A leading British talk show Good Morning Britain piers Morgan live decided to plant himself on the shoulders of two pigeons. However, soon they made a real stir in the Studio.

The video with the funny incident was published on Wednesday on Youtube.

Reportedly, a couple of weeks before the fun event, the son of leading compared with the character in the movie home Alone-2 — with a homeless woman feeding birds in the Park.

Viewers of the show noticed that a Morgan is quite similar to the actress from the movie, and the joke. The journalist could not miss the occasion to laugh with himself and went on the air with two doves on his shoulders.

The rest of the bird was short-lived: first, one of the pigeons got the lead on the head and began to beat his wings in the face.

Energetic and charismatic extroverts get bored quickly with the same type of classes. This applies to Jogging in the stadium or on the street, workout at the gym, or similar exercise. All this is unlikely to bring them pleasure. Body and soul, extrovert craves communication, new experiences, surprises and spontaneity.

In addition, extroverts are full of energy and needs somewhere to vent. The perfect solution is an active sport. We have prepared for you some entertainment options that will give you vivid impressions and unforgettable emotions. Bored you don’t have to.

Not all twins are able to live together until old age. But it is certainly not for British women, Phyllis Jones and Irene crump. Sister recently celebrated her 102 birthday. They are not going to stop. The twins are confident that together they can overcome anything.

About Pigeon Patrol:

Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.

Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.

Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)

I sometimes take mothering to the extreme. In that I find myself mothering everyone and everything.

I have found myself saying, “Make good choices!” to a 50-year-old co-worker leaving for the weekend. Just last night, I made kissy noises while passing my daughter’s friend sleeping on the floor of her bedroom. And because I live with people that collect animals, I find that I mother dogs, cats, bees, ducks, pigeons, chickens, geese and the occasional turkey, too.

I do love animals. In fact, as a child I always told my mom I wanted to grow up and marry a farmer. So, it shouldn’t be a surprise that I want to see all animals healthy and loved.

Our one legitimate pet is a dog. Nellie knows that I will keep her fed and safe. She also knows most of the fun stuff (hunting) happens with the boys. If she’s hurt, though, she’ll come to Mom.

Then there were cats. There was a sweet kitty hanging around our house when the kids were young. Matt started feeding him. I warned Matt, “You cannot bring an animal into our lives and think I will just turn my back in the winter.” Pretty soon we were buying cat food, taking trips to the vet and cleaning out a kitty litter box in the garage. And once you have one cat … what’s one more?

I almost forgot the season of rabbits. We had quite a few rabbits one year. They were huge and pooped incessantly, and I mothered them right along until the end. And this is how it goes.

Suddenly, one day in the spring (it’s always in the spring), I come home to a box. Who knows what is in the box? It could be nearly anything. We don’t have a home for it, we don’t know what to feed it, we have no plan for it, but here it is: a rabbit or two or five. Then I diligently mother those animals; I feed them and care for them and love them and get attached to them and then, eventually they die. And the kids and I cry and next spring there is another box.

Now there are birds — all kinds of birds. Some I like and some I don’t. But still, I do not want to see them die on my watch. We currently have nine chickens, five ducks (courtesy of a box that Logan brought home) and about a dozen pigeons. We have made a decision to over-winter the chickens and ducks. I have agreed on the pretense that I am not responsible.

I did not think this decision through properly. Both Matt and Logan are gone deer hunting. Last night I spent some time installing a heated poultry fountain and chasing a duck around in the dark to get it safely inside for the night. This morning, Laura and I spent an hour shoveling a watery poop/hay mix out of the coop and improvising a new setup for the poultry fountain. Apparently the ducks do not understand I have Christmas presents to wrap. But I love them anyway. It’s what moms do.

About Pigeon Patrol:

Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.

Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.

Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)

A dog, pigeon, horse and cat all proudly wear PDSA Dickin Medals alongside members of the RAF, Army and Royal Navy.

To mark the milestone 75th anniversary of the PDSA Dickin Medal – the animals’ Victoria Cross – vet charity PDSA gathered the animal heroes together at the Imperial War Museum.

At the height of World War II 75 years ago, a messenger pigeon named Winkie became the first ever recipient of the PDSA Dickin Medal, which is awarded to animals that display conspicuous gallantry or devotion to duty while serving in military conflict.

Since then, the life-saving actions of 72 incredible animals have been honoured by the charity; 71 animals – 34 dogs, 32 pigeons, four horses and one cat have received the medal.

An Honorary medal was also bestowed to ‘the real war horse’, Warrior, on 2 September 2014, on behalf of all 16 million animals that served in the Great War.

Some of the incredible images were found by family history website Findmypast’s collection of historical newspapers.

They include 1945 photo of Beauty, the Wirehaired Terrier, receiving her medal for rescuing over 63 people and animals trapped under rubble during the blitz.

And Irma the Alsatian receiving her award for finding 233 buried blitz victims, of which 21 were found alive.

In one incident, she refused to give up on the scent of two little girls who were trapped under a fallen building for two days.

First recipients

The inaugural medal was presented on the 2 December 1943 to Winkie, alongside fellow RAF pigeons, White Vision and Tyke.

Winkie was on board a Beaufort Bomber that ditched in the sea after coming under enemy fire during a mission over Norway. Unable to radio the plane’s position, the stranded four-man crew released Winkie in an attempt to raise the alarm.

Despite horrendous weather and being covered in oil, she flew more than 120 miles home, where her owner was able to pass her message onto RAF Leuchars in Fife.

A successful rescue operation was launched within 15 minutes of her return. Her actions saved the lives of her crew.

Cologne the pigeon – DM26

Owned and trained by William Payne, World War II messenger pigeon Cologne was a veteran of more than 100 operations with the RAF.

