by johnnymarin | Dec 30, 2018 | Pigeons in the News
New York City’s official bird, the humble pigeon, is ubiquitous, intelligent, nutritious (uh, for hawks) and extremely helpful. But they get really thirsty, especially after eating a bagel. On Thursday, one man decided to give one pigeon a hand by turning on a water fountain.
Steven Pesantez and Mariel Mitkowski were at the Staten Island Ferry Terminal in St. George when they saw the pigeon perched on the fountain. “The pigeon was just sitting there and he looked thirsty,” Pesantez recounted. “So I decided to get up and help the little guy.”
Mitkowski filmed the exchange, and Pesantez admitted, “I expected him to stay for a little bit but I didn’t expect him to start drinking!”
“It felt cool to help out the pigeon,” he said. “It was very zen.”
Very zen, and also a much better use of a water fountain than an impromptu doggy bidet.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by johnnymarin | Dec 23, 2018 | Pigeons in the News
Different people have different hobbies. In my childhood rearing and flying pigeons was one of the common hobbies in the down town area particularly. Four five decades before one could see pigeon towers erected on roof tops called as Kotar Adda after every ten fifteen houses and the pigeon flyers would at times remain on roof tops from morning till evening and have there meals also who where considered to be chronic pigeon flyers known as “Kaini Kotarbaz”
These pigeon flyers were known for the sharp eye sight and patience. They could visiuallise any pigeon whether same is male or female even though pigeon was flying very high because the game or trade was dependent on that. Pigeon had their own names like Zag, Chattur, Tichal etc because some males were considered efficient in enticing female of any other Adda while flying to his own Adda so were some females expert in bringing some male pigeons to there own Adda. Every flyer was trying his best to send his pigeons in the sky to bring the pigeons of others to his own Adda through this process and this exercise at times gave commercials dividends also.
Most unfortunately our political class as seen these days is nothing more that these pigeon towers where we see one political figure be it ex minister, legislator, office bearer or worker running from one adda to another that too so fast keeping the possibility of forth coming assembly elections in view. The way pigeon is not loyal to any adda permanently the same way these political pigeons have no principles, ideology, conviction and dedication for the betterment of the people but only and only goal is to grab power and amass wealth at the cost of human blood and in this process it seems they have all undergone invisible plastic surgery of having shameless faces. The result is obvious because this unfortunate State has tasted all the known parties in power who have proved worse than one another in every respect yet brazenly and facelessly again and again go to the people and ask for their votes. Those who swore on the holy book not to take part in electoral politics are eyeing for contesting all seats. Those who gained public support against communal politics after winning good number of seats aligned with the same for the sake of power and worse sufferers were the people who voted them. Those who enjoyed power with the blessings of Delhi throughout are trying now to raise their voice against powers at the centre only and only to hoodwink the gullible people with the sole purpose of somehow to gain power for their vested interests. We are most unfortunate people for not having a political class who is not wedded to any principles and ideology for the sake of power for which people could vote and trust them that is why none of them are respected by people in the heart of their hearts. Worst kind of human rights violations a decade before were ignored by the party in power and propagated by opposition and when the same opposition came to power they changed the role and did still worse and party in opposition now started beating the drum.
Those who condemned militancy few months before and paid their respects to those soldiers who were killed in operations by laying wreaths on there body is now after losing power condoling the demise of militants which is the reverse gear of the said political party.
This is the peak season of our political pigeons for running from one Adda to another while assessing the prospects of each Adda to gain power without any remotest interest for the betterment and progress of the people and public also is to be made accountable for not assessing the least evil amongst the class of devils we all are caught in.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by johnnymarin | Dec 20, 2018 | Pigeons in the News
The pigeon population in the city has exploded and pigeons are becoming quite a menace. Birders, experts and veterinarians suggest a ban on public feeding of the birds.
The pigeons in the city are dominating other bird species and occupying all the nesting places. Pigeon droppings and feathers are unhealthy for humans and also spread viruses to other bird species.
Pigeons can be seen everywhere in the city. They have stopped searching for natural sources of food and depend on being fed by citizens. A Telangana forest department official says in the name of helping the birds, citizens are feeding the pigeons and damaging the ecosystem unknowingly. “The over population of these birds is dominating other bird species. We can see that the spaces occupied by the pigeons were earlier used by other birds.”
Space, habitat, feed, water, protection and climate determine the population of any species in nature. But, if we start feeding an animal or bird, they will become assured of food irrespective of environmental factors, and tend to multiply faster, exceeding the natural carrying capacity of the area.
“The primary feathers of the pigeon are very small and can be inhaled through our nose. These feathers can cause respiratory problems in humans. The pigeons are spoiling the environment with heavy population. The government should ban feeding of pigeons or else it will not be possible to control the population,” said senior veterinarian Naveen.
The reputed bird watching society, Deccan Birders, admits that the pigeon population has turned into a menace. Secretary of Deccan Birders, Shafat Ulla, says a ban on feeding pigeons must be imposed and that pigeon droppings affect the health of humans.
“There is a ban on feeding pigeons in several countries and there is nothing wrong in it. The government should initiate the ban in the city. Noticing that the pigeons are fed at KBR Park, we Deccan Birders have organised an awareness campaign. We can see people feeding them across Hyderabad,” Mr Ulla said.
Dr Aftab Ahmed says pigeons can cause diseases through their droppings. “If we take water that is contaminated with the droppings of the pigeon there is possibility of Histoplasmosis and Cryptococcosis. The disease mainly affects lungs and other body parts with fungal infections.”
