benito streets throughout the daylight hours.
I’m here to say that the mirth may be misplaced – at least for the time being. City Manager Bill Avera ordered the audio assault to be initiated in an effort to displace a booming population of feral pigeons that were busy procreating and simultaneously turning the garage into a cesspool.
Initial reports delivered to the City Council indicated that there do seem to be fewer pigeons doing what pigeons do in and on the garage structure. That makes sense. Birds are highly vocal, and critically aware of the noises around them. Broadcasting a variety of calls from predatory birds is likely to make other birds a little edgy and inclined to move on to quieter perches.
Birds use vocalizations for a number of purposes. Some of the singing we hear comes from males, eager to let others’ know that they’ve laid claim to a very desirable patch of real estate. Others are contact calls. Take a walk outside, and you are likely to encounter a cloud of Bushtits, or a flock of Chestnut-backed Chickadees, all visiting non-stop as they move through shrubs and trees. They’re staying in touch with one another, offering assurance that none of the members of the flock has seen or sensed anything thought to be a threat.
A group of retiring waterbirds called rails are very vocal. Given that they inhabit dense wetland growth, voice is just about the only way they can keep in touch with one another.
I may have been one of the first to notice the downtown calls, and to notice that they weren’t live, but Memorex. So let me be among the first to say that whatever efficacy the recordings have in convincing, the solution will be temporary at best.
Years ago, Bill Muenzer, owner of Muenzer’s Cyclery and Sporting Goods on Fifth Street, began selling life-sized plastic Great Horned Owls. They began appearing on downtown rooftops with the intention of moving the pigeons along. And that, too, seemed to work very well for a while.
But eventually, a thought flickered into some brighter-than-average pigeon pea brain. If those owls don’t move for a few weeks, maybe something’s up. Soon enough, the pigeons were back.
That’s going to happen with the recordings, too. So the feathered arms race will have to continue. A few years ago, the most chilling screams came from speakers on the roof of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute administrative building in Moss Landing. They were the sounds of gulls being seriously messed with. The calls made my blood run cold, but they didn’t seem to bother the hundreds of gulls perched on the same roof at all.
Some birds are well poised to thrive around people. Gulls can scavenge our leftovers and use flat rooftops as secure roosts. The feral pigeons circling downtown Hollister are the descendants of a genuine wild bird, known as the Rock Pigeon.
When Europeans first got here, the pigeons nested on cliff ledges. Then we built urban canyons filled with perfect cliff ledges. We call them “buildings” and “parking structures.”
Moreover, we continued domesticating pigeons. One of the first things a farmer does in domesticating livestock is to breed in a tendency to breed rapidly, the better to get more livestock.
The result is that today, we have a bunch of randy birds downtown with poor hygiene practices.
So enjoy the raucous downtown symphony while it lasts, because it won’t last long. The pigeons will see to 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.
Technology has its part to play at the Wimbledon tennis championships but it isn’t about to replace one important high-flying job.
Rufus the hawk is to keep his role scaring off pigeons around the SW19 event after his owners rejected suggestions a drone could take his place.
The Harris hawk is a regular visitor to the All England Lawn Tennis Club where he has been keeping feathered pests away for the last seven years.
Rufus’s owner Imogen Davis said drones do not have the “predatory instinct” of a bird of prey.
She said: “Pigeons would simply get used to them and become accustomed to them. Rufus is a predator, drones are not.”
Reaching speeds of up to 30mph, eight-year-old Rufus has been making weekly visits to the south-west London venue over the past 12 months.
He will step up to daily 5am patrols when the highlight of the British tennis calendar begins on Monday.
The Harris hawk, who has his own Twitter page and pass to enter Wimbledon, can also be found scaring off pigeons at Craven Cottage, the home of Fulham football club, as well as Westminster Abbey and Billingsgate Fish Market.
Rufus hit the headlines three years ago when he was stolen from a car overnight during Wimbledon.
After widespread media coverage, the bird of prey was handed in to the RSPCA a few days later.
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 chronically ill man may have to stop feeding his beloved pigeons, after a dispute with the manager of the supermarket next to his Bexleyheath flat.
Steven Picard feeds stray birds on his roof – which overlooks the Sainsbury’s Local car park in Windermere Road – two to three times a day.
The 63-year-old supermarket “regular” has been told to stop encouraging the feathered creatures, and may now have to choose between them and his local store.
Following a dispute with store’s manager, Mr Picard was “peed off” and says the situation forced him to shop online for over a week.
He suffers from multiple sclerosis (MS), which means he struggles to travel further afield to shop.
He told News Shopper: “I think it’s ridiculous.
“It’s not illegal to feed pigeons.
“The supermarket’s only 50 yards away from me.
“It’s very inconvenient because of my MS to go any further.”
Mr Picard said the Sainsbury’s manager claimed birds were dive bombing customers and making a mess on cars, but Mr Picard refused to stop feeding them.
He added: “I do enjoy feeding them, because my lifestyle these days is quite limited.
“They congregate on my lower roof and then they go away.
“They know me well.
“It’s not in their area that I am feeding birds.
Feeding pigeons can attract large groups (stock image)
“I have been a good customer, every day for the last four years.”
Mr Picard was also upset and embarrassed that the manager “shouted at” him in front of other shoppers.
He said: “It was completely out of order.
“I cannot walk very easily because of my MS.
“I have to go online now for shopping.
“It’s a lot more inconvenient.
“I just want the situation to be resolved.”
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.
BY DUSICA SUE MALESEVIC | Residents on Duane St. in Tribeca are fed up with a neighbor they say is attracting pigeons and their droppings.
At 173 Duane St., a resident on the fifth floor is reportedly feeding pigeons — they are going back and forth from her apartment — incensing residents at 171 Duane St., who have been complaining to Community Board 1.
