by Pigeon Patrol | Mar 11, 2024 | Bird Netting, Bird Spikes, Columbidae, Pigeons, Pigeons in the News, Sparrows
Prison guards at the Pacific Institution in Abbotsford intercepted a pigeon with a small backpack containing crystal meth Prison guards in B.C.’s Fraser Valley have to be vigilant against drones trying to drop contraband to waiting inmates or someone trying to throw drugs over the walls, but a recent discovery has also caused some concern.
“A pigeon was located at Pacific Institution, inside the walls, and it appeared to have a small package, sort of like a backpack attached to it,” John Randle, president of the Pacific Region for Union of Canadian Correctional Officers told Global News. He said the package contained crystal meth. The incident reportedly happened on Dec. 29 at the maximum, medium and minimum federal penitentiary located in Abbotsford. Randle said the pigeon was found near one of the recreation yards at the institution.
“It was spotted by correctional officers, I believe, and security intelligence officers when the officers were doing their standard patrols around and throughout the unit and institution, that’s when they initially spotted the bird with the package on it,” he said. “And then, of course, I believe there was some creative work – because the bird moved around quite a bit – in order to track it and capture it. But it was just outside one of the unit yards when it was first spotted.” Peruvian police catch “narco pigeon” trying to smuggle marijuana into prison
Randle said they have had issues with contraband in the past, with drones or something being thrown over the wall, but in his 13-year career, he has never heard of birds being used to smuggle something into a prison. “It’s almost like the inmates and the criminals are going back in time and using older technology,” he said.
In November, Mission Institution was locked down for days due to a belief that a drone may