He ‘homed’ from crashed aircraft on a number of occasions, but Cologne is renowned for one truly astonishing mission.

Carried by a Lancaster Bomber crew downed on a mission to attack the German city of Cologne to use the official National Pigeon Service title, survived the crash. Five of the seven crew died, and the remaining two crew members were captured.

Cologne, despite serious injuries thought to have been sustained during the crash, managed to escape and headed home to Nottingham – a distance of more than 450 miles.

The flight took two weeks in all and Cologne was discovered to have completed this phenomenal journey with multiple injuries, including a broken breastbone.

Here, the Workman is representing the 32 pigeon recipients of the PDSA Dickin Medal.

Simon the cat – DM54

In the summer of 1949, at the height of the Chinese Civil War, HMS Amethyst came under People’s Liberation Army artillery fire while cruising along the Yangtze river.

The ship received more than 50 direct hits and despite the efforts of a passing Navy Frigate to pull it to safety, the ship and crew members were stranded mid-river for almost 10 weeks.

Hot, humid conditions were the perfect breeding ground for a rat infestation. The already-limited food supplies were in danger of being completely destroyed.

Despite shrapnel wounds to his legs and burns to his back and face, ship’s cat Simon was all that stood between the rats and the crew’s essential supplies.

The rats were bold and had even attacked crew members, but this didn’t stop Simon from hunting them down. For protecting supplies and lifting his injured shipmates’ morale when accompanying the Maintenance Officer on his daily rounds, he was promoted to ‘Able Seaman’ in recognition of his achievements.

The only feline recipient, Simon received his PDSA Dickin Medal posthumously in 1949 and was buried with full military honours.

Gremlin the cat is representing recipient Simon.

Sasha the dog – DM65

Sasha and her handler, Lance Corporal Kenneth Rowe, were scheduled to return home from their tour of Afghanistan in July 2008.

However, Corporal Rowe was aware that no dog team would be available to replace them and volunteered to stay to help protect their colleagues. It was a decision that, tragically, cost both their lives the very next day.

Four-year-old Labrador Sasha and Corporal Rowe were a highly successful specialist arms and explosives search team.

They worked alongside the 2nd Battalion Parachute Regiment stationed at the Inkerman base in the Kandahar region. During their tour they were credited with 15 confirmed finds, including mortars, mines, ammunition and explosives.

On 24 July 2008 the unit was on patrol with Sasha and Corporal Rowe leading at the front, looking for IEDs when they were ambushed by the Taliban.

Sasha was shot and injured by a sniper yet, despite her injuries, managed to make it back to her handler. Sadly, this revealed Corporal Rowe’s position and he was subsequently killed by a volley of rocket-propelled grenades.

On return to Britain, a parade in their honour took place in Royal Wootton Basset following a private repatriation service held at RAF Lyneham.

Sasha was posthumously awarded a PDSA Dickin Medal on 21 May 2014.

Pictured today is PDSA Dickin Medal recipient Mali the dog.

Sgt Reckless the horse – DM68

The Korean War included some of the fiercest combat in military history. Originally bred as a racehorse, Sgt Reckless – called after the nickname used for the ‘Recoilless Rifle’ she carried ammunition for – joined the Anti-Tank Division of the US Marines in October 1952.

She completed gruelling missions in mountainous terrain and often freezing conditions. Despite constant enemy fire and numerous hazards, including shell craters and barbed wire, Reckless carried out her duties and quickly became a much-loved, morale-boosting comrade.

During Battle of Outpost Vegas in March 1953, she made 51 supply trips to the frontline in five days – carrying more than 386 rounds of ammunition weighing around five tonnes in total – through steep mountains and open paddy fields.

Constantly under fire and facing up to 500 rounds per minute, Reckless was wounded twice.

She bravely transported multiple casualties to safety on her return trips. After loading up with ammunition, she repeated the process: again, and again and again. How many lives she helped save is unknown.

On 15 June 1957 she was promoted to ‘Sergeant Reckless’ in recognition of her combat record. She was posthumously awarded the PDSA Dickin Medal on 27 July 2016.

Warrior the horse – DM (Hon)

Known to many as ‘The horse the Germans couldn’t kill’, Warrior’s story is one of the most remarkable tales of animal bravery and endurance to emerge from the Great War.

General Jack Seely left his home on the Isle of Wight in 1914 to take command of the Canadian Cavalry Corps. His beloved horse Warrior, a thoroughbred stallion, travelled to the Western Front with him.

Over the next four years, Warrior witnessed the full horror of war during major battles, including the first day of the Battle of the Somme and the muddy hell of Passchendaele.

Trapped in burning stables twice, buried in rubble and mud, and regularly subjected to intensive attack from machine guns and mortar shells, Warrior survived it all.

In March 1918 he led a cavalry charge against the Germans at Amiens, which proved to be one of the most crucial battles of the whole campaign and helped bring the end of the conflict closer.

Warrior was posthumously awarded the Honorary PDSA Dickin Medal on 2 September 2014 to mark 100 years since the start of the Great War.

The only recipient to pre-date the Medal’s institution in 1943, he received the Medal on behalf of all animals that served.

Metropolitan Police Horse Upstart represents the four horse recipients of the PDSA Dickin Medal.

About Pigeon Patrol:

Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.

Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.

Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)

Bill and Cheri Buchbinder don’t have cats or dogs or rabbits.

They have Donald.

The gray- and brown-speckled rock pigeon became a fan of the couple’s birdbath and feeder last May, and that fondness quickly spread to the Leelanau couple themselves.

It may have been that birdseed that led to Donald’s first meeting with Bill.

The Michigan native found Donald, green feathers glinting, perched on the railing of his deck one spring afternoon.

