by Pigeon Patrol | Oct 14, 2021 | Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons, Pigeons in the News, Raccoons, Sparrows
With a warm spell of weather predicted, staff from Cleankill Pest Control are gearing up for more calls to deal with the bird they call the ‘flying rat’.
Pigeons take advantage of the warmer weather to sit on outside ledges and pipework while their foulings fall to the floor below, creating a dangerously slippery surface.
Cleankill Managing Director Paul Bates said: “With pigeons now breeding four or five times a year, compared to two or three times 20 years ago, their numbers are increasing dramatically. The problem is exacerbated by people feeding them and attracting them into town squares where they are fouling on pavements and buildings.
“Pigeons are the most unhygienic and messy birds and actually carry more diseases than rats. They nest on their poo and attract mites. Nearly all pigeons carry the bird mite – a tiny insect that feeds off the bird, but will also makes humans itch and scratch. Pigeon fouling and nest materials also provide a home for many other insects such as clothes moths, carpet beetle and mealworm beetles.
Most of the pest controllers’ work against pigeons tends to be proofing of buildings and light wells, using a variety of techniques including installing nets, sprung wire systems and bird spike repellents.
Paul explained: “If a slipped tile goes unnoticed on a roof, or the louvres slip on a church bell tower, a pair of pigeons can get in and, in a matter of months, there can be hundreds of pigeons living in the loft space. The floor will soon be covered with fouling up to a foot deep.res further ‘natural-style’ habitats for these descendants of the Rock Dove – ll then have health and safety implications for engineers who come to service the equipment.
“Pigeon poo, when it is wet, is not too much of a danger apart from being slippery and the acidity will, of course, burn car paintwork. But when it is dry, as it often is in a loft space, or below sheltered machinery, then the airborne bacteria can become a real problem – affecting anybody that may be susceptible to asthma and other breathing difficulties.”
When pest controllers are called in, wearing special safety gear, they have to remove the birds, the nests and all loose fouling. The places they have to get to are often difficult to access, very restricted, very hot loft spaces that are about four-feet high – which is one of the reasons they dislike pigeons so much.
Cleankill Pest Control offers a specialist bird control service for facilities and property management companies in London, Sussex. Surrey and Kent, from the initial survey and specification through to the final proofing solution. As registered waste carriers, Cleankill can carry out full scale removal of bird fouling, as well as contaminated goods and furniture, from infested properties. As well as the feral pigeon, seagulls are becoming a greater problem for property owners and Cleankill can also offer advice and solutions for these pests as well.
Some facts about pigeons:
• A pigeon aged between 1 and 30 days is called a squab
• A pigeon’s white feathers have no colour pigment
• Pigeons can see in colour, but can also see ultra-violet light – a part of the light spectrum that humans cannot see
• Most birds take a sip of water and throw their heads back so it trickles down their throat – pigeons suck up water like straws
• In the 16th century, pigeon poo was a highly valued commodity as it was a source of salt petre or Potassium nitrate – a main ingredient of gunpowder! In France, it was also used to fertilise vineyards
• In India, the pigeon post mail service stopped in 2004
• Cher Ami and GI Joe were two famous war hero pigeons…both saved the lives of many soldiers by carrying important messages across enemy lines
• Young pigeons remain in their nests for up to two months…which is why it is only pest controllers who often get to see them!
• Peregrine Falcons are a natural predator of the pigeon…they can dive at up to 200 miles per hour. A pigeon can dive at about 70 miles an hour.
Source
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 Bird Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products ten years in a row.
Contact us at 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD, (604) 585-9279 or visit our website at www.pigeonpatrol.ca
Pigeon/Pigeon Patrol / Pigeons Roosting / Vancouver Pigeon Control /Bird Spikes / Bird Control / Bird Deterrent / Pigeon Deterrent? Surrey Pigeon Control / Pest /Seagull deterrent / Vancouver Pigeon Blog / Birds Inside Home / Pigeons in the cities / Ice Pigeons/ What to do about pigeons/ sparrows , Damage by Sparrows, How To Keep Raccoons Away, Why Are Raccoons Considered Pests/ De-fence / Pigeon Nesting/ Bird Droppings / Pigeon Dropping/ woodpecker control/ Professional Bird Control Company/ Keep The Birds Away/ Birds/rats/ seagull/pigeon/woodpecker/ dove/sparrow/pidgeon control/pidgeon problem/ pidgeon control/flying rats/ pigeon Problems/ bird netting/bird gel/bird spray/bird nails/ bird guard
by Pigeon Patrol | Oct 5, 2021 | Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons, Pigeons in the News, Raccoons, Sparrows
Pigeons are stout-bodied birds that are common in large cities. The most common type of pigeon found in urban areas is the feral rock pigeon, which has a short neck and slender bill. Because pigeons procreate in large numbers, they have come under scrutiny in many cities, and the feeding of wild pigeons has become illegal in many urban settings. Pigeons require a very specific diet in order to maintain their health, so whether you’re feeding pigeons in the wild or in your own coup, you should be careful what you do and do not feed them.
