The charity has now put out an appeal to homeowners to be careful with netting they put on their roofs to deter gulls this summer.
RSPCA inspector Liz Wheeler said: “We see this kind of thing happening all the time during the summer months.
“People put netting on their rooftops to deter birds from nesting but it’s often not put up properly, causing birds to become trapped and to suffer.”
Safely in the arms of the firefighter
Firefighters had to cut the bird out of the strong nylon netting and wire on the roof in Princess Avenue, Worthing, It was found to have some wing damage, so the bird was taken to a local vet, who kept it in overnight so it could regain some energy after its ordeal.
Ms Wheeler added: “It is an offence to intentionally trap wild birds like gulls, so we are asking people to be mindful of their actions and make sure that if they do use netting, they install it correctly and regularly check and maintain it.
“We spend all summer getting trapped gulls out of roof netting and it’s easily avoidable.”
Gulls and their nests are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and it is illegal to intentionally kill, take or injure wild birds – action can be taken against them only under licence. Anyone who traps a bird may then be responsible for its care under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.
We spend all summer getting trapped gulls out of roof netting and it’s easily avoidable
RSPCA inspector Liz Wheeler
It is also illegal to take or damage a nest or egg of a wild bird. Herring gulls in particular are a species of conservation concern in the UK and research has shown that overall herring gull populations are actually in decline.
Each year, around 2,000 reports are made to the RSPCA about wild birds trapped in or behind netting. A major cause is bird-deterrent netting. This can be a humane and effective way of keeping birds off structures without resorting to lethal measures, but it must be fit for purpose, correctly installed and regularly checked and maintained.
Problems arise when netting is put up incorrectly or becomes damaged, leaving gaps where birds can enter and become trapped. These birds can suffer a long and painful death from injury or starvation. Bird-deterrent netting is often fixed in high or hard-to-reach areas, making the rescue of trapped animals difficult and dangerous.
People who see dead birds in netting, or are aware of a regular issue of birds becoming trapped in netting, are asked to tell the RSPCA the address, property owner (if known) and date of the incident by emailing wildlife@rspca.org.uk. The charity will then write to the owner with advice and guidance.
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.
DAHO FALLS, Idaho — Police in Idaho Falls have lifted a code red for the downtown area after a gunman was spotted on top of a commercial building on North Eastern avenue.
The incident happened at 550 North Eastern Ave. on the corner of Birch Street at Great Western Foods.
Officers blocked streets surrounding the building between First and Broadway and Boulevard and Shoup Avenue.
The IFPD and Bonneville County swat teams responded to the area.
After an hour, the swat team was able to get the gunman off the roof of great western foods.
They then identified him as a 16-year-old boy with a pellet rifle and scope.
Officers spent several minutes trying to get the teenager to put the gun down and leave the roof, but after making eye contact with officers he ducked and hid.
Officers say the boy was on top of the roof at great western foods shooting pigeons.
Joelyn Hansen spokesperson for the police department says the boy will not face charges.
“Officers you know are the ones that you know just depends what is going to be the best avenue as far as address the situation and that’s why it’s left to officer’s discretion,” said Hansen.
No injuries were reported and the name of the boy is not being released
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 have been ruffling the feathers of more and more people in recent years.
Last year, the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) received 2,490 complaints about them – mostly about hygiene, environmental issues resulting from their droppings, and concerns over diseases and people feeding them.
The increase has largely been attributed to AVA’s First Responder Protocol implemented in 2012, which includes a 24-hour hotline for reports of animal-related issues.
The Straits Times Forum has also received letters about pigeons pecking on food scraps at coffee shops and hawker centres.
Junior college student Ng J-Cyn said Ghim Moh market is a particular hot spot. Pigeons fly within “inches of diners to peck at crumbs or food waste on the floor”, said the 16-year-old, who is concerned about them spreading diseases. She added: “They also contribute to a very negative dining experience.”
Fellow Forum contributor, Ms Lee Kay Yan, 41, believes the pigeon population will explode unless people stop feeding them.
She said: “Three to five pigeons don’t cause a nuisance but a flock of them do.”
The feeding of pigeons has been banned since 1973 and those caught flouting the rules are fined up to $500. Last year, 60 people were caught doing it, up from just 10 in 2011.
One of the diseases pigeons can spread is psittacosis, a bacterial infection of the lungs with pneumonia-like symptoms.
The bacteria become airborne when the bird droppings dry up and can be inhaled by humans.
Dr Christina Low, medical director of SMG Medical, said the health risk to most people is low, although infants, the elderly and individuals who have low immunity “are more vulnerable”.
She advised people to wash their hands thoroughly before meals and reduce pigeon attacks by clearing unfinished food and dirty crockery.
The National Environment Agency (NEA) requires all food shop operators to clean tables promptly and cover rubbish bins. Those who fail to clean tables, for example, can be fined $300 and given four demerit points.