“I’ve never seen a pigeon on my back deck before,” said Bill, owner of Blue Water Sail & Canvas. “So I say, ‘Hey, pigeon.’ And he looked at me and started cooing, like pigeons do, and following me around.”

Bill, intrigued, ventured into the garage for some loose sunflower seeds the couple kept for their birdfeeders.

“I come out and he flew over and landed on my head,” he said. “So he’s there, eating sunflower seeds, and he walks onto my shoulder and down my arm.”

Donald, named after Bill’s pigeon-raising father, found a home in the couple’s garage rafters and the Buchbinders’ days were brightened by their odd houseguest’s shenanigans.

“He’s like a dog — follows us everywhere we go,” Cheri said. “When I garden in the summer, I’d bend down to pull weeds and he’d land on my back. Then he’d sit on my hat.”

And Donald stuck around, even as the days grew shorter and reds and yellows overtook their tree-dotted neighborhood like wildfire. Bill asked around the neighborhood, but found no one missing an incredibly friendly pigeon.

“We’d leave the back door open and he’d come and go as he pleased,” Bill said.

The pigeon enjoyed, too, the birdseed and sunflower seeds left in the garage for him daily.

Donald likes to “wrestle” with Bill, Cheri says, pecking at his fingers.

He’s sweet to her, though.

“He’s real friendly to me, he lets me pet him. He talks a lot, coos,” she said. “But he absolutely adores my husband — he gets really excited if he hears his voice or footsteps.”

The couple grew accustomed to their feathered friend’s greetings. Until one October afternoon, when Donald didn’t provide his usual hello.

Instead, Cheri returned from work to find her dear friend limping and cooing in the driveway.

She scooped him up and rushed Donald to the Grand Traverse Veterinary Hospital and Dr. Marianne Jossens.

It earned a few odd looks.

“Most people just shoot ‘em, use them for target practice. That’s what they said at the vet,” Cheri said. “I said, ‘He’s not a regular pigeon. He’s a pet pigeon.’”

Donald survived his encounter with another animal — Cheri and Bill suspect it was a hawk or owl attack — with an injured wing, a broken leg and some missing tail feathers.

The family left the vet, Donald with a carefully wrapped white cast. He’s recovered well in the weeks since, Cheri said, and she expects he’ll be cast-free within the next month.

“And he’s able to fly now — he wasn’t able to (at first),” Bill said.

“He learned to perch with one foot,” Cheri added.

Rock pigeons, or rock doves, are the most common species of the bird, and have a history of use as homing pigeons.

They’re found throughout Europe, Africa and Asia, and were introduced to the Americas centuries ago, where they’ve also become commonplace.

The Buchbinders don’t think Donald is a lost homing pigeon because, well, showing up at their home wouldn’t make him a very good one.

Donald instead proves to be a loving, if a bit odd, pet.

He returned to his old personality a few days after the ordeal, and lets the Buchbinders pet and handle him just like before.

He’s even back to wrestling with Bill.

“I’ll stick my hand in his cage and he just loves to peck my hand, so I let him do that and I’ll ruffle the feathers on his head,” Bill said. “I don’t think he and I are at odds. But that’s why I think he’s a male.”

“It’s more of a playtime,” Cheri added. “I think that’s the only reason he survived the hawk attack at all — he’s in good shape from his exercise with my husband.”

For now, Donald’s new home is a straw-floored cage in the Buchbinders’ basement — Cheri said he’ll remain safely indoors until spring. The couple let Donald out for a few hours each night, and he’s happy to again follow them around and test his wings.

The Buchbinders aren’t interested in risking another attack.

“I don’t know how to protect him from hawks — we’ll have to think about that in the spring,” Cheri said.

About Pigeon Patrol:

Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.

Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.

Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)

The TV star looked shocked as one of the creatures flapped its wings in his face before pooing on Susanna Reid’s notes and going rogue in the studio earlier  today.

Earlier this month, Piers was mocked by his son Spencer who compared him to the Pigeon Lady from Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.

Today, the 53-year-old star, had two pigeons sit on his head and shoulder as they visited the studio during Richard Arnold’s I’m A Celebrity segment.

However, as they moved off him, one shocked the presenter when it flapped its wings in his face.

The same bird then pooed on 47-year-old Susanna’s script before proceeding to fly into crew members.

As the pigeon handler struggled to round up the pigeons, the studio was thrown into chaos.

Even weather girl Laura Tobin, 36, tried to help catch them.

Eventually the man was able to scoop them up into a net.

Shots showed him walking off with the bird in his hand.

Earlier in the show, Piers slammed David Beckham as “weird” for kissing daughter Harper on the lips.

The TV star criticised the footballer on Good Morning Britain earlier today after the sports star shared a sweet pic of him with his seven-year-old girl while ice-skating.

Yesterday, the 43-year-old father-of-four was trolled after he shared the innocent snap to Instagram.

Today Piers called him “creepy” and “weird” for how he showed affection to his youngest child.

The presenter said: “It’s just weird right? Who does that with their kids? Who kisses their kids on the lips.”

Later on in the show Piers added that it was “quite creepy”, while co-host Susanna Reid suggested celebrities shouldn’t post pictures like that online if they didn’t want “the scrutiny”.

About Pigeon Patrol:

Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.

Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.

Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)

My last column dealt with introduced species of birds such as the Mandarin duck and game birds such as pheasants and turkeys. On the Sunshine Coast we have four other species that qualify as introduced, that is, they arrived here with a helping hand from humans. In reality the distinction between species that arrive with a helping hand and those that arrive on their own initiative can be a little muddy.

House sparrows and starlings were both deliberately introduced to North America from Europe in the 19th century, while the most recent colonizer, the collared dove, escaped from an aviary in the Bahamas, crossed over to Florida and subsequently conquered the continent.