Identification
In order to maintain a healthy diet for a pigeon, you must emulate the grain intake they would get in the wild. Avoiding foods normally reserved for people, like bread, cheese and meats. Wild pigeons eat a diet filled mainly with non-fiber items like grains and seeds. Bread is one of the most common foods that people feed to pigeons, but the complex carbohydrates in bread offer no nutritional value and could even work to starve them. Because pigeons do not have teeth, they require a supply of grit in order to digest their food. Pigeons digest and break down food through the use of the crop, which is a sack at the base of their throat and a gizzard, located at the bottom of the intestinal track. In order for this system to work, pigeons must eat small stones and rocks, along with their food, in order to survive. Wild pigeons will get the right amount of grit naturally when they gather grain and seeds, but domestic pigeons must be fed processed shell grit along with their normal diet.
Considerations
Foods required for a healthy pigeon include dried field peas and corn. They are high in protein and help build strong muscles and maintain a pigeons plumage. Corn, however, can store in a pigeon’s body as fat, so it should only be fed to a pigeon in limited quantities during the winter months. Wheat and sorghum are staple grains for wild pigeons and can also be found in domestic pigeon seed mixes. Some wild pigeons eat small quantities of green plants as well. A full-grown pigeon will eat about 500 g of grain each week.
Misconceptions
A common myth claims that eating uncooked rice will cause a pigeon to explode. The myth claims that pigeons are unable to digest the grain and when it expands in their stomachs, it has nowhere to go. In truth, birds often depend on flooded rice fields for feed while migrating north, and animal biology experts say that uncooked rice is no different than that which birds feed on in the wild.
Warning
Pigeons require much more water than most birds, especially during breeding season, so dehydrating foods should be avoided. Salt can dehydrate pigeons, but pigeons love salt, and will attack salt blocks reserved for pigs and sheep. Human food, especially meats, are very dangerous for a pigeon’s health. Human food can introduce bacteria to pigeons that they are not capable of fighting off. Diseases and health risks aside, feeding pigeons in the wild can make them dependent on human feeding and less likely to seek food on their own.
Potential
Human interaction and improper feeding of domestic and wild pigeons is believed to be one of the reasons for the birds’ decline. While many urban areas claim that pigeon populations are out of control, the truth is that around 59 species are currently threatened by extinction, which is over 20 percent of the pigeon population. Since the 1600s, 10 species of pigeon have become extinct. While habitat loss and over-hunting are partly to blame, bird specialists believe that domestication and improper feeding has weakened the entire species.
Source
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 Bird Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products ten years in a row.
Contact us at 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD, (604) 585-9279 or visit our website at www.pigeonpatrol.ca
Pigeon/Pigeon Patrol / Pigeons Roosting / Vancouver Pigeon Control /Bird Spikes / Bird Control / Bird Deterrent / Pigeon Deterrent? Surrey Pigeon Control / Pest /Seagull deterrent / Vancouver Pigeon Blog / Birds Inside Home / Pigeons in the cities / Ice Pigeons/ What to do about pigeons/ sparrows , Damage by Sparrows, How To Keep Raccoons Away, Why Are Raccoons Considered Pests/ De-fence / Pigeon Nesting/ Bird Droppings / Pigeon Dropping/ woodpecker control/ Professional Bird Control Company/ Keep The Birds Away/ Birds/rats/ seagull/pigeon/woodpecker/ dove/sparrow/pidgeon control/pidgeon problem/ pidgeon control/flying rats/ pigeon Problems/ bird netting/bird gel/bird spray/bird nails/ bird guard
by Pigeon Patrol | Oct 5, 2021 | Pigeon Predators, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons, Pigeons in the News, Raccoons, Sparrows, UltraSonic Bird Control
Pigeons are a successful and adaptable group of birds that thrive in varied habitats. Most of the pigeons commonly seen in cities in the United States are feral rock doves (Columba livia), descendants of birds first brought to America from Europe in the 1600s. Sometimes also called rock pigeons, these birds make their homes in a variety of habitats throughout the world, but many have adapted to life with humans.
Urban Landscapes
Pigeons thrive in cities where humans create buildings that pigeons are able to adapt for their own use. Tall buildings and window ledges simulate the natural cliffs where wild pigeons live, and the birds use these man-made spots to roost, loaf and build their nests. City birds scavenge from the trash and from pet food dishes left outside, and they will pick up any dropped bits of food that they find. It’s also common for people to feed city pigeons bits of bread, crumbs and birdseed.