As for Ghim Moh market, the NEA said it has asked the table- cleaning contractor to step up the clearing of tables and crockery.
The agency added that it has so far received only one complaint about pigeons at the market.
Nationwide, it received 35 pigeon-related complaints last year and 36 the year before.
The AVA said it responds to pigeon-related feedback by working with the relevant parties, such as town councils and the NEA.
While poison bait is traditionally used for heavily infested areas that need fast elimination of the birds, a spokesman for pest firm Pest Solute said the use of netting at roof gaps, spikes or a type of sticky gel on window ledges to prevent the birds from nesting is more commonly used.
Food areas are a little trickier and need a combination of these measures, according to Ms Gloria Ngoi, business development manager at bird control firm Mastermark.
These methods, however, are not sustainable if people continue to feed the birds, said Forum writer Ms Lee.
“Preventive measures are better, through good design of buildings to prevent roosting and entry by 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.
DEAR JOAN: I am writing about a barking dog problem, and it’s not what you think.
We live in a very quiet neighborhood and are retired, so we are home a lot. Our next-door neighbors have two small dogs that usually spend all day in their backyard. Surprisingly, they tend to be very quiet for a couple of “ankle-biters.” They only bark briefly when somebody walks past, or in response to a dog on the other side of their fence, or for other normal reasons.
About once a day they go bonkers when their owner comes home (they know the sound of his car), but that only lasts for a minute at most, and the way they carry on actually makes me laugh.
Cute is cute, but a dog’s barking can lead to trouble. (Jill Johnson/Fort Worth Star-Telegram)
Somebody nearby has complained about these dogs to the county and our neighbor has now gotten two letters notifying him to keep them quieter. He is doing his best to improve the situation, but cannot confer with whoever complained because they took the coward’s way out and never attempted to meet with him directly.
How can our neighbor defend himself and his dogs? We are the residents most affected by the barking, and we do not mind. There are plenty of other dogs in the area that bark more than these two, and for no particular reason.
Can the county do anything to take away his dogs? Shouldn’t the county survey all the neighbors to determine the seriousness of the problem, rather than rely on one person’s anonymous complaint? It is kind of surprising to me that I am taking the side of the dog owner, but I am steaming mad that somebody is being a cowardly jerk.
Barbara Hill
El Cerrito
DEAR BARBARA: The county is obligated to notify the owner when someone makes a complaint about excessive noise, but for a full investigation to be launched, two or more people, living in different households within 300 feet of the barking dog, must make complaints.
The law defines excessive noise as being “so continuously or incessantly as to unreasonably disturb the peace or quiet.”
Whether the county is officially investigating or not, it would behoove your neighbor to be proactive. If it is determined that the dogs are a nuisance, they may be taken away and euthanized. The owner also can face fines and fees. Plus, keeping dogs as quiet as possible is the good neighbor and responsible pet owner thing to do.
I’d recommend leaving the dogs indoors, where their barking would be muted. If that’s not possible, there are many anti-barking devices on the market.
First Alert recently sent me its Bark Genie automatic ultrasonic bark deterrent unit to try with my yappy dog. The device emits a high-pitched sound when it detects barking.
It stopped my dog in mid-bark, but it also made him not want to be inside the house when it was turned on. He moped around like I’d taken his favorite toy away from him. I’m now experimenting with the company’s handheld device.
The devices can be placed outdoors, and considering what’s at stake, trying them would be a good idea. There also are anti-bark collars that emit ultrasonic sounds or release a spray of citronella. Personally, I wouldn’t use a shock collar.
You also can write a letter of support, outlining your experience. Your testimony could be important if nuisance charges are filed.
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.
NORWAY — The pigeons are back in the Odd Fellows Hall on Main Street.
A broken first-floor window on the back side of the vacant building appears to be the access point, and it’s not the first time they’ve gotten in through broken windows.
In July 2013, building owner Sam Patel was notified by Code Enforcement Officer Joelle Corey-Whitman that the town would take legal action because the broken windows were a public hazard. The eight broken second-story windows and the lower half of the eight third-story windows eventually were covered with plywood.
Patel, a retailer in southern Maine, purchased the empty, partially-renovated, three-story, brick building in December 2012 from TD Bank. It was transferred to Patel’s limited liability company, Jasmin LLC, on Dec. 14, 2012. Since then, no action has been taken to reuse it.
Efforts by the Sun Journal to reach Patel were unsuccessful.
In 2008, the interior of the building was gutted by the former owners, but efforts to renovate and reuse the building ceased in 2010 when they lost control of the building in foreclosure.
The building remains empty. The first floor is covered with pigeon droppings and the tin ceiling appears to be rusted and broken in many spots. Temporary electrical lighting remains in the ceiling and a few pieces of lumber are on the floor.