The history of starlings and house sparrows in North America is well known. Immigrants all over the world have often felt the need to introduce species from their homelands and there were a couple of unsuccessful introductions of starlings to the U.S. before the famous April 1890 introduction of 80 birds to Central Park in New York City. By 1928 the species had spread west to the Mississippi River and to California in 1942. House sparrows were also introduced to New York in 1852, originally as an attempt to control the linden moth. Both of these species were supremely adapted for a rapid spread in their new homeland.

House sparrows flourish around human habitation, both in urban environments and wherever there is cultivation. They are not common on the Sunshine Coast but a few can be found in downtown Sechelt and urban Gibsons.

Starlings congregate in large flocks and feed on rough pasture, often around livestock. They also wander to mudflats and shorelines in the summer.

Pigeons are semi-domesticated, generally found in close association with humans, though not directly dependent upon them. Correctly known as rock pigeons, they congregate in flocks where there is a constant food supply such as at a bird feeder. Many people have noted the flock that roosts on the power line in Selma Park, and another flock frequents the power lines at the Sechelt Marsh where they glean food from the ducks being fed.

Pigeons and doves have a long and close association with humanity, and in the last ten years or so the Eurasian collared dove has colonized the Sunshine Coast and indeed much of North America. That story will have to wait for a future column.

About Pigeon Patrol:

Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.

Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.

Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)

X-rays show that the dove was a fracture of the humerus. The staff of “AVETA” have decided to enlist the help of colleagues from other veterinary clinic specialist in the diseases of birds. There are doctors along operated the dove. The fracture was closed. The bone fragments of fixed spokes. According to veterinarians, Frank on the same day began to eat, drink and waving to the sick wing.

Five weeks after surgery, the needle from the wing removed, but doctors have not yet released the dove to freedom – he needs to work out before the serious flights. Soon, Frank will be sent to Omsk pet store where, as I hope the experts he can find their owners. Doctors suggest that early bird lived in a dovecote.

We will remind, in the river on the left Bank, local residents noticed unusual pigeon. Bird traveled on the roof of the car, not flying. The incident took video of one of the drivers. The vehicle speed is not very high, as he was driving in a residential area of the city.

Users liked the antics of the birds. Some joked that the dove should be fined for ticketless travel. Others suggested that he was a superhero, which in this way of “racing to save 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.

Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)

Author and naturalist Joel Greenberg will be the featured speaker on the fate of three birds — passenger pigeons, Kirtland’s warblers and whooping cranes ­– at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 29, at the Prospect Heights Public Library, 12 N. Elm St. The event is co-sponsored by the Prospect Heights Natural Resources Commission and the library. The look at the plight of three fascinating birds each experiencing a different fate at the hands of people has sometime heartbreaking outcomes that provide compelling lessons. The program is entitled “Hope is a Thing with Feathers: Americans and Three Birds.” Greenberg is a research associate at the Chicago Academy of Sciences Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum and the Field Museum with more than 25 years of experience on natural resource related issues in the Midwest. Admission is free, but guests are asked to register ahead of time at the library’s information desk.

About Pigeon Patrol:

Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.

Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.

Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)

I’m surrounded by people who root for underdogs. Iran winning the World Cup? My cousins can dream. A career in engineering? I’d bet money that my mother still holds out hope I’ll have one. Deciding 2016 is the time for a protest vote? We need to have a talk, buddy.

But just about no one is with me on pigeons.

When I look at them, I see curious birds that choose to bumble around with missing toes instead of fly and yet, still manage to survive almost exclusively on the vast human waste we brought them to. When others spot them, they’re shooed away with a fierce glare or avoided altogether with a longer route.

The more I’ve observed this attitude in a city setting, the more I find myself as the Resident Pigeon Defender. Almost no one agrees. (To my simultaneous appreciation and horror, Mike Tyson — whose first fight reportedly began over a pigeon — is one of the few.) Because ultimately, these birds are misunderstood, resilient creatures who elicit a tellingly similar reaction as people facing street homelessness — and we should really think hard about why.

To be fair, it’s likely that I don’t instantly recoil at the sight of pigeons because, well, they were my pets at some point in elementary school. Along with a handful of chickens, my family had four show pigeons that we fed, kept in good health, let fly around the suburbs of Orange County, and watched as the respective alphas got into compulsory fights on the daily.

City pigeons, on the other hand, are a bit rough around the edges. They get flak for being dirty, leaving feces everywhere, clustering in open spaces, and just generally being a nuisance.

As Nathanael Johnson concluded in a chapter dedicated to “the majesty of pigeons” in Unseen City, what he first saw as filth and pestilence was really societal failings that produce poverty and waste. That obviously applies first and foremost to humans, who sometimes develop a connection to birds out of emotional survival.

“Perhaps we’d feel differently about pigeons if we were better at dealing with our own species,” Johnson wrote. “It is our own filth that has created the conditions that enable pigeon populations to swell to slum densities.”

In fact, we can draw a pretty direct line from human actions to the pigeons we know today. Pigeons were even once signs of wealth and touted around by aristocrats, Johnson wrote. After Samuel de Champlain, the French colonial governor of Quebec, brought them to North America, the New World’s increasing density proved to be a successful habitat for once-wild pigeons who became commonplace.

When food became abundant after agriculture boomed, pigeons picked up the crumbs and multiplied in numbers to a fault. We now see them aggressively fight for those crumbs, sometimes thrown by well-meaning or lonely folks, while diseases spread in crowded nests.

To dispel some of that disgust, we ought to at least know a little more about them before we write them off. If pigeons seem like they’re in their own world, it’s probably because they can see in ultraviolet, sense the Earth’s magnetic field, and pick up atmospheric changes far beyond humans in elevators.

