by Pigeon Patrol | Aug 19, 2016 | Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeons in the News
Can pigeons save the world? Probably not, but an innovative pilot project in London is showing how they can help reduce your exposure to air pollution.
The project, called Pigeon Air Patrol, was launched Monday in the British capital. Ten homing pigeons have been outfitted with small, lightweight backpacks containing air-quality sensors and released at various points across the city.
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On their return flights home, the pigeons transmit real-time data on levels of ozone and nitrogen dioxide, the main urban air pollutants. Londoners can plug in their location at the handle @PigeonAir on Twitter and receive an instant response from one of the pigeons, informing them of the pollutant concentrations they’re inhaling.
They can also visit the Pigeon Air Patrol site to view a live map of the birds’ flights.
“It’s a tool to inform citizens about their exposure to pollution so that they can improve their health and well-being by reducing those exposures,” said Romain Lacombe, chief executive of Plume Labs, the Paris company that launched the pigeon project.
“Urban runners, cyclists, people that are sensitive to pollution, parents with young children, and people with asthma can track how pollution will change throughout the day, so they can change their behavior to reduce the impact on their health,” he added.
London is one of the most heavily polluted cities in Europe, largely owing to diesel exhaust from vehicles. The foul air is linked to nearly 9,500 premature deaths in the capital. Worldwide, air pollution sends some 7 million people to an early death.
The idea of putting air monitors on pigeons came from Pierre Duquesnoy, creative director at the marketing and technology agency DigitasLBi. He submitted the idea to a competition launched last year by Twitter U.K., in conjunction with the London Design Festival, to find new ways to use the site.
Duquesnoy then partnered with Plume Labs, which helped develop the backpacks over the past two years, with support from Twitter and atmospheric scientists at Imperial College London.
“Over the last 10 years Twitter has been used in ways that we would never have imagined,” Helen Lawrence, head of creative agency development at Twitter, said in a statement. “Real time information direct to your mobile is hugely useful, but add pigeons into that mix and you’ve got something really powerful.”
Lacombe said the pigeon project complements Plume Labs’ Plume Air Report, which collects pollution data from stationary monitoring sites in about 300 cities in 40 countries and makes them available to residents in real time, as well as offering advice on what to do to avoid overexposure.
“Traditional sensors are very important, but unfortunately they require large investments, and they are not mobile, so you don’t capture how pollution changes from one street to the next,” Lacombe said. “That makes it quite hard to know what you’re being exposed to and what you can do about it.”
The London pigeon project will run for only three days, Lacombe said. “We are doing this to raise awareness of the health threats posed by pollution by capturing the imagination of the public, which is hard to do with pollution without strong messages.”
Plume Labs wants to put lightweight pollution sensors on people, with the mobile data they collect transmitted via Twitter. The company is using a crowdfunding site to recruit 100 Londoners to test the devices they move around the city over the next few months.
“One of the research teams at Imperial College London specializes in how personal information can help change individual behavior,” Lacombe said. “We’ll study how having these personal sensors helps reduce exposures and how they can help develop new policies using the data we collect.”
The company wants to make the mobile monitoring devices available on the open market. The current sensor, which testers must buy, costs about $113.
As for the pigeons, they might be used in other places to tweet real-time pollution data to people living in large cities.
“It would be quite interesting,” Lacombe said. “We don’t have plans to do that at the moment, but why not?”
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 Pigeon Patrol | Aug 16, 2016 | Bird Deterrent Products, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeons in the News
Hundreds of trained homing pigeons were burned to death in their rooftop coop as a massive inferno tore through five Brooklyn buildings Tuesday night, officials and residents said Wednesday.
The fire broke out at a building on DeKalb Avenue between Wilson and Knickerbocker avenues in Bushwick at around 10 p.m. and quickly engulfed several other surrounding structures.
Gil Areiliares, who had maintained the coop for more than 20 years, kept at least 500 pigeons atop 1427 DeKalb Ave., where there is now a charred, gaping hole.
Only about 20 pigeons survived. They were spotted circling above the charred and destroyed buildings Wednesday afternoon.
“I don’t know how to put it in words — I’m sick,” a distraught Areiliares told The Post. “My heart is broken.”
Pigeons from the coops caught up in the fire are seen flying in Bushwick before the massive blaze.
Video courtesy of Abigale Hoke
About 200 firefighters battled the flames for more than three hours before bringing it under control by 1:30 a.m. Wednesday.
The blaze left 11 people injured and dozens of families displaced, officials said. The Red Cross helped to relocate families.
Four of the injured were taken to Wyckoff Heights Medical Center for treatment, including one firefighter who suffered minor injuries and a civilian who was seriously wounded.