Rural and Suburban Pigeons
Cities aren’t the only place that pigeons can thrive. Where in the wild they might have used cliffs and caves, in rural and suburban areas pigeons are quick to move into open barns and abandoned homes, under bridges and around other available human structures. They eat spilled grain, garden waste and animal food, as well as any other foods that present themselves. These birds sometimes make a nuisance of themselves by living and feeding around farms and grain storage elevators.
Rocky Cliffs
In the wild pigeons often live on or near large, rocky cliffs. They typically build their nests on the faces of these cliffs, presenting a challenge to many would-be predators. Pigeons also live inside caves, near the opening, when these are available. In the wild they mostly eat seeds and grains, but will also eat fruit, insects, slugs, snails and even small lizards. Both parents take turns incubating the eggs, and it’s not uncommon for pigeons to return to the same nest year after year, making a new nest on top of the old one.
Other Pigeon Habitats
Pigeons live in almost every part of the world. They inhabit forests such as rainforests, temperate deciduous forests, swamp forests and arboreal forests. Pigeons inhabit desert areas where the get water by eating succulent plants, and they also live on islands, in mangrove forests, in chaparral and in almost every other environment on Earth. The only places where pigeons haven’t settled in are the high Arctic and Antarctic regions. In areas where food is plentiful and the environment is favorable, pigeons may live in groups of hundreds or even thousands of birds.
Source
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 Bird Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products ten years in a row.
Contact us at 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD, (604) 585-9279 or visit our website at www.pigeonpatrol.ca
Pigeon/Pigeon Patrol / Pigeons Roosting / Vancouver Pigeon Control /Bird Spikes / Bird Control / Bird Deterrent / Pigeon Deterrent? Surrey Pigeon Control / Pest /Seagull deterrent / Vancouver Pigeon Blog / Birds Inside Home / Pigeons in the cities / Ice Pigeons/ What to do about pigeons/ sparrows , Damage by Sparrows, How To Keep Raccoons Away, Why Are Raccoons Considered Pests/ De-fence / Pigeon Nesting/ Bird Droppings / Pigeon Dropping/ woodpecker control/ Professional Bird Control Company/ Keep The Birds Away/ Birds/rats/ seagull/pigeon/woodpecker/ dove/sparrow/pidgeon control/pidgeon problem/ pidgeon control/flying rats/ pigeon Problems/ bird netting/bird gel/bird spray/bird nails/ bird guard
by Pigeon Patrol | Sep 28, 2021 | Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons, Pigeons in the News, Raccoons, Sparrows, UltraSonic Bird Control
A ban on feeding Venice’s famed flocks of pigeons took effect Wednesday. It’s an attempt to control the burgeoning number of birds blamed for spreading filth and ruining the city’s monuments.
Please don’t feed the pigeons.
A ban on feeding Venice’s famed flocks of pigeons took effect Wednesday. Nineteen pigeon-feed sellers on St. Mark’s Square immediately went out of business. They had long been granted licenses to sell packages of dried corn to tourists wanting snapshots of themselves covered with the birds.
A spokeswoman in Venice said people who feed the pigeons face fines from $80 to $775.
Mayor Massimo Cacciari pushed for the ban in an attempt to control the burgeoning number of pigeons blamed for spreading filth and ruining the city’s glorious facades and monuments.
The pigeon-feed sellers, who said they have been selling their wares on St. Mark’s Square for a century, remained up in arms and protested the ban with placards on their booths aimed at the mayor, including: “Curse the day I voted for you” and “Cacciari, what kind of Venetian are you?”
Source
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 Bird Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products ten years in a row.
Contact us at 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD, (604) 585-9279 or visit our website at www.pigeonpatrol.ca
Pigeon/Pigeon Patrol / Pigeons Roosting / Vancouver Pigeon Control /Bird Spikes / Bird Control / Bird Deterrent / Pigeon Deterrent? Surrey Pigeon Control / Pest /Seagull deterrent / Vancouver Pigeon Blog / Birds Inside Home / Pigeons in the cities / Ice Pigeons/ What to do about pigeons/ sparrows , Damage by Sparrows, How To Keep Raccoons Away, Why Are Raccoons Considered Pests/ De-fence / Pigeon Nesting/ Bird Droppings / Pigeon Dropping/ woodpecker control/ Professional Bird Control Company/ Keep The Birds Away/ Birds/rats/ seagull/pigeon/woodpecker/ dove/sparrow/pidgeon control/pidgeon problem/ pidgeon control/flying rats/ pigeon Problems/ bird netting/bird gel/bird spray/bird nails/ bird guard
by Pigeon Patrol | Sep 28, 2021 | Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons, Pigeons in the News, Raccoons, Sparrows, UltraSonic Bird Control
A pilot study to see if feeding pigeons birth control can lower their numbers at Vancouver’s SkyTrain stations has expanded to include eight stations in the region.