Pigeons are also quite skilled at hiding their young — if you’ve ever seen a baby pigeon, consider it a deep honor. Squabs, as they’re known, stick their heads in their parents’ throats and thrust around for nutritious milk for the first two months of their lives. You can recognize a juvenile pigeon if you look for an oversized beak and brown eyes, rather than the gleaming, reddish-orange eyes seen in adults.

Better yet, take a moment to notice the green and purple on their necks. Though most pigeons are gray and black, others are white. This begs the question: What makes them so different from doves, that symbol of peace that people release at weddings? Not much besides color and location, as they’re all in the same Columbidae family of birds.

As I repeat these unsolicited points to friends and family, this pigeon advocacy of mine has had some small victories. My years-long housemate — who absolutely hated all birds when I first met her — began to feel wistful about no longer hearing the coos of pigeons that took refuge in the backyard stairway of our former Parkside home.

Another listened in horror as our landlord casually told us he crushed a bunch of their eggs, as if they were parasites. But many people remain unable to see the same majesty I do, and that’s their loss.

At the very least, it’s one less thing to spend energy hating in a stressful world. At most, it’s a chance to observe another species in all its glory while we’re occupied with fear and disgust for the downtrodden.

About Pigeon Patrol:

Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.

Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.

Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)

About Pigeon Patrol:

Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.

Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.

Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)

If you are missing a pet pigeon, it might be at a Northwest Valley animal shelter.

The pigeon is sporting a rhinestone vest, a sign that it belongs to someone.

A woman found the pigeon in Glendale, near 61st Avenue and Bell Road, over the weekend. It was wearing a bedazzled flight suit, and the woman turned it over to the Fallen Feathers Bird Rescue in Peoria.

This bedazzled bird has since captured the hearts of hundreds on social media.

“She had it in a box with a towel thrown over the top of it, and I opened it up, and we took him out, and there he is with all of his bling,” said Fallen Feathers director Jody Kieran.

Kieran said she does not know if the bird is a male or female, but she does think the bird is less than six months old, and is clearly a house pet.

“A wild bird naturally flies to light, and this guy kind of hangs on your shoulder,” said Kieran. “He’s not looking to get out of here. So, he’s definitely used to being in someone’s home.”

The pigeon even likes to watch TV, and does seem to love all the attention.

“He watched a Western the other day with my daughter, so he does like Westerns, if that’s a clue to who the owner is,” said Kieran, “So, maybe he’s a Rhinestone Cowboy! haha! I don’t know.”

If no one claims the pigeon, Kieran said there are other options.

“We would try to get him wild and see if we can get him to join a flock,” said Kieran. “Chances are he’s missed the boat on that one, and we will have to try and find him a home, and if I can’t, I guess I’m going to have to get matching outfits!”

About Pigeon Patrol:

Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.

Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.

Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)

The search is on for the owner of a pigeon decked out in a bedazzled vest.

“They’re rhinestones, so is he Liberace or the Rhinestone Cowboy? I haven’t figured that one out yet,” said Jody Kieran, who runs a nonprofit bird rescue.

A woman found the pigeon on her patio Sunday and turned him over to Kieran, who’s never seen a bird like him before.

“After doing this for 20 years, this is the first time that I’ve had one come in that was actually wearing an outfit,” she said. “It was more hysterical than anything.”

The pigeon is missing a few rhinestones, but judging by his calm behavior, Kieran is sure he’s someone’s missing pet.

Another clue is in the vest itself, which serves the practical purpose of catching and holding bird droppings.

“We have a label. So, somebody purchased this for him and put it on. He didn’t put it on himself,” Kieran said.

About Pigeon Patrol:

Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.

Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.

Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)

Animals are expected to minimize time and effort to reinforcement. Thus, not pecking should be preferred over pecking. However, even if time is held constant, pigeons often peck when it is allowed but not required (e.g., fixed time schedules), but with such schedules pecking may be adventitiously reinforced. In the present experiment, to better compare a schedule of reinforcement that requires pecking with one that requires the absence of pecking, we compared a modified fixed-interval (FI) schedule in which reinforcement follows the first peck after the interval has elapsed and a differential-reinforcement-of-other behavior (DRO) schedule, which requires pigeons to abstain from pecking for a similar interval. The delay to reinforcement was matched on a trial-by-trial basis by yoking the duration of the FI to match the DRO schedule that preceded it. Of 12 pigeons, six preferred the DRO schedule over the FI schedule and six did not show a schedule preference. Those that were indifferent between the schedules apparently had a stronger spatial preference than their schedule preference. Individual differences in the preference of the pigeons may have been related to their behavior during the DRO schedule.

About Pigeon Patrol:

Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.

Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.

Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)

Twenty-one white doves emerged from white wicker baskets on a recent afternoon in downtown Detroit and launched themselves into the air, drawing applause from people gathered below.

The birds, which are actually selectively bred homing pigeons, initially began heading south. Then their inborn navigational systems kicked in — call it Mother Nature’s GPS — and the birds turned around and flew north, back toward their home 100 miles away in Saginaw.

It wasn’t long after that Phyllis Stevens, co-owner of Saginaw-based Dreamers White Dove Release, got into her car and started the same return journey. But she relied on I-75 and her smartphone’s GPS. By the time Stevens arrived home two hours after the release, 10 of her 21 birds were already there, waiting on the roof of their pigeon loft in her backyard.

“Every time I see it, it always amazes me how they know to get home,” Stevens said.

The white dove release business is reaching new heights of popularity in Michigan.

Bird handlers and business owners are doing multiple releases every week from spring to fall for weddings, funerals, public events and special ceremonies — even high school proms. The latest trend is “gender reveals,” where partygoers look for a blue or a pink-painted dove to find out whether the expected baby is a boy or girl. (Handlers say the special paint is safe and soon washes off.)

