by Ryan Ponto | Nov 13, 2016 | Animal Deterrent Products, Bird Deterrent Products
No matter your own personal feelings about street pigeons, a visit to a major European city just wouldn’t be the same without encountering the ubiquitous winged urbanites in overwhelming droves: bathing en masse in fountains, teetering upon — and defecating from — the ledges of historic buildings, congregating in public squares in such great numbers that the pavement morphs into a filthy, squawking sea of feathers, beaks and imperious attitudes.
Similar to London, Venice and Paris, Barcelona has long struggled with taming its own sizable — and seemingly perpetually multiplying — feral pigeon (Columba livia domestica) population. City-dwelling descendants of the wild rock dove have all but taken over — and left their unsightly mark on — some of the Catalan capital city’s most popular and iconic plazas and public spaces including Plaça de Catalunya, Plaça Reial, Plaça de Sant Jaume, Parc Güell and the stressfully pigeon-heavy area around Font Màgica.
Joining animal control authorities in neighboring municipalities, Barcelona officials have signaled that it’s high time that they ramp up their pigeon control game by employing what might seem like a most unusual tactic — a tactic that’s been heralded by animal welfare activists as being exceptionally ethical when compared to other more gruesome methods of curbing feral pigeon populations.
They’re putting pigeons on the pill.
Avoiding the cull
Citing a recent article published by El Mundo, Motherboard reports that animal control authorities were initially going to go the quick and dirty route: a large-scale culling in which hundreds of birds would be rounded up and killed. However, the government was ultimately persuaded by numerous animal rights groups to consider a just-as-effective method that, ideally, will not result in a single pigeon death: providing the birds with birth control.
Following an extensive pigeon census that will help officials better understand exactly how many pigeons they are dealing with (current estimates in Barcelona hover around 85,000), 40 bird feeders stocked with contraceptive-laced pellets will be installed in particularly pigeon-heavy areas. The pellets will contain nicarbazin, an anti-parasitic drug first used to treat poultry. While effective as a coccidiostat, a well documented side-effect of the drug is that it renders female birds infertile by halting egg formation. In turn, nicarbazin has emerged as an increasingly popular choice amongst animal control experts looking to control pesky bird populations — feral pigeons and Canadian geese, in particular — without resorting to gratuitous slaughter.
A spokesman with the Barcelona city council tells the Daily Mail that officials anticipate that by providing the scourge of street pigeons with birth control, the population could drop by as much as 20 percent within just one year. Within just a few years, the population could be reduced by 70 to 80 percent.
Considering the rather harrowing current state of pigeons in Barcelona, a reduction of 80 percent will likely be viewed by most as welcoming news. But while Barcelona’s wealth of historic building and monuments will be less poop-stained and its residents and visitors less inconvenienced/intimidated thanks to such a dramatic drop in numbers, one does wonder about a virtually pigeon-free city. For better or worse, the birds are part of the urban fabric in Spain’s second largest city. Would a pigeon-free — or pigeon-lite — Plaça de Catalunya have the same authentic charm as a Plaça de Catalunya that’s swarming with hundreds of birds? Will another bird take over in the pigeons’ absence? And what will become of those little old Spanish pensioners who never, ever leave home without a small paper bag filled with breadcrumbs?
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 Ryan Ponto | Nov 9, 2016 | Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Spikes
Sane New Yorkers regard them as rats with wings, and they make use of the many tools to combat pigeon on their property. But things get complicated when a neighboring property owner doesn’t care that pigeons are emitting toxic piles of excrement in a shared space between buildings.
Such was the case on the Upper West Side, where pigeons set up housekeeping on a grocery store’s outdoor air vents and cooling system. Residents of a co-op that shares a courtyard with the grocery store hired an exterminator, but the nests remain. The store’s management did not respond to calls. What’s a co-op board to do?
“The mere presence of pigeon droppings in the courtyard is an unsanitary condition” and could be grounds for a violation, Kempshall McAndrew, a real estate lawyer at Anderson Kill, tells the New York Times’ Ask Real Estate column. The board should keep the courtyard free of pigeon droppings in case an inspector visits.