A study of Odd Fellows Hall by Resurgence Engineering and Preservation of Portland several years ago indicated it would cost more than $800,000 to fully renovate the building.
The Odd Fellows Hall was named one of Maine’s 10 most endangered historic places by Maine Preservation of Portland in 2013.
The basement and first floor were built in1894 after the “Great Fire” destroyed much of the downtown business district. The other floors were added in 1910. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is part of Norway’s historic downtown district.
The third floor contained a high-ceiling ceremonial space for the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Norway Lodge No. 16, which owned the building during the 19th century. The second floor had a kitchen and large dining area, along with law offices and a courthouse. The first floor traditionally has been storefronts.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Sunday marks the commencement of wood pigeon hunting season which continues until the end of October. The Finnish Hunters’ Association points out that many of the birds in southern parts of the country are at present from the second brood, therefore birds flying in pairs or alone should be saved at the start of the season.
If you go into the woods today…be sure to know your wood pigeon (pictured) from your stock pigeon. The latter is a protected species.Image: Erkki Sillanpää
Wood pigeon hunting traditionally opens the start of the hunting season. Abundant populations are the main reason for the pigeon hunt, with the fleet and unpredictable bird proving highly popular game year after year.
The Hunters’ Association also points out the importance of species identification. The stock pigeon, which is a protected species, is smaller than the wood pigeon and doesn’t have white spots on its wings. Its mode of flight is also different.
Hunters should also keep in mind that they cannot move in a field in which crops are unharvested without the farmer’s permission and that the shooting without permission is prohibited within 150 metres of inhabited dwellings.
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 true sportsman or sportswoman cringes at the thought of blasting away at pigeons released from cages only yards away. Gun enthusiasts and average citizens should join in the rejection of this “sport,” one with no sense of fair chase as should be the case when hunters go into the woodlands and fields of Pennsylvania in search of game.
The arguments against live pigeon shoots are sound. The birds often are only wounded and they must be dispatched.
At the infamous Hegins, Schuylkill County pigeon shoots of the late 20th century, youngsters would race onto the field and wring the necks of wounded birds. That scene helped doom the Hegins shoot, which was the site of anti-pigeon shoot demonstrations for many years.
The use of trapped animals also is an issue. It is the antithesis of animals in the wild, including pheasants rising from the cornstalks.
Now, the state Senate has before it a bill that would ban such shoots. A live pigeon shoot was held only days ago at the Wing Pointe Resort in Berks County. Again, there is outrage that live birds are being shot when clay targets would suffice, the same clay targets tossed before thousands of shooters who agree that it is inhumane to shoot pigeons out of the air.
The Humane Society of the United States endorses the ban. The National Rifle Association supports live pigeon shoots.
It is another example of the NRA, which advocates for Second Amendment rights, going over the top and actually hurting its own cause and harming the very sportsmen and gun owners that it counts as members.
The comments of Humane Society spokesman John Goodwin carry weight. Shooting live pigeons released from cages, he said, “is no more sport that shooting chickens coming out of a henhouse.”
Should the Senate pass the bill, it is expected the state House would concur. The hope is that a bill will pass during the session that runs through October. The Senate Game and Fisheries Committee voted 10-4 for the bill. We urge the full Senate to promptly pass the legislation and send it on to the House.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
NORTH PEKIN — The Village Board on Monday approved an ordinance that will allow residents to own chickens, rabbits, pigeons and doves in the village limits, and another ordinance that prohibits other farm animals.
Trustees Suzan Tisdale, Gene Wamsley, Russ Blumenstock, Alex Lambie and Kathe Curless voted in favor of the ordinances. Trustee Kenney Simmons was absent. Both ordinances take effect immediately.
The first ordinance requires residents wishing to keep chickens, rabbits, pigeons and doves to obtain a free permit from the village. A resident may have only six chickens, 12 pigeons or doves, and 12 rabbits. Permits only will be issued to residents of single family lots. The housing for the animals must be 10 feet from the rear property line and side property line of a lot. The pens cannot be in the side or front yard. The shelter must be kept clean, the ordinance said.
The pens and shelters must be covered and ventilated to protect the animals from bad weather. Electric service to the structure cannot be provided by an electrical extension cord. Storage vessels containing feed for the animals must be impervious to pests and vermin, the ordinance said.
Violations of the ordinance will result in a fine of $50 to $300. For each subsequent violation, the homeowner can be fined not less that $100 nor more than $500. A separate offense means each and every day the violation continues, the ordinance said.
The board also approved an ordinance prohibiting horses, bees, cattle, sheep, ponies, goats, mules, pigs, swine, hogs, ducks, geese, roosters, minks, foxes, or any other livestock, poultry or wild or vicious animals dangerous to humans. If such an animal is found in the possession of a resident it will be confiscated. If a police officer deems the animal an immediate danger to a human, it can be killed by the officer. The owner can be responsible for the cost of impounding or killing the animal.
