by johnnymarin | May 29, 2018 | Pigeons in the News
A woman corporator was recently stalked by a grain seller after she objected to feed being sold for pigeons on Juhu beach.
Renu Hansraj said residents of societies adjacent to the beach had complained of health issues, caused by bird droppings, after large flocks of pigeons started feeding on grain on the beach. When she took this up with the vendor, he responded with: “Everyone would die the way they were destined to.”
Hansraj later recorded her statement with Juhu police.
“A vendor has been selling bird feed for nearly four hours every morning behind Hotel Ramada Plaza Palm Grove. Morning walkers buy grains from him and feed birds. We have requested him repeatedly to move to another stretch of the beach where there are no housing societies, in vain. Pigeon droppings are harmful and have worsened respiratory ailments of residents living adjacent to the current feeding site,” Hansraj said.
On May 4, she went to the beach around 6am to check on the situation.
“I was told the vendor was making as much as Rs 10,000 a day selling bird feed. One of the morning walkers entered into an argument with the vendor over his site of business. I intervened to broker peace as there were many others out for a walk and I did not want anyone to get disturbed. Around 7.15am, while I was headed home on foot, I noticed the vendor following me on his two-wheeler near Hotel JW Marriott. He said he wanted to speak to me. I asked why he hadn’t spoken to me on the beach in the presence of others. He lied that he sold bird feed on the beach for only half an hour. I told him we had no objection to his business, but only to the location he had chosen,” Hansraj said.
The vendor then tried to intimidate her by dropping names of politicians. At this, Hansraj told him to sell bird feed outside those politicians’ homes.
“I told him there was a five-year-old child suffering from bronchitis and a couple of asthma patients living in the building outside which he was doing business,” she said.
People across the city have time and again voiced concern about the unchecked growth in pigeon populations.
Veterinary microbiologists have linked as many as 60 diseases to pathogens released from pigeon droppings. Lung ailments and skin diseases top the list. Siddhesh Surve, who was formerly associated with Bombay Natural History Society, told TOI people should feed sparrows instead of pigeons.
“Pigeons do not clean their nests, unlike other birds, and their nests carry a lot of insects which can harm humans. Instead, people can buy sparrow feeders and put these up on windows.”
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 | May 25, 2018 | Pigeons in the News
As we are coming up to pigeon racing season again, pigeon fanciers will be taking their pigeons further away from their lofts for training, firstly to get their old birds fit, and secondly for the young birds to build up stamina and to orientate themselves to go back to the loft.
At this time of the year, there are thousands of pigeons being trained all over Gauteng and unfortunately, some do get injured or lost and there have been numerous enquiries on social media about how one goes about reporting these pigeons.
Here is some useful information for non-pigeon fanciers, should a racing pigeon land at your residence tired and/or injured:
In the first instance, you will need to check that the pigeon has a coloured identification ring on its leg, for example, GPU (Gauteng Pigeon Union) ZA17 (year of issue) 13309 (ring number).
If the pigeon does not have a ring on its leg, it is more likely a wild or feral pigeon rather than a racing pigeon.
If it is a seasoned racing pigeon, there may be an electronic ring on the pigeon’s other leg which should have a sticker on it with the telephone number of the ring steward of the union or federation that the pigeon owner belongs to.
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 | May 22, 2018 | Pigeons in the News
Are humans the smartest animals on Earth? Not necessarily, according to primatologist Frans de Waal, author of Are “We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are?”. He writes about chimpanzees that can remember numbers displayed for a few seconds better than humans can and dogs that can recognize human body language better than other humans.
It’s common knowledge that chimps and dogs (especially border collies) are pretty darn smart, but here are some other animals that are much more intelligent than we may realize.
1. PIGS
Pigs are considered to be among the smartest domestic animals in the world.
They can use joysticks to play video games, easily solve mazes, understand simple symbolic language and have excellent long-term memories (this, as I’ve previously pointed out, is just one reason why Donald Trump should not be called a pig).
Six-week-old piglets were able to learn how to use mirrors to find their hidden food. Seriously, could human infants do that?
2. SHEEP
Like pigs, sheep have very strong memory and recognition skills. One study found that they were able to remember 25 pairs of sheep faces more than two years later, which is longer than many humans could.
Sheep also exhibit emotional intelligence, indicated by their ability to form friendships, defend weaker sheep in fights and experience sadness when their friends are taken away to the slaughterhouse.
3. COWS
Cows are also cognitively and emotionally intelligent. They can quickly learn a variety of tasks, have long-term memories and can recognize human faces. They have friends as well as enemies, and they very strongly feel emotions like pain, fear and anxiety.
“These are highly developed mammals that have been solving problems for a long, long time,” said zoologist Dr. Daniel Weary in an interview with the Huffington Post. “If anything, it reflects poorly on us that we’re surprised that these animals are smart. Of course these animals are smart.”
4. FISH
The mosquitofish (live-bearing tooth carp), a small freshwater fish that gets its name from the mosquito larvae it consumes, can count up to four or higher. Researchers discovered that female mosquitofish that were being harassed by males would always swim off to a group of at least four other fish – never fewer than four.
Many other animals (including chickens, as you’ll soon learn) have the ability to count.
6. CROWS
Should “birdbrained” be considered a compliment? Absolutely, considering the intelligence of crows, pigeons, chickens and our other fine-feathered friends.