Beyond that, McAndrew advises the co-op board to call the Department of Health and Mental Hygienedirectly, bypassing 311. The board should photograph the area, documenting the nests as the source of the problem. It should also keep records of calls to the grocery store and of the exterminator’s efforts.
If such measures fail? The board could sue the grocery store for an injunction and for monetary damages.
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 Ryan Ponto | Nov 8, 2016 | 4-S Gel Bird repellent, Bird Deterrent Products
FOR a pigeon breeder, it’s the ultimate feather in the cap: to win the Australian National Pigeon Show.
Phil Young, from New Norfolk in Tasmania, has been breeding pigeons for nearly 40 years, yet so far the victory has remained elusive.
“I’ve got a four-door dressing table in the garage that is full of trophies and ribbons from agricultural shows around Tasmania and Australia,” says the 68-year-old, who is the president of the Royal Hobart Show pigeon and poultry committee.
“The Melbourne Cup is the pinnacle of racing and for our sport, the Australian National Pigeon Show is the big one.
“But no, I’ve never won it.”
Heaven knows he has tried hard enough.
Starting with a breeding pair 38 years ago, Phil now has 250 pigeons in six breeds, kept on his residential block in lofts in four aviaries, measuring 25m long and 6m wide.
“It’s like an alarm clock in the morning with the cooing,” Phil says.
“There can be a fair bit of noise, but we’ve got very good neighbours — they used to show parrots so they understand.”
Every morning and night Phil feeds his brood a special grain mix (costing $100 a week), as well as a protein mix for special birds, and estimates he spends at least two hours a day tending to their needs.
In the lead up to competition day, however, he and his wife, Sue, can spend much of the day preparing the birds.
“If we’re going to the Nationals we prepare for a month beforehand. My wife can be in the yard up to midnight shampooing the birds, especially the tail feathers, then drying them with a hairdryer.
“We put powder in their feathers to sweeten them up a bit and make them soft.
“We use clippers on their feet and a nail file on their beaks.
“Some of them enjoy it. The most flighty are the magpies, they don’t want to work with you. But the dragoons or the tumblers really concentrate and do everything to help. Of course the more you handle a bird, the more they work with you.”
The Youngs have 15 breeding pairs of magpie pigeons, 20 pairs of British show racers, 10 pairs of dragoons, six of English carriers, seven Australian performing tumblers and five British racers.
Phil, who is also a judge at agricultural shows and the president of Tasmania’s Meander Valley Pigeon Club, says there are characteristics in each breed that make a winning bird.
Similar to the cattle or sheep show ring at agricultural shows, pigeons lose points based on conformation — bones, feathers, beaks, eyes and body shape are all scrutinised to establish best in breed.
This year, the National Pigeon Show in Melbourne (next year it’s in Adelaide) saw 57 exhibitors show 379 pigeons.
“It’s a very friendly atmosphere in competition,” says Phil, who this year has attended 11 events.
“You want to win. Everyone wants to be the top exhibitor, but it never gets too competitive.”
He says time and expenses add up when travelling to events, with pigeons by law needing to be transported in special cargo containers, especially when flying.
“The Australian National Pigeon Association has worked with Qantas to make it easier for breeders to move their birds,” Phil says, adding that he has a special covered trailer and van when driving.
He says the beauty of attending events is also buying cocks or hens from competitors to try to improve his breeding genetics. Phil breeds year-round, with eggs taking 21 days to hatch a squeaker (a baby pigeon).
Each year Phil sells up to 80 of his own birds, ranging from $10 to $100.
“The most I’ve ever seen a pigeon sell for was $1000. It was a top bird and the breeder just wanted it.”
Even though he breeds racing pigeons and is a member of a homing society, Phil has never become involved in the sport, mainly because he lives further than the 10km radius from the Hobart club – a required distance so pigeons can fly home.
Phil grew up in Tasmania and worked in the railways out of Launceston and Hobart before spending the next 40 years as a harness racing trainer.
He’s still the president of the Tasmanian Pacing Club and helps his stepsons train their trotters.
“I got into pigeons because it took some of the stress away from harness training,” Phil says.
“A friend of mine gave me a pair of breeding pigeons and I was hooked. The bug started from there.
“The sport is very social.
“Everyone makes you feel warm and welcome.