Mayor Steve Flowers, who only votes if a super majority or a tie-breaking vote is needed, said Tuesday there have been multiple requests over the past few years for the village to allow chickens and other animals. The board thought it was appropriate to allow residents to have such animals to “offset food bills” because of the economy. He said there was no opposition to the two ordinances.
Flowers said the ordinance protects residents as well by requiring that all of the animals be kept in pens. He said the village does not want free-roaming chickens.
The village researched the Tazewell County ordinance and those of other municipalities and came up with the document passed Monday, said Flowers.
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.
IN “THE silence of the birds” (Jan 4), wildlife scientist Umesh Srinivasan said that logged forests being converted into oil palm plantations have next to zero value for tropical biodiversity.
In land-scarce Singapore, what little that is left of our pristine primary tropical forests is mainly confined to the catchment areas, nature reserves and some offshore islands. Biodiversity can occur only with minimum human encroachment.
Wildlife can either adapt, move on or perish. Some animals have found new food sources and shelter in our urban environment and some have even flourished.
The most ubiquitous is the mynah bird, which can be seen all around, from parks to hawker centres. Their nightly gathering on roadside trees in large numbers is a constant source of nuisance, with their noise and droppings.
Another is the pigeon. If fed by people who disregard feeding prohibitions, their numbers can explode quickly. Their droppings also transmit diseases.
Cutting down trees or drastically trimming tree canopies to reduce bird roosting is not sustainable as it reduces the amount of shade for pedestrians.
The prey-predator ratio should be restored. In nature, when this delicate balance is maintained, the pool of species preyed upon will not increase beyond the point that it causes depletion of food and water resources.
In Singapore, there seems to be very few indigenous birds of prey to help bring down the population of mynahs and pigeons.
We could emulate the US, where the peregrine falcon was released in various cities to help reduce the pigeon population.
Perhaps, the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority could commission a study on which species of birds are most adaptable to living in Singapore’s city area and suburbs.
There could be a breeding and release programme. GPS devices could be attached to the released birds in a way that would not restrict their movements, just like the civet cats on Ubin (“Civets on Ubin get GPS collars”; Jan 23).
If this programme proves successful, we might be able to completely solve the problem caused by the huge population of mynahs and pigeons here.
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.
As many as 10,000 band-tailed pigeons may have died in California this winter, according to Krysta Rogers, an environmental scientist with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW). Hard numbers are difficult to produce, because birds are difficult to monitor, but these estimates are based on reports of dead birds submitted by the public.
Band-tailed pigeons are California’s only native pigeon.
They are the West Coast version of the passenger pigeon, which was once the most abundant bird in North America, but it was hunted to extinction. Millions of band-tailed pigeons used to inhabit California but almost became extinct, and much of their habitat was destroyed. They were eventually protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918.
Band-tailed pigeons are not listed as endangered. The pigeons spend their winters in the higher elevations of California’s mountain ranges before migrating in early spring to the northernmost regions of Northern California, Oregon, Washington and British Columbia.
The sudden increase in mortality is disturbing and sad, especially because the closest living relative to the extinct passenger pigeon has been struggling for decades to recover from rampant hunting, habitat loss and other environmental problems.
Blame Non-Native Species and the Drought
The CDFW blames the deaths on Avian Trichomonosis, a disease caused by a single-celled microscopic protozoan parasite believed to have co-evolved with the common rock pigeon, which was introduced from Europe. It causes lesions to form in infected birds’ mouths and throats. The birds, which subsist largely on acorns that they swallow whole, are unable to move food down their throats and starve or can even suffocate.
What a horrible way to die.
Scientists believe that water sources, like bird feeders and stagnant pools, may play a role, and especially in the current drought conditions in California.
“These events seem to be more common in winters with less precipitation, so I do suspect there is some weather component in these mortality events,” Rogers said. “When you have large flocks and there is a disease like this circulating, and you have stagnant pools and puddles and not much flowing water, the parasite can become more concentrated in that small amount of water and the disease is going to spread more easily.”
As a result, California wildlife authorities are asking residents to take down bird baths and feeders if they spot sick or dead birds in their yards as experts closely monitor the massive die-off.
Destruction by Non-Native Species
I am reminded of what happened in New Zealand, a country I visited a month ago.
For millions of years, there were no land mammals in the country, so New Zealand birds evolved in isolation. Free from attack and competition from mammals, many birds became flightless ground-dwellers.
Migrating to New Zealand around 1250–1300, Polynesians brought kiore (the Pacific rat) and other animals. That spelled doom for those flightless birds.
The first birds to become extinct, within a century or two after human arrival, were the largest – all species of moa, both species of goose, and both adzebill species. Being flightless, all were quite easy to hunt and catch, yielding large quantities of meat. Their slow breeding rate meant they were lost faster than they could be replaced.