Crows have unusually large brains for their size, making their intelligence similar to that of problem-solving primates. They use those brains to recognize the faces of different species and determine if they are friends or foes.
They can also comprehend basic physics like water displacement, may be able to memorize garbage truck routes so they can follow them for scraps, and can change their migration pattern to detour around areas where crows have been killed.
Crows can also express gratitude: A little girl who fed crows in Seattle collected more than 70 “gifts” they left for her in the bird feeder, including earrings and a “Best Friend” charm.
6. PIGEONS
Pigeons can learn abstract mathematical rules, an ability they share only with humans and rhesus monkeys.
Their ability to solve problems is highly evolved. A study found that pigeons have the intelligence of a 3-year-old human child.
7. CHICKENS
Chickens can also solve complex problems, count and differentiate between geometric shapes. They can communicate using more than two dozen vocalizations, each of which has a different meaning.
Before they’re hatched, chicks use different-toned peeps to let their mothers know whether they’re cold or comfortable.
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 | May 21, 2018 | Pigeons in the News
As Venice tries to reduce the impact of mass tourism, the city has banned the opening of any more takeaway food outlets for the next three years.
It is an attempt to reduce the number of tourists snacking on church steps, historic bridges and canal banks, spoiling the aesthetics of what should be one of the most romantic and refined cities in the world.
Eating in the streets and piazzas of the World Heritage attraction also produces litter and encourages unwelcome flocks of pigeons and seagulls.
Large herring gulls have been known to snatch food out of people’s hands. The Venetian authorities are now saying “basta” (enough) to new pizza outlets, kebab shops and street food stalls.
The regulation was approved by Luigi Brugnaro, the mayor of Venice, on Wednesday. It covers not only Venice but also the outlying islands of Murano and Burano, both of which are popular with visitors.
Murano is famed for its centuries-old tradition of glass-blowing and does a thriving trade in selling handmade ornaments, vases, bowls and even chandeliers.
Venice has struggled for years to impose a sense of decorum on its millions of visitors and takes a dim view of tourists holding impromptu picnics, jumping into canals and wandering around scantily dressed during the summer.
The city has a public information campaign called #EnjoyRespectVenezia, which calls for tourism that is “in harmony with the daily life of residents”. Visitors are asked to behave in a “responsible and respectful” manner.
“Steps of churches, bridges, wells, monuments and banks of canals are not picnic areas. Please use public gardens for this necessity,” the city advises.
Walking around in swimwear such as bikinis is forbidden, as is feeding the pigeons or standing around consuming food and drink in St Mark’s Square. An average of 60,000 tourists a day descend on Venice – more than its population.
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 | May 20, 2018 | Pigeons in the News
Fossil remnants of a pigeon found on the South Island of New Zealand point out that this bird was related to the extinct dodo bird, as it has been published by academic sources. The researchers concluded that they’ve discovered a new species of pigeon.
Scientists uncovered the wing and waist bones of a specimen of what they’ve called the Zealandian dove (Deliaphaps zealandiensis) in the Otago region of South Island, according to a news release from the Canterbury Museum in New Zealand.
The investigations conducted by the New Zealand and Australian scientists, whose conclusions have been featured in the journal “Paleontology and Evolution of Birds”, showed that the wing bone is somewhat comparable to specimens of a species of birds in the Indo-Pacific basin.
These look-alike birds are the Manumea dove, Didunculus strigirostris, which is only found in Samoa, the New Guinea horned dove, Goura cristata, and the South-East Asian Nicobar dove, Caloenas nicobarica.
The newly discovered pigeon from New Zealand “is probably very similar to the Nicobar pigeon and is, therefore, a close relative of the famous dodo bird [now extinct],” explained the leading author of the research.
The “Zealandian dove” name of the new pigeon species unearthed in New Zealand makes reference to the nearly underwater continent of Zealand, known as Zealandia, a groundmass that is thought to have originated from the disappeared Gondwana supercontinent and from which it was separated 100 million years ago.
These pigeons, which inhabited an ecosystem of vegetation biodiversity and great fruitful trees, have most likely collapsed due to a “marked climatic cooling that occurred 14.2 to 13.8 million years ago”, explained Alan Tennyson from the New Zealand Museum.
The scientists are pretty sure that the new pigeon species, the Zealandian dove, is related to the extinct dodo bird but further studies in this regard may be needed.
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 | May 18, 2018 | Pigeons in the News
Way back in 2006 I was contacted by multiple Yorketown business owners fed up with the escalating pigeon problem. During the following 12 months more than 1000 were professionally removed, including nests. Attention was also spent blocking roosting sites and notifying building owners to ensure numbers remained manageable.
It was at that time I discovered residents at two separate residential addresses in Yorketown which supply large amounts of food in the open and have purpose-built enclosed roosting cages for the birds overnight. I brought these two addresses to the attention of the council but no further action was taken. I could not remove the last 30 or so birds due directly to these sites.
In 2014, I was contacted as the birds had yet again built up to plague proportions. During the next 18 months 1150 were removed. At that time the two residents were still supplying the birds with food and shelter. This time I spoke directly with one of those involved but no changes were made.
To date the removal was funded by local businesses and the Yorketown Progress Association.
Disappointingly for the town, its residents and visitors moving forward, my services are no longer available as the root of the problem has not been rectified.
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)