The most common bird release in Michigan is for funerals, these owners said, and this service is particularly popular among black families.

“That lasting image of a dove taking off is far nicer I think than a shovel full of dirt,” said Joan Luther, owner of Winged Occasions dove release in Flat Rock.

There are roughly a dozen small and large dove release operations in Michigan. The price for a dove release starts about $150 and varies based on the number of birds, weather conditions and the event’s distance from their home. The further the distance, the higher the risk that not all pigeons will return.

For well-trained birds, the greatest danger isn’t getting lost but being attacked by a hawk. That is why some handlers have already stopped flying their birds over long distances for the remainder of 2018.

“The hawks come out and they are very vicious because they are looking for food. They want to get fat for the winter,” Stevens said.

Come spring, there is a heightened risk that some birds — especially the males — will get sidetracked on their flights by short-term love interests, shacking up for days or weeks with what Stevens calls the “bum pigeons that hang out on the overpasses.”

But even those waylaid birds often return home.

“They’re kind of like children. If you put a roof over their head and you feed them, they usually come back,” said Michael Phillips, owner of West Michigan White Dove Release in Hudsonville.

Bird handlers say they can legitimately call their service white dove releases because homing pigeons descended from rock doves.

“We call them doves because would you like to have some ‘pigeons’ released at your wedding?” said Luther of Winged Occasions.

Where there is controversy, it often concerns the dove releases that use real doves. Those birds, known as white ringneck doves, lack the survival and navigational instincts of homing pigeons and therefore won’t fly home and will likely die.

Handlers who raise and train white homing pigeons consider it unethical to release ringneck doves. It is thought that only a handful of outfits in Michigan use these throwaway doves.

“If you use doves, doves don’t come home. Those birds are just going to die,” Phillips said. “And after a funeral, you don’t want that thought in your head, ‘My nephew died, and they threw some birds up in the air, and they all died.’ ”

Still, some activists including People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals consider any type of bird release problematic because the events can be stressful and life-threatening, even for homing pigeons that safely make it home.

“Is this their preference? To be caged, released and forced to do this repeatedly? Certainly not,” said Stephanie Bell, a director in PETA’s cruelty investigations unit.

A YouTube video surfaced last year of a white dove release during a funeral near a highway in which one of the birds flew directly into the path of a tractor-trailer, eliciting gasps from the gathered mourners. It is unclear where that incident occurred.

High return rate

Bird handlers interviewed for this article said the return rates for their birds are 90 percent or higher.

All 21 birds released last month in downtown Detroit made it back to Saginaw. There was one straggler, Stevens said, who eventually showed up four days later.

The Oct. 26 release was the finale for the Detroit Police Department’s “Stop Domestic Violence” event marking Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

Police Sgt. Kyla Williams said the department had ended the event in previous years with a balloon release and decided to try something different this year.

“Doves symbolize love, hope and peace, and love, hope and peace have meaning for domestic violence survivors,” said Williams, who found the visual spectacle of the release to be deeply moving.

“I thought it was beautiful and just amazing to see one of God’s creatures soar,” she said.

Intensive training

Release birds don’t naturally know to return to their coop; they must be trained.

Stevens said it generally takes 16 weeks to train a bird before it is ready to fly all the way from Detroit. The training regimen involves placing the birds into a travel cage, loading the cage into her car, then driving out every day and releasing the birds from steadily increasingly distances.

A 50-mile maximum radius is common for release businesses. Stevens said that her flock can handle 100-mile radius flights because they inherited genes from her late uncle’s racing pigeons for strong navigational sense. The longest her birds have ever flown was 120 miles, she said.

Because proper training is a major time commitment, handlers and business owners such as Stevens are often in retirement or nearing retirement and just working part-time.

“You have to keep them in shape — they’re like little athletes,” said Stevens, who has 150 birds in her release flock.

How not to hold

Birds can be released by hand as well as by basket. But one must hold them properly.

There was once a bride who held her pigeon way too close to her wedding dress.

“And it pooed on her,” Stevens recalled. “But the wedding planner handled it beautifully — ‘Oh, you’re so blessed. This bird blessed you.’ And the whole crowd clapped, and she let the bird go.”

Peaceful closure

The number of birds per release is generally up to customers. For West Michigan White Dove Release, the standard funeral service has four birds.

“Three for the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. One more for the deceased,” Phillips explained.

Winged Occasions, in business since 1990, has released as many as 100 birds at high school graduations and once let go 50 during a wedding.

The most Stevens ever released was 30 birds. That occasion was a remembrance service in Detroit this year for a 30-year-old man who was the victim of a violent crime. The release took place at the side of a street in desolate part of the city where the man’s body had been discovered.

“A big reason that someone will call is they feel that this gives a peaceful closure at the end of the funeral and brings a sense of comfort to the family,” she said.

About Pigeon Patrol:

Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.

Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.

Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)

ABP said the move was intended to prevent the pigeon population from endangering the UK’s food supply chain.

But a petition for MP Sandy Martin and PM Theresa May to step in looks set to reach 2,500 signatures just days after being launched by Brandon Orton at change.org.

The petition states: “The reason for killing pigeons is due to ‘public safety reasons’, so that it does not endanger the UK’s food supply chain.

“However, there have been many local residents and members of the public who have stated that they have never had problems with birds and have not seen many on the waterfront.”

ABP assured residents the culling would be completed quickly and humanely by trained professionals.

A spokesman said: “ABP is part of the UK’s food supply chain, and as such, we adhere to strict regulations regarding the control of pests at the Port of Ipswich.