“If you get down, you go out to the pigeons. I appreciate them and it’s also a buzz to win.”
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 Ryan Ponto | Nov 6, 2016 | Animal Deterrent Products, Bird Deterrent Products, Pigeon Spikes
Actor-director Soubin Shahir’s directorial debut Parava has not just humans, but also birds as significant elements in the story. “As the title says, the movie has birds, especially pigeons, in many scenes,” says director Soubin Shahir.
“Not just the birds, Parava is about every living being,” added Soubin. “Though we have started shooting, it is too early to discuss the plot in detail,” added Soubin. Parava, shot in and around Kochi, is a comical ride with tinges of adventure. The story revolves around a group of children.
Parava will be produced by Anwar Rasheed. The movie has Shane Nigam.
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 Ryan Ponto | Nov 4, 2016 | Bird Deterrent Products, UltraSonic Bird Control
CHICAGO (FOX 32 NEWS) – Residents of the city’s North Side Uptown neighborhood said it’s not that they have anything against birds, but when it’s this many birds… Yeah, it’s a problem.
“It’s nice that she feeding pigeons, but she’s creating a home for them and there’s hundreds of them,” Uptown resident Peter Wood, said.
There is 2012 cellphone video of Young Kang, better known as the “pigeon lady” of Uptown.
For years she has run afoul of city laws banning the feeding of pigeons and last week she was ordered to pay the price.
A city administrative hearing judge found Kang guilty of 10 ordinance violations and ordered her to pay $300 apiece. All in all, a total fine of $3,000.
It came after frustrated property owners installed a surveillance camera aimed at one of her favorite spots and documented Kang feeding the birds on multiple occasions.
“I see her coming along every so often,” Wood said. “She comes around 8:30 at night. Just kind of quietly slips in, throws some rice on the grass right here and then disappears.”
What doesn’t disappear, residents say, is the pigeon poop left behind on cars, sidewalks and buildings.
“My car is parked right by there where she drops it every time, so I got bird droppings all over my car, you know?” Wood said.
Other residents said they’ve seen an influx of rats and raccoons because of the food left on the ground.
This isn’t the first time Kang has been in trouble.
In 2012, Ald. James Cappleman (46th) told police Kang assaulted him when he tried to clean up her bread crumbs, prompting the City Council to raise the fines for illegally feeding birds.
We couldn’t find Kang to get her side of the story but residents are hoping this latest big fine will finally force the pigeon lady to fly the coop.
“I don’t want any harm to come to the woman who’s doing it. I know she’s doing it out of the goodness of herself but it needs to stop,” Anne Marie, an Uptown resident, 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 Ryan Ponto | Sep 20, 2016 | Bird Deterrent Products, Pigeon Patrol's Services, UltraSonic Bird Control
An inventor from Houston, Texas, has a passion for solving problems, and a serious problem is keeping cats secure during surgery recovery. They need to be restrained so they don’t injure themselves or others, but their stress needs to be minimal. Cats are usually wrapped in towels for this purpose, but this method is inadequate and often results in cats running loose.
“As a concerned and dedicated animal-protection volunteer, I’d like to offer veterinarians, veterinary technicians and cat owners a better restraint method,” the inventor said. She has designed and created a prototype of her idea.
The patent-pending Kat Wrap allows for the safe, comfortable restraint of a cat while it’s in surgery recovery. It minimizes stress, promotes calmness and maintains warmth. It also prevents self-injury and injury of others, as well as makes it easier for one person to monitor up to seven cats at one time. In addition, the wrap can be used while clipping the cat’s claws.
Producible in different sizes and colors, as well as versions for other animals (such as rabbits), Kat Wrap is a must for anyone who cares for both the safety and well-being of animals. “As a concerned and dedicated animal-protection volunteer, I’d like to offer veterinarians, veterinary technicians and cat owners a better restraint method,” the inventor added, “and I’d like to donate at least 10% of any profits to animal-protection causes and shelters if my idea succeeds.”
The original design was submitted to the Houston office of InventHelp. It is currently available for licensing or sale to manufacturers or marketers. For more information, write Dept. 15-HUN-179, InventHelp, 217 Ninth Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, or call (412) 288-1300 ext. 1368.
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)