There has been a long history of complaints, said Caroline Bragdon, director of neighborhood interventions for the city Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s pest control services program. Many inspections had been done, but it had never warranted a violation until now, she told the Quality of Life Committee at their Thurs., Apr. 16 meeting.
The violation would be sent to the owner of the building, not the tenant.
“Sometimes it seems unfair that we’re writing violations to the owner of the building, but we can’t go after an individual,” she said.
Neighbors said the pigeon droppings are piling up on air conditioner units. The woman has also been seen feeding pigeons in Duane Park.
Benjamin Flavin, lawyer for 171 Duane St., said that the tenant is an elderly woman who has been living at 173 Duane St., a co-op, for around 20 years.
In addition to pigeon problems, Bragdon went over what she called favorite hot spots for rats. She started with 403 Greenwich St., which is between Beach and Hubert Sts.
“Right now, it’s just a vacant lot with rat holes in it that no one is doing anything with,” she said.
The lot is owned by 403 Greenwich Enterprises L.L.C. The owners have not been attending their hearings, said Bragdon, who has increased the violation from $300 to $600 to now $1,200. She said if this continues, it would go to $2,000.
“They don’t care,” the city’s Bragdon said. “They’re just letting their violations default. A lot of the wealthier owners will just pay.”
“It’s nothing — it’s the cost of doing business,” said Pat Moore, chairperson of the C.B. 1 committee.
The lot has been vacant for quite some time, said Bragdon, who explained that putting some bait stations costs a couple hundred dollars a month. The owners could also choose to dump gravel over the soil, which would deter the rats.
Further south at 372 Greenwich St. between Harrison and N. Moore Sts., Bragdon said it has gotten pretty ratty. At one time, it was maintained by the volunteer organization, Friends of Greenwich Street, but remains to be seen who is responsible for its upkeep now.
There are several planters, said Bragdon, but it is just one, the one in front of 372 Greenwich that has the rat problem.
“Rat condo,” quipped Moore.
Bragdon went through one more site at 29 Harrison St., which was issued its first violation and has Rubbermaid bins filled with soil and gnaw marks on them — a sign that rats were around.
She then listened to places that the committee and the public suggested to investigate. Committee member Marc Ameruso said 53 Beach St. has a raised platform with vents and “at night, [the rats] just take over the street.”
C.B. 1 Chairperson Catherine McVay Hughes mentioned a problem site in the Financial District, a lot on Rector and Trinity Place.
“I have never ever seen the quantity and the size of these rats,” she said. “It’s really scary.”
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.
Large flocks of pigeons are part of San José’s daily landscape, and while pedestrians are mostly used to the scene, health officials say the local winged population is getting out of control. The Health Ministry recently ordered city officials to outline and implement plans to control the number of pigeons in public spaces, mostly in the capital’s downtown.
I was sitting in the High Street, outside M & S, waiting for Sue to finish buying up the whole store.
Rick Gibson, UA Cooperative Extension
They may only have a brain the size of a thimble, but it appears pigeons can categorise and name objects in the same way a human children learn new words.
Farmers cultivating fruits like grapes on ‘pandal’ are advised to erect anti-bird nets with subsidy under the National Horticulture Mission to protect the fruits from birds, squirrels, owls, etc., as the netting protects the crops from extensive damage to fruits and vegetables.
Some very interesting new research has uncovered something remarkable about pigeons. Apparently, they can learn much like a human.
Two Aeroflot jets collided with birds in the past 24 hours, but no one was injured.
March 2, 2015 — A READER ASKS: I live in a midsize co-op in Brooklyn. We have a huge pigeon problem. There are pigeon droppings everywhere. It’s not just unsightly; there’s so much of it now that I’m concerned about it becoming a health hazard. As far as anyone can tell, nobody in the building seems to be feeding them — we do have a policy in place against doing so. But is there anything the building can do to fix this problem and make the pigeons go away?
Pigeons never seem to crash. While their less-fortunate cousins occasionally take down airplanes, the humble city pigeon darts between lampposts, dodges skyscrapers and dips around oncoming traffic with ease. Now scientists have captured some of that action on film—and figured out how pigeons manage to squeeze through particularly tight spaces.
A medieval monument in England underwent a dramatic cleaning when a high pressure tanker sucked up about 25 tons of pigeon poo from the historic structure.
A PIGEON was killed by a man in Exeter after it pecked at scraps from his hotdog, a court heard.
After years of war with the pigeons, Venice is now in war with the seagulls. The birds have become very aggressive. At one point last summer they’ve attacked a man working on a rooftop. Recently, the seagulls have become so brave that they jump on trays carried by the waiters in Piazza San Marco. They even hunt and kill pigeons for food. The point is, the new treat on the main Piazza in Venice comes from the seagulls who are no longer scared from humans and do not fear our reaction against them.
A pest control contractor hired by Halifax has been using poison to control the pigeon population at the Keshen Goodman Public Library.
SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS)— When most people think of pigeons, the common city street bird comes to mind, but there’s a different kind of pigeon in California and it’s at risk, according to environmental scientists.
While the peregrines are away, the pigeons will play.
It has come to my attention that there’s been some mirth at Hollister City Hall’s expense over the current field experiment with stereophonic raptor cackles in the downtown area. A steady stream of screeches and cackles emanates from the parking garage at Fourth and San Benito streets throughout the daylight hours.
Technology has its part to play at the Wimbledon tennis championships but it isn’t about to replace one important high-flying job.
A chronically ill man may have to stop feeding his beloved pigeons, after a dispute with the manager of the supermarket next to his Bexleyheath flat.
BY DUSICA SUE MALESEVIC | Residents on Duane St. in Tribeca are fed up with a neighbor they say is attracting pigeons and their droppings.