The program works by installing a feeder and a camera on TransLink property at stations where there’s a pigeon problem. The feed contains OvoControl, a product that interferes with birds’ eggs’ ability to hatch.
As the birds who call the stations home die of natural causes, researchers and TransLink staff hope there won’t be as many young birds to take their place, and pigeon numbers will decrease over time.
“We think TransLink can be a real leader in humane wildlife control,” Sara Dubois, the BC SPCA’s chief scientific officer, told Daily Hive in a phone interview.
“We’re trying to manage them in a way that’s safe for them and for trains.”
Dubois and the UBC graduate students she’s working with installed the first feeder in January 2019.
Now, the program has been expanded to include eight stations for the study. Four stations feed birds OvoControl, and the other four contain regular food. Over time, the researchers will see whether the birth control significantly reduces pigeon flocks at stations.
It’s still possible for new birds to travel to the stations, Dubois said. But if they stay and eat the birth control consistently, their reproductive abilities will soon be curbed as well.
Pigeons have long caused problems for the transit authority, because their presence on tracks can stop trains and delay customers. Staff also have to spend time cleaning up their excrement from platforms.
Dubois recounted one incident where a pigeon nest caught on fire and service on the Expo Line had to be stopped for several hours.
Previously, TransLink has installed spikes and netting to keep pigeons out, but those methods haven’t been effective. Dubois doesn’t want to see the birds killed, and sees using birth control as an effective way to keep pigeons safe and trains moving.
TransLink and the BC SPCA aren’t revealing which stations have the birth control feeders so that the equipment doesn’t get vandalized. Dubois said that earlier this year they already had one camera and feeder go missing.
If the birth control proves effective, Dubois says it could be a relatively cheap way to reduce the number of birds causing SkyTrain problems.
“It’s really inexpensive compared to the cost of maintenance, cleaning, and trains being down,” she said.
Source
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 Bird Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products ten years in a row.
Contact us at 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD, (604) 585-9279 or visit our website at www.pigeonpatrol.ca
Pigeon/Pigeon Patrol / Pigeons Roosting / Vancouver Pigeon Control /Bird Spikes / Bird Control / Bird Deterrent / Pigeon Deterrent? Surrey Pigeon Control / Pest /Seagull deterrent / Vancouver Pigeon Blog / Birds Inside Home / Pigeons in the cities / Ice Pigeons/ What to do about pigeons/ sparrows , Damage by Sparrows, How To Keep Raccoons Away, Why Are Raccoons Considered Pests/ De-fence / Pigeon Nesting/ Bird Droppings / Pigeon Dropping/ woodpecker control/ Professional Bird Control Company/ Keep The Birds Away/ Birds/rats/ seagull/pigeon/woodpecker/ dove/sparrow/pidgeon control/pidgeon problem/ pidgeon control/flying rats/ pigeon Problems/ bird netting/bird gel/bird spray/bird nails/ bird guard
by Pigeon Patrol | Sep 28, 2021 | Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Predators, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons, Pigeons in the News
The man known as “Pigeon King” is a lone duck when it comes to his pending trial. Arlan Galbraith has asked the judge presiding over his multi-million-dollar fraud case if he can represent himself. Galbraith is charged with fraud and bankruptcy act charges relating to his Waterloo-based business Pigeon King International, which folded in 2008. Galbraith sold thousands of pigeons to farmers and bought back their offspring to sell to other farmers. There was no end market for the birds, and farmers, both local, and across Canada and the US lost upwards of $20-million on pigeons.
Source
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 Bird Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products ten years in a row.
Contact us at 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD, (604) 585-9279 or visit our website at www.pigeonpatrol.ca
Pigeon/Pigeon Patrol / Pigeons Roosting / Vancouver Pigeon Control /Bird Spikes / Bird Control / Bird Deterrent / Pigeon Deterrent? Surrey Pigeon Control / Pest /Seagull deterrent / Vancouver Pigeon Blog / Birds Inside Home / Pigeons in the cities / Ice Pigeons/ What to do about pigeons/ sparrows , Damage by Sparrows, How To Keep Raccoons Away, Why Are Raccoons Considered Pests/ De-fence / Pigeon Nesting/ Bird Droppings / Pigeon Dropping/ woodpecker control/ Professional Bird Control Company/ Keep The Birds Away/ Birds/rats/ seagull/pigeon/woodpecker/ dove/sparrow/pidgeon control/pidgeon problem/ pidgeon control/flying rats/ pigeon Problems/ bird netting/bird gel/bird spray/bird nails/ bird guard