“Measures are in place to prevent the spread of disease, stop serious damage to food and preserve public health and safety.

“We are committed to safeguarding the integrity of the UK’s food supply.”

The cull will be carried out by shooting – the quickest and most humane method, said ABP – and by trained professionals under licenses issued by appropriate government agencies.

According to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), land owners and people given permission by authorities or the Environment Agency are granted a general licence to cull certain wild birds.

The licence can only be used to preserve public health or to ensure public safety – not to simply cull birds that considered to be a nuisance.

ABP bosses said they had explored other avenues for managing the pigeon population.

A spokesman added: “We have examined all the possibilities in managing the pigeon population and we are now fulfilling our legal obligations in the most effective and humane way possible. These actions are necessary to protect the UK public.”

About Pigeon Patrol:

Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.

Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.

Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)

Non-fare-paying pigeons have been causing a nuisance at London Waterloo station, leading Network Rail to hire a Harris hawk to scare them off.

The 5-year-old hawk, named Aria, has possibly the best and easiest job in London: she does a two-hour shift twice a week, which mostly involves flying about like a badass and scaring the bejeezus out of the poo-happy pigeons.

She also gets a nice bath out of it – her handler Max Bell comments:

“Aria really enjoys the environment at Waterloo and is delighted to be here. She does a great job and often likes to reward herself with a relaxing bath in the puddles that gather on the rain shelters over the platforms.”

This isn’t Aria’s first rodeo, though: previous gigs include King’s Cross station and the Treasury, where she unfortunately failed to scare off Theresa May.

Waterloo area manager Jason Murphy explains the need for a hawk:

“Pigeons can be a real nuisance for people using the station. They also cause a lot of mess which needs cleaning up at some expense.

So Aria’s work is really important in making the station a better place for our passengers, while saving us money on our cleaning bills.

She’s a very hard worker and we’re delighted to have her as part of the station team here at Waterloo.”

Keep an eye out for Aria next time you’re at Waterloo, because she’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for you.

About Pigeon Patrol:

Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.

Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.

Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)

This week’s insane SUPERSTAR jackpot got us thinking about life and luck. Black cats and broken mirrors might be internationally-recognised omens of bad luck but Malta has its fair share of spooky and downright silly superstitions.

Here are seven of Malta’s strangest superstitions that many islanders still believe in.

1. Spilling wine is actually a good omen

OK, so you’re at a lunch, wearing your favourite (and obviously white or light blue) outfit, sitting across the table from your kunjata, and in between the excited banter and the constant commotion, you end up spilling wine.

Some of it goes all over the tablecloth, and of course some of it ruins your perfectly fine (and probably expensive) outfit… not to mention your kunjata’s new blouse. Well, your gut reaction might be rage (and infinite shame), but don’t worry; if this one superstition is to believed, what you’ve done is actually invoked a good omen. Go figure.

2. Killing a black moth will give you bad luck

Look, we know moths are basically edgy nocturnal butterflies, but there are a lot of people out there who just don’t like the furry fliers. Add a menacing black coating to the mix, and you’re looking at a lot of people who will gladly kill the fluttering moths.

If you’re one for superstitions, though, we’d recommend rethinking that swatting; turns out killing a black moth will actually give you bad luck. Although to be very honest, this sounds like a rumour started by the moth themselves.

3. Having a pigeon sh*t on you is a good thing

Yes, really. At least, if you’re superstitious.

There’s a certain unholy coincidence and irritating irony to when this happens. Normally, it’s while you’re walking into Valletta wearing a full suit, probably already feeling hot and sweaty.

This sticky icing on the cake is enough to push even the calmest islander over the edge, but fret not; it turns out the sh*tty episode is actually a sign of good things to come. Good luck convincing people who come face-to-face with you and that new statement piece sitting on your shoulder though.

4. A woman on her period cannot work in a bakery or vineyard

As in, she can. But she’ll end up ruining the taste of the finished produced. Just by literally being present. Cool.

Turns out there’s one thing that’s even more frustrating than implying a woman is having a bad day because she’s on her period… and it’s telling her to get out because she’s going to spoil the next batch of vino.

6. Putting a colourful eye on your boat will protect you from evil

One of Malta’s most beautiful traditions is also quite strange when you really think about it.

Believed to be a contemporary nod at Osiris (or Horus) – the Phoenician god of protection from evil – the eyes can be seen on the front of countless colourful luzzus all over the island.

From the southern fishing village of Marsaxlokk to the northern coastal area of St. Paul’s Bay, many a bright fishing boat has its own set of decorated eyes, making the traditional luzzu look like a hilarious – and very colourful – sea unicorn.

7. Having a set of ‘magic numbers’ increases your chances of winning the lottery

Sure, it’s random and there’s a very long list of possible combinations, but no: we’ll stick to our own favourite set of digits, thank you very much.

This superstition is very popular in Malta, with people choosing combinations based on their birthday, number of children, or even house number. Throw numbers like 3, 7 and 13 in the mix, and you’re looking at a constant juggle between lucky and unlucky ‘magic numbers’.

It’s all taken one step further on that one special (read: sad) day when you don’t play your numbers and some of them actually are drawn! See, maybe they were magic after all.

About Pigeon Patrol:

Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.

Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.

Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)

Pigeon fanciers are being asked to come forward to rehome a flock of unclaimed domestic birds.

The RSPCA wildlife centre in Nantwich is on the lookout for bird-lovers to re-home a total of 20 domestic pigeons which have found their way into the care of staff there.

Stapeley Grange regularly receives a number of domestic birds throughout the year, but particularly during the quieter winter months when there is less wildlife in the hospital but it can be difficult to find new homes for them.

Many of the pigeons are ex-racers but there are also fancy pigeons who are looking for new homes.