The list of New Zealand species known to have become extinct since human settlement includes one bat, at least 51 birds, three frogs, three lizards, one freshwater fish, four plant species, and a number of invertebrates
Then came the second wave of destruction. Europeans came in the late 18th century, bringing rats, cats, stoats, weasels and ferrets. The rabbit was introduced as a food and game animal by European settlers and by the 1870s, it was becoming a serious threat to the newly developed farming economy.
Farmers began demanding the introduction of mustelids (including stoats) to control the rabbit plague. Warnings about the dangers to bird life from stoats were given by scientists in New Zealand and Britain. However, the warnings were ignored and stoats began to be introduced from Britain in the 1880s. Within six years, drastic declines in bird populations were noticed.
The destruction in New Zealand continues.
And now the pattern is repeating itself in California, this time with the European-introduced rock pigeon potentially wiping out the native band-tailed pigeon.
How sad that tales of non-native species causing destruction keep repeating themselves around the world.
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 (CBS SF) — The owners of a San Francisco tofu company agreed in a consent decree filed in federal court Tuesday to cease operations until the U.S. Food and Drug Administration determines the company is selling clean and sanitary food.
The consent decree concerning the Fong Kee Tofu Co. Inc. was filed in the court of U.S. Magistrate Kandis Westmore in Oakland.
The settlement stems from a civil lawsuit filed against the company and owners Yan Hui Fong, Jen Ying Fong and Suny Fong on Jan. 23 by the U.S. Justice Department at the request of the FDA. The lawsuit alleged that unsanitary conditions at the company were causing its products to become adulterated.
It alleged that FDA inspectors last year observed pigeons on top of plastic-wrapped raw soybean pallets, insects flying around the area used to process firm tofu, lack of proper handwashing by employees, and residue on equipment that was supposed to have been cleaned.
Kasie Lee, a lawyer for the company and its owners, could not immediately be reached for comment.
Acting Assistant U.S. Attorney General Joyce Branda said in a statement, “Fong Kee Tofu was repeatedly informed that the sanitation practices at its facility were deficient.”
“The failure to make sure that its facility was operating under sanitary conditions could be a serious risk to the public health and needed to be remedied,” Branda said.
The company’s products include firm tofu, soft tofu, fried tofu balls, soybean cake and soy drinks made from soybeans from Missouri, according to the lawsuit.
The company and owners agreed in the consent decree to be bound by a permanent injunction that requires them to stop preparing, manufacturing, packaging and selling the products.
If they wish to resume operations, they must hire an outside sanitation expert, labeling expert and auditor to develop and monitor a program for preparing uncontaminated and correctly labeled food. The experts can be three separate people or the same person.
The company cannot resume its business until it receives written authorization from the FDA. It would then be subject to FDA inspections without prior notice, under the injunction.
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.
During one of the worst winters on record for native pigeons dying of disease, state officials continue to seek public assistance in monitoring the disease’s progression and removing transmission sources from their yards.
The band-tailed pigeon is the only pigeon native to California. It is especially susceptible to avian trichomonosis, a disease caused by a single-cell protozoan called Trichomonas gallinae.
The protozoan is believed to have co-evolved with the common rock pigeon, which was introduced from Europe. It causes lesions to form in infected birds’ mouths and throats. The birds, which subsist largely on acorns that they swallow whole, are unable to move food down their throats and starve or can even suffocate.
A state scientist said the ongoing drought may be aiding in the disease’s transmission among the band-tailed pigeon population.
“These mortality events seem to occur more frequently in winters with lower precipitation, so it’s certainly possible that the mortality events that we’re seeing this winter are related to drought conditions,” said Krysta Rogers, an environmental scientist with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
The drought has reduced the number of available water sources, thereby concentrating the numbers of birds at remaining watering holes.
“Anytime you have a small volume of water and lots of band-tailed pigeons utilizing it, if there is this parasite circulating within the population, it can spread more rapidly in that close contact,” Rogers said.
Rogers gave a rough estimate that as many as 10,000 band-tailed pigeons have died in California this winter as a result of the disease. Hard numbers are difficult to produce, because birds are difficult to monitor. Current estimates of the disease’s impact are based on reports of dead birds submitted by the public.
Rogers said the department is continuing to ask for citizens to report on sick or dead birds that they find.
You can report on ill or dead birds at the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Mortality Reporting website.
The department is also asking for residents to remove feeders, birdbaths and fountains until the pigeons leave their wintering grounds. Rogers said that it’s unclear whether past calls for restricting the features have aided in disease control but that the request is logical.
“I can’t really put a number on whether or not it helps, because I don’t know if people are actually doing it or not,” Rogers said. “I think it’s one of the easiest things that can be done. If that bird feeder and that bird bath aren’t available for wild birds, then disease transmission definitely will not happen there.”