Though the GHMC does not consider the pigeons a menace, its workers have a tough time cleaning the droppings.
“So far it has not been brought to our notice as a major menace. But, yes, bird droppings do contribute to street waste in the city,” said GHMC Additional Commissioner N.V. Ravi Kiran.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by johnnymarin | Dec 19, 2018 | Pigeons in the News
The New Year splashes in, the gusting rain disappointing skiers, skaters and snowman makers. It rains and rains through the night and finally clears in the morning to a sparkling blue sky. The first birds of the year here at the house are the usual suspects: chickadees and titmice, cardinals and bluejays, downy, hairy and red-bellied woodpeckers. Finches are few and far between. Now and then I’ll look out the window and see a trio of goldfinches at the feeder. Then, later in the day, a pair of purple finches drops by. A junco hops over from the edge of the woodland and waits patiently while seven mourning doves work the seed-ladened ground under the feeders.
While in the spring you may see a pair of mourning doves sitting close together canoodling on a wire or a branch, at this time of year, they, like many other species, flock together. Some days there are only three or four here; while other days may bring in 20 or so. They feed mostly from the ground, picking and pecking through the spilled detritus. But come the colder, snowy weather, they will invade the platforms and wing away any competitors. So much for the dove of peace.
The mourning dove, Zenaida macroura, is the most common dove throughout North America. The bird has a lovely subdued plumage in colors ranging from bluish gray to pinkish brown. This dove is a little larger than a robin with a relatively small head and long, rounded tail that flashes white along the outer edges. A dark spot decorates the cheek and a spill of more dark dots are apparent across the back.
But who or what is the bird mourning? Early birders thought his ooAAH, cooo, coo, coo-ing sounded quite sad as if he were totally grief-stricken. Others thought it was reminiscent of an owl’s hoot, but no one called him the owl dove. Mourning dove became the name of choice.
FLYING TREE RATS
In “A Guide to the Birds of New England and Eastern New York” (1904), Ralph Hoffmann lists the mourning dove as a common summer resident with a footnote about the Wild Pigeon, Ectopistes migratorius, stating that it is nearly extinct in this area. Soon the passenger pigeon, as this species is known throughout the ornithological world, once the most abundant bird in North America, did become extinct, the last living specimen dying in 1914.
Hoffmann has no entry for the other common pigeon/dove of this area — called rock dove, rock pigeon or feral pigeon — often seen under bridges, around barns and on top of silos. These were European birds, Columba livia, brought over by the immigrants. The birds escaped from domestic, rooftop dovecotes and took to the wild probably around the turn of the 19th century. Their success is history. Most cities throughout the world now are rife with these pigeons often derogatorily referred to as “flying tree rats.”
The words pigeon or dove refer to the same birds, though the connotations are completely different. We do not ever hear of “mourning pigeons” or “feral doves.” Pigeons/doves from ancient times were symbols — depending on the cultural tradition — of love, fertility, longevity, faithfulness, of the Holy Ghost, of Christ, of purity, and, of course, of peace. It is the dove of peace, not the pigeon of peace.
Writers often refer to the kindness of doves, but the ferocity of pigeons, of doves with meek eyes, but pigeons with cold beady ones, of soiled doves, not soiled pigeons, of stool pigeons, not stool doves. Pigeons are thought to be the smartest of birds, the most versatile and the most adaptable. Carrier or homing pigeons were trained by the Ancient Greeks to transmit messages and even during World War II pigeons were used to bring vital information to and from the front.
After the French Revolution, the people insisted that all dovecotes be destroyed. The elite bred and hunted pigeons and doves, but did nothing to stop the birds ruining farmers’ crops.
Yet, rifle-slinging gunners are more likely these days to hunt mourning doves, not rock pigeons. Only nine states ban mourning dove hunting, including all of New England, New York and New Jersey. Seasons throughout the country may range from September through November, or December or January. The normal bag limit per day is seven per person.
Do these people feast on what they kill? Likely as not, it is primarily for sport, for it takes a very-skilled gunner to bring down a dove on the wing. They are quick fliers, twist and turn in flight, and soon are out of range. Fortunately, live mourning doves are no longer launched from traps for target shooting contests! Most now use clay pigeons — not clay doves.
Are these birds so abundant in field, farm and forest, that they can withstand a constant thinning of the population? Fortunately they are not colonial nesters like their long lost cousins, the passenger pigeons where hundreds were netted at a time while roosting. But neither are they prolific breeders. Mourning doves build really flimsy nests, lay only two eggs at a time and usually raise two broods during the summer.
BRAINY BIRDS
Pigeons were once a favorite test subject of behavioral scientists. Donald Blough supposedly taught his pigeons to recognize all the letters of the alphabet. What was the next step? A pigeon spelling bee? Algebra? Other scientists have proven that not only do pigeons see many more colors than humans, but they also see in slow motion. Not sure where that science was heading.
And who first taught that pigeon in NYC to ride the subway? No need to teach these smart creatures. These birds are not seeking a short cut from Main Street, Flushing to Times Square, but are following crumbs dropped by hungry subway passengers as they rush to catch the #7-Train. As soon as the birds are finished eating, they quietly await the opening of the doors at the next stop — minding the gap, of course.
Mourning doves may not hitch rides or act like Hansel and Gretel, but they are a pleasure to watch and listen to around 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.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by johnnymarin | Dec 16, 2018 | Pigeons in the News
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.
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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)
by johnnymarin | Dec 14, 2018 | Pigeons in the News
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)