Lee Stewart, manager at Stapeley Grange, which is based in London Road, said: “All animals deserve a second chance and we are always keen to find new homes for every domestic pigeon which comes through our doors, if we are unable to reunite them with their owner.

“It can be hard finding new homes for them as not many people have the facilities to house pigeons. We are keen for anyone who would like to rehome our pigeons to get in touch with us.”

One of the pigeons which is currently looking for a new home was found grounded in Sandbach on September 7.

After two weeks care and recovery, he is now on the lookout for a new home as his original owner can’t be traced.

Lee added: “Before deciding to rehome any birds it’s important to consider if you have the knowledge, time, facilities, money and commitment needed to care for 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.

Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)

Two sisters in Hong Kong have taken it on their shoulders to rescue and nurse wounded pigeons in their area.

The sisters, named Inez and Gian, run their group “Hong Kong Pigeon and Dove Rescue” on Facebook where they promote awareness on the welfare of the magnificently plumed birds.

Their initiative was founded four years ago, after Gian rescued a pigeon and took it to the veterinarian for check up. According the South China Morning Post on Oct. 13, Gian had to go to many veterinarians until one was willing enough to look at the injured pigeon. The pigeon was eventually put down.

“Looking back, I think I could’ve nursed it back to health and kept it,” Gian was quoted as saying. “Even if it never flew again, at least it would’ve lived.”

This moment was what compelled Gian and Inez, both in their 30s, to finally push through with their pigeon rescue group. Many friends supported the sisters in their initiative and, in just a year, had over a thousand members in the Facebook community.

“There aren’t many locally available pigeon care resources and providers, unlike those for cats and dogs,” Gian added. “So we created a platform where people can exchange pigeon care tips and learn how to care for sick and injured pigeons without professional intervention.”

Despite their vast efforts, however, there are still people who think lowly of pigeons and scorn at the sisters’ undertaking. Some are also misinformed when it comes to the birds, and automatically connect pigeons with diseases. For Inez and Gian, however, pigeons are just victims of prejudice.

“Many people automatically associate pigeons with avian flu, partly because of public health campaigns,” Gian said in the report. “I see where they’re coming from, but I hope they would delve deeper into this issue instead of simply believing everything they hear.”

About Pigeon Patrol:

Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.

Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.

Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)

Signs put up by the council in West Ealing asking people not to feed pigeons have been spray-painted over in the night less than 24 hours after being put up and again after being cleaned just days later.

A small public space on the corner of Melbourne Avenue has become the centre of a bizarre squabble between local pigeon-lovers and annoyed residents, who are utterly fed up with the droppings the birds leave.

Ealing Council recently rejuvenated the spot in response to resident pressure, turning it from untended grass to a paved area with flowerbeds.

But the vandalism last Friday (October 5) and on Monday (October 8) shows the determination of the bird-feeders.

West Ealing Neighbours chairman David Highton, 67, said: “There’s been a long-running problem here for years with people feeding pigeons.

“It attracts birds to an area where they cause considerable difficulties and people get quite passionate about it on both sides, hence someone taking all the trouble to come out in the dead of night to do this.

“If you get that many pigeons together in one place there can be health risks, what with all the diseases they carry, and their droppings block the gutters.

“Someone spent £3,000 putting spikes on their fence and roof and a young couple had to spend £500 getting their gutters cleaned because otherwise the water spills over.”

But clearly not everyone sees the birds as a pest.

Mr Highton added: “[Some] people feel it is their right to feed the birds and they come round on a regular basis. Residents have tried to ask them not to do this but some people can get quite abusive.

“West Ealing Neighbours will look after the flower beds and we are keen to make the place look as attractive as possible but given the chance the pigeons will walk all over it as they have in the past and wreck it.

“I’m not personally one who would say that we should get rid of all the pigeons but there’s some places that are not appropriate to feed them because of the health risks and the damage to people’s homes.”

At some point during last Friday night (October 5), after 7.30pm, signs instructing people not to feed pigeons were completely painted over with black spray paint, having only just been installed.

The signs were cleaned on Monday (October 8) morning but again defaced during the night.

A resident who wishes to remain nameless for fear of retribution said: “I have basically got an infestation of pigeons on my house that I cannot do anything about.

“It makes the area look really unsightly to have a massive horde of pigeons defecating everywhere and it’s causing me and my neighbours a massive amount of stress.”

‘The bane of my existence’

“At times there have been up to 30 pigeons defecating all over my property, it means I have to pay people to clean my gutters and have to clean droppings off the front of my house every few weeks.

“The noise they make is also really loud, I struggle to even watch TV. It’s honestly the bane of my existence and really soul-destroying to see people keep feeding them and encouraging them to congregate here.

“I have seen people drive up and tip huge bags of birdseed there on a couple of occasions and every morning a few people drop bread.

“I can appreciate different cultures have different relationships with pigeons than mine does and I try to speak to them nicely but some of them just seem unhinged. One told me that pigeons were the reason we won World War Two so he was going to keep looking after them.

“We spent a long time complaining to the council and they eventually paid a significant sum to have the area redeveloped. At the time I thought it would make people change their behaviour but the signs were painted over instantly.

“If this person’s prepared to spray public signs, which is a criminal act, it seems like they would do whatever is necessary to keep feeding the birds.”

In response to the vandalism Ealing councillor Mik Sabiers said: “Pigeons are pests and it’s been an offence to feed them since the 1981 Environment Act.

“They impact on residents’ enjoyment of our parks and open spaces and there is a cost to cleaning up after these birds.

“If someone is seen feeding pigeons, a fixed penalty notice will be issued in line with the council’s policy on fining those caught dropping litter on the borough’s streets.”

About Pigeon Patrol:

Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.

Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.

Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)