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.
About 20 pigeons were killed by the driver of a blue van in the parking lot of the Vallejo public boat launch Sunday afternoon, in what Vallejo police say appears to be a deliberate act of animal cruelty.
A woman who regularly feeds birds had started feeding pigeons in the area, near the former Brinkman’s Marine business, when a van parked in the lot drove through the flock of birds, killing at least 20.
Vallejo police Lt. Kevin Bartlett stated that due to the suddenness of the action, they have no suspect description other than that of the van.
Local bird rescue and animal control agencies have been contacted for custody and treatment of about five surviving 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.
California’s only native pigeon species is taking a big hit from an infectious disease thought to be spread by other pigeons, and the state’s wildlife agency has suggested that bird lovers consider putting away their bird feeders and emptying birdbaths to help slow the spread of the disease.
Band-tailed pigeons, a close relative of the extinct passenger pigeon, have been falling prey to the disease trichomoniasis for 70 years, but the disease has been taking a larger toll in the last decade, with a rise in deaths in the last two months. The pathogens are thought to be spread to band-tailed pigeons by rock doves, the common introduced pigeon of urban areas, which don’t seem to fall ill when infected.
And as a result, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife is suggesting that Californians in areas with band-tailed pigeon populations remove their bird feeders and empty and clean bird baths, to avoid attracting mixed flocks of rock doves and band-tails.
The band-tailed pigeon, Patagioenas fasciata, lives in groups that tend to inhabit open oak woodlands where they feed on acorns and other fallen tree nuts, a lifestyle not unlike that of the band-tailed’s close cousin the extinct passenger pigeon.
That preference for open forests with oaks means that the birds tend to live in the state’s coastal mountains and the Sierra foothills. If you’re wondering whether the pigeons massing around your feeder are band-taileds or the more prevalent introduced rock doves, look at their beaks and feet: on band-tailed pigeons, those extremities will be yellow. Band-taileds also tend to be larger than rock doves, with a white crescent on the back of their necks, and lacking the wing bars that most rock doves sport.
Also unlike rock doves, band-tailed pigeons reproduce slowly, with each pair producing one chick a year. That, and the birds’ gregarious habit, make them especially susceptible to population declines from diseases such as trichmoniasis. Spread by at least two related protozoa in the Trichomonas genus, the disease causes lesions in the birds’ mouths that interfere with eating and, eventually, breathing. As it takes some time to kill its victims, the disease allows them to transmit pathogens to other birds in the flock rather readily.
Though it’s been known in the California band-tailed population since the World War II era, mass dieoff events from trichomoniasis are on the rise, with six large mortalities in the last decade — including one in Monterey County in 2007 in which an estimated 43,000 birds perished. Mortalities tend to happen during winter, so CDFW’s suggestion of putting your feeder away won’t have to last forever.
The agency is asking members of the public to report dead band-tailed pigeons via the CDFW website or by phone at (916) 358-2790.
If you find a sick pigeon, you can ask one of the state’s wildlife rehabilitation centers for advice.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
The unassuming pigeon, a city denizen so common some call them “rats with wings,” really deserves more respect. These birds can be beautiful (just ask the competitors at the National Pigeon Association’s 93rd annual Grand National Pigeon Show), useful messengers and surprisingly agile fliers. They are are also smarter than many might think, according to new research out of the University of Iowa. Pigeons can learn to recognize and categorize objects much the way human toddlers do, reports a university news release.
The researchers showed three pigeons photographs of 128 objects that all fell into one of 16 categories: baby, bottle, cake, car, cracker, dog, duck, fish, flower, hat, key, pen, phone, plan, shoe or tree. Each pigeon was presented with a photo and the ability to peck one of two symbols. One represented the correct category and the other was randomly chosen from the 15 remaining categories. A correct peck earned a reward. Not only did the pigeons learn how to categorize the images, but they were also able to place four new photos in the right group. The results were published in the journal Cognition.
“Unlike prior attempts to teach words to primates, dogs, and parrots, we used neither elaborate shaping methods nor social cues,” says one of the study’s authors, Ed Wasserman. “And our pigeons were trained on all 16 categories simultaneously, a much closer analog of how children learn words and categories.”
The method is very similar to ways that researchers study language learning in toddlers. Of course, many studies have shown that calling someone a “bird brain” isn’t so insulting: Birds are quite good at differentiating complex objects, using tools, working together in a group and even identifying the beat in a song. But bird intelligence can only go so far. Apparently, pigeons’ human-toddler smarts doesn’t keep the unwary ones from the grasping jaws of southwestern France’s pigeon-catching catfish.
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.