Seven people were treated at the scene for minor injuries and smoke inhalation, fire officials said.
Edwin Torres, whose relatives live in one of the burnt buildings, said he was told the pigeons were “screaming like babies” during the fire.
Neighbors recalled marveling at the pigeons as the flock flew high above the area before returning to their roof.
“They used to fly the pigeons at sunset — it was so beautiful,” said Abigale Hoke, who set up a GoFundMe account to help raise money for displaced victims of the blaze.
“RIP #bushwick pigeons,” posted Twitter user @4rilla along with a 10-second video of the flock.
The FDNY was still investigating cause of the fire Wednesday.
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 Pigeon Patrol | Aug 15, 2016 | Bird Deterrent Products, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeons in the News
Pigeon droppings harbour a fungus that could lead to hardening of lung tissues in humans and controlling the infection in the birds will help in reducing the incidence of lung diseases in Mumbai, said doctors at a conference in the city to discuss on zoonotic diseases or infections that can be passed between animals and humans.
Doctors stated that the increase in the number of people with interstitial lung disease, or stiffening of the organ, in the city can be linked to the nesting of pigeons.
“We had a hospital employee who after retirement developed difficulty in breathing. As she had a family history of asthma, we first suspected that,” said Dr Amita Athavle, head and professor, chest medicine, KEM Hospital, Parel.
“She was treated and once she went home her symptoms reappeared. She told us that her landlord feeds pigeons, which was actually the cause for her medical condition.” Dr Athavle prescribed the patient to change her residence. “She shifted to Vashi and her symptoms disappeared. To prevent such cases, we need to find a solution to treat the pigeons so that they don’t spread the disease to humans,” said Athavle.
Experts said that several countries to reduce the transmission of such lung conditions owing to pigeons’ advocate fertility control pills to reduce their population. “As pigeons have a 45-day memory, we ask our patients to spread something bitter around their nesting place to stop them from coming,” said Dr Athavle , adding that people with compromised immunity are the worst affected. Doctors said that elderly, people who have undergone a transplant, children and those with compromised lungs can easily develop the condition.
Dr Pratit Samdani, physician, Breach Candy Hospital, said that in several patients’ exposure to pigeon dropping is the cause for developing pneumonia. “Some patient even land up on ventilator support because of pneumonia which is caused by the exposure to such droppings,” said Dr Samdani.
According to Dr Om Shrivastav, infectious disease consultant who was speaking at the conference, adult vaccination is the way forward.
“Childhood vaccination will not necessarily give you prolonged lifelong immunity. Vaccination against influenza is a must,” said Dr Shrivastav.
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 Pigeon Patrol | Aug 12, 2016 | Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeons in the News, UltraSonic Bird Control
Temporary work to address the pigeon infestation and roof repairs at the San Fernando Magistrates’ Court is expected to begin today.
This was confirmed by the Judiciary in a statement yesterday, following complaints by court users and workers about the current situation at the court building.
Last week, reporters were forced to abandon the press table in the First Magistrates’ Court after pigeon droppings fell on them from a gaping hole in the roof above their heads. And earlier this week, pigeon poop fell on the clothes of another reporter and on a clerical worker.
Pigeons flying through the court rooms while court is in session and intense heat have become a “normal thing” in the courthouse. There is also a large yellow tarpaulin covering the dilapidated roof of the building.
“We are so fed up complaining. We don’t know what to do again,” an employee told the T&T Guardian.
The release stated that the Judiciary, having recognised the age of and the adverse conditions plaguing the court, has over the past years undertaken a number of short-term measures and embarked upon plans for longer-term solutions to provide a safe and comfortable working environment for its staff and for court users.
It stated that a structural survey of the court’s roof was undertaken in 2014 and a consulting engineer recommended work on its structural framework, as well as the replacement of the roof sheets.
The Central Tenders Board has been engaged to tender for design, engineering, cost consultancies and project management/supervision for this project, the release stated.
However, the Judiciary said the work will only be undertaken when the building is vacated.
Court operations are expected to be relocated to a property at 1-3 Court Street, San Fernando, which is currently being prepared. It is expected to be ready for occupation by year’s end, the Judiciary confirmed.
“In the interim, the issues at the current court location, such as the pigeon infestation and the need to undertake temporary roof repairs, are being addressed.”
The Judiciary further stated that work was expected to begin today and would include the installation of louvered windows to prevent the entry of pigeons to the courtrooms.
The Judiciary also said yesterday that progress had been made in the upgrade of several courts, including at Mayaro, Siparia and Princes Town.