Spring feels in full swing. While that may not be good in some ways, plants and animals are ramping up their libidos. All manner of species display virility as spring progresses, but a common species often overlooked, is strutting about right at our feet. Call them pigeons, Rock Pigeons, Rock Doves, or rats with wings, they’re far from boring and they share our most urban Capitol Hill blocks happily.
The pigeons we see on an almost daily basis, as common as House Sparrows, American Crows, European Starlings, and Glaucous-winged Gulls in the quintet of urban birds, are all ancestors of the Rock Pigeon or Rock Dove, Columbia livia. No matter their coloration, all these birds are feral descendants of birds brought to the Americas as pets and food as early as the 1600s, while successive escapes bolstered their population and variety. Their original wild population, spans from Europe through North Africa, and into Asia. With an appreciation for ledges and cliffs, they’ve adapted wholly to our built environment. Pigeons happily crowd ledges, roof tops, and attics, calling many a ledge on buildings of Broadway, Pike and Pine, First Hill, and downtown home.
From Mike Tyson to Charles Darwin, people have seen beauty in these aerial acrobats and gentle vocalists. Pigeons in their many varied forms, appear in Darwin’s On the Origin of Species and were central in helping him develop his theory. As with dogs, selective breeding has sussed out umpteen mutations of color and shape. Natural variation existed in the wild populations of course, but feral populations have muddied human breeding with sheer numbers, and we find ourselves looking at birds looking more and more like their ancestors. Besides, being bright white in a flock of gray, having decorative feathers that block vision, or having an odd tendency to tumble in the air aren’t terribly adaptive traits.
Take a second to watch your average city pigeon. In the vast majority, you find attractive shades of bluish gray, two black bands on the wings, and purplish green sheen on the neck and throat. These are the general colors of the nominate race of wild Rock Pigeons. Male birds are ever so slightly larger and have more extensive sheen. To most, the sexes look alike, but male birds stand out this time of year in behavior.
Pigeons can breed much of the year in mild climates, but as daylight lengthens hormones surge. Almost everyone has seen the comical courtship display of a puffed up male pigeon. Like many animals, humans included, they lose grip on reality, puff up their chests, and pursue their hopeful mate endlessly (while all she wants to do is eat bread crumbs). This can go on right at your feet while you wait for the bus, or on a precarious ledge where the pursued female may well be pushed off by her overzealous courtier. The desired result of this strutting, is copulation, an awkward balancing act for a brief cloacal kiss. Yet, unlike some birds, the pair is relatively monogamous. The male chooses a worthy nest site and stays with his mate throughout young rearing (he also coos incessantly to attract a mate to his site, imagine living next to the recording below on loop right outside your window).
Pigeons get a bad rap. They seem dirty, but if anything that’s because of city living, not poor hygiene. Yes, unlike some birds, they don’t take their young’s feces away from the nest, adding a veneer to roosting sites. This has worked for pigeon kind longer than humans have been raising them, so who are we to judge? Yes, contact with their droppings has proven a zoonotic vector. But shouldn’t common sense clearly guide us away from most anything’s poop anyway? These problems are easily avoided by restricting where Rock Pigeons roost, which most cities have figured out just fine.
Pigeons can also capture the imagination. Their spectacular flying abilities, allowing escape from swift predators like Peregrine Falcons, are a beauty to behold circling across city blocks. Pigeons have been heroes, saving lives by carrying messages across enemy lines during World War II with innate homing abilities. Organizations, books, and much research are devoted to pigeons. And while they may not be the smartest birds on the block, they’re successful while not edging out our native species. I simply enjoy them because their antics add a humorous note to a less noteworthy day about the Hill.
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.
Several hundred pigeons living in the downtown market square were to be trapped and exterminated after city council voted to get rid of them.
Council members agreed with its bylaws committee, which heard numerous complaints from citizens, groups and businesses who lived and or worked in the area, where the downtown library stands today.
The original request came from the Local Council of Women which claimed the birds were the creators of filth and disease.
J.T.J. Collisson, who lived in the McLeod Building, told committee members the filth left on the windowsills of the building made it look like “a country barnyard.”
N.S. Mackie of the Imperial Bank said the pigeons had angered customers.
“It is most embarrassing for our customers. They come in and complain and tell us we should do something about it. All of us have to run this gauntlet … some of us not too successfully.”
One member of the Local Council of Women, Olivia Smith, defended the birds.
“I think they are a fine sight as they swoop and wing about the downtown buildings. There’s pigeons in every big city and they don’t seem to want to get rid of them like this city.”
The meeting ended with the committee recommending to council that commissioners take the necessary steps to destroy the birds and, bring in a bylaw, if needed, prohibiting well-meaning citizens from feeding them, which was the cause of the problem.
The birds were to be trapped and killed by two city employees who were pigeon fanciers, with a lot of experience handling the birds.
In a letter read at council, Mary Sather, “longtime sole patron” who daily spread grain on the market square for the pigeons, said she was “happy to know that they shall be destroyed, for it will bring to an end their abuse by the boys who trap them, contrary to our humane laws.”
She suggested the most humane way to kill them was to electrocute them.
“I shall always have the memory that I have gladdened hundreds of human hearts by feeding the pigeons, for there are people who fully realize the rights of God’s lower creatures.”
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.
MISS Lee Kay Yan has rightly pointed out that the mynah and pigeon populations here have increased drastically and are now aggressively invading our coffee shops and hawker centres (“Bring in predators to solve bird problem”; Forum Online, yesterday).
In our urban setting, certain species of birds have become a public nuisance. The normal activities of the birds will conflict in some way with human activity.
Some birds feed on grain and fruit crops. The common mynahs eat insects and human food scraps. They are aggressive and often attack native birds. They also spread mites and have the potential to spread disease to people and domestic animals.
They are adept at stealing food off people’s plates. They can be discouraged by depriving them of food sources, chasing them from yards and disturbing them when they try to nest.
Rock pigeons are quite common in Waterloo Street and they feed on seeds and fruits. In urban areas, however, they have adapted to roosting on high-rise buildings and feeding on human food like bread and rice.
Their droppings soil public amenities and private properties. Roosting pigeons damage buildings and the roofing of houses.
They can transmit illnesses such as encephalitis and salmonella poisoning. They harbour the causal agent of histoplasmosis, a fungal disease that affects the human respiratory tract.
Pigeons can be a threat to human safety, particularly around airports where pigeon flocks have collided with aircraft, causing human fatalities.
It is important to understand how human activities in urbanised areas affect ecosystems, with urban habitats becoming relevant to biodiversity research.
The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) and the National Environment Agency (NEA) can collaborate to reduce the bird population and bring about a cleaner city environment by using ultrasonic and sonic audio systems like the Tube Sonic.
This product produces electronic sounds to scare birds with distress calls and predator sounds.
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.
“We’ve had a few calls, we see it more and more every day. They will breed every 45 days, so it gets worse and w…”
–Richard Swallow
There is a growing pigeon problem in Saskatchewan, and Yorkton is no exception, with birds increasingly becoming a concern for local businesses and residents. The Yorkton Business Improvement District recently held an information meeting to discuss what options are available for controlling the pest bird.
Richard Swallow, owner of Riva Specialized Cleaning Services and Pigeon Control, was invited to speak on the services they offer to get pigeons out of a region. The business is focused on humane elimination of birds, using different devices to make a structure unappealing to birds. Riva is one of the few places in Saskatchewan who offers the service.
“It’s really understanding what the birds are doing and where they are in order to get away from that site. We implement the proper solutions.”
The birds are an invasive species, and Swallow says that the reasons to get rid of them are numerous, whether it’s safety issues caused by their waste, their destruction of property, or the respiratory diseases they can spread in an area, especially as they tend to enjoy being near HVAC units.
In Yorkton, one of the biggest problem areas is an abandoned building, where it is estimated at least 200 birds have taken up residence. Swallow says a building like this presents a challenge on two fronts.
One, the building itself from a safety perspective, given the dangers that are inherent in an old structure, as well as the difficulty of moving pigeons out of a place where they have settled and have been occupying for a long time.
“You have dedicated birds, you have generational birds that have been in the same area for years. Very different strategy to implement than when you’ve just got a sign with birds that are sitting and crapping on it every day. It’s different approach, different strategies and different implementation of the right tools to get a situation we can guarantee.”
Part of getting rid of dedicated birds involves trapping, though Swallow says if you want a live release the birds will have to be driven to Calgary at a minimum to prevent their return. He says that they also have a humane method of euthanizing the birds. While there are methods of sterilizing the birds available in other markets, those are not currently available in Canada, something Swallow hopes to see change soon.
Bruce Thurston, chair of YBID, emphasizes that at this point there is no funding proposed to do an expansive bird control project, the meeting intended to be a fact finding mission to see what can be done about birds.
“We’ve had a few calls, we see it more and more every day. They will breed every 45 days, so it gets worse and worse every year, so sooner or later something has to be done, whether on an individual basis or as a collective community.”
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.
CLARKSTON, WA – For several months now, drivers have been complaining about pigeons flying under the 13th Street overpass along Fleshman Way.
Asotin County leaders hope that won’t be an issue much longer. They’ve hired Sprague Pest Solutions, out of Tacoma, to install bird netting under the bridge.
“What the netting is meant to do is exclude pigeons from using the underside of the overpass as nesting a roosting habitat,” said Sprague Pest Solutions Services Manager, Keith Rowney.
Rowney said the netting should last a decade and they expect to finish the project by Friday.
We’d like to remind everyone that the speed limit in a construction zone is 25-miles per hour and traffic fines are doubled. Crews will be out every day this week between 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
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.