The Chaguanas Magistrates Court, on which extensive work has been done, is expected to be completed and re-opened within the next six weeks, it 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)
by Pigeon Patrol | Aug 11, 2016 | 4-S Gel Bird repellent, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeons in the News
PANAJI: Pigeon population is growing in the city without any growth in awareness among the people that pigeon droppings can cause a lung-related disease.
According to a Mumbai-based news report, dried droppings of pigeons contain spores, which if inhaled may lead to respiratory illness. Their faecal matter is highly acidic and can destroy buildings and monuments.
The report has further adds that daily exposure to pigeons can lead to progressive symptoms like irreversible lung fibrosis and even death.
People feed pigeons as charity, for religious reasons or fun or just because others are doing so, but contact with their droppings could pose a health risk.
Hypersensitivity pneumonitis, a human disease, is known to be caused by repetitive inhalation of antigenic agents found in pigeon droppings.
A lack of awareness on how pigeon droppings can be a health hazard can become a hurdle in diagnosis for doctors.
A well-fed pigeon on an average dispenses up to 11.5 kg of droppings a year. The pigeons are often found sitting on TV antennas, atop AC units, window sills, housetops, eaves, power lines, and in ducts and vents.
They often make nests in buildings and rapidly reproduce. Pigeon droppings are often found deposited on park benches, statues, and cars, and are an aesthetic problem.
To bird lovers, pigeons are hardy survivors in a concrete city; many feel that caring for pigeons is a humane thing to do. But, to households, corporations housed in gleaming high rises and health experts, these birds are pests that test ‘our commitment to cleanliness and disease control.’
There is no NGO taking care of the birds like pigeons, like some NGOs care for dogs, and surprisingly none of the government authorities – forest department and animal husbandry department have woken up to the pigeon menace.
The forest department claimed of not receiving a single complaint of pigeon menace in the city, but urged the residents to avoid feeding pigeons that can backfire, resulting in a serious menace.
An official said that residents need to take long-term measures by blocking their nesting sites and installing ultra sonic sound system to frighten them up.
The CCP said that they do not have any measures to put curbs on unregulated bird feeding that increases pest menace as such food meant for pigeons invariably attracts rats.
Pigeon-feeding stations are slowly mushrooming in the city. It gets started with feeding the birds with grains and leftover food; and while the flock grows larger, another station emerges a little away on the other side of the road. Often we find pavements and roads with mounds of uneaten grains, bread and rice, which attract other animals too.
In the city, one see some major pigeon-feeding stations near Rameshwar Lodge, Hotel Nova Goa, Hotel Kamat, municipal garden, behind Rebello building, new CCP market area and Tonca near Thomas Garage.
These birds are known to return to the place where they are fed and, according to some studies, organise their day around feeding.
Bird experts feel that unregulated practice of feeding and enough spots for nesting are the main reasons for the pigeon population explosion. The other reason being the absence of natural predators.
“The issue of their population has arose as people started leaving grains and food for them. They no longer have to make an effort to find food and a good nesting area, which has made them prolific breeders,” said president of Goa Bird Conservation Network, Parag Rangnekar, who is involved in bird conservation efforts.
“Unless there is a study done to prove that pigeon droppings cause incidences of respiratory problem then it is wrong to blame pigeons for that,” he added.
A resident of Tonca, Ismail Nawar, called for a plan to control the pigeon population.
“People should also be discouraged from feeding pigeons in public places,” Nawar said, adding that it is the only way to prevent overfeeding.
Sanjay Sarmalkar, from St Inez, said that not only are the bird droppings are health hazard, they also do some serious damage to vehicle paint.
“I have to daily wash my car which remains covered with droppings, otherwise, these acidic and grainy droppings can stain and take the gloss off the paint if left for too long,” Sarmalkar added.
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 Pigeon Patrol | Aug 7, 2016 | Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeons in the News
Circle Line services were out of action after netting to stop pigeons nestling on the tracks collapsed at High Street Kensington at around 4.25pm. A train in front of the netting, and the entire station, was evacuated.One enraged user tweeted: “It is absurd that some obstruction whatever it may be is causing an entire line to go down!”
A Transfort for London (TFL) spokesman said that services were slowly making a recovery after the track was reopened at 5.12pm.The spokesman told the Daily Star Online: “It was some netting that fell from the roof of the station and on to the tracks and I think it was as a train was approaching.”Obviously we can’t have trains running on netting.
“High Street Kensington has reopened as of 5.12pm so trains are running through the stations without any problems.”As of 5.35pm, there are still severe delays between Earls Court station and Edgware Road on the District Line.There are minor delays on the remainder of the District Line.There is still severe delays on the Circle Line.
The spokesman added: “There were no injuries to passengers and staff.”
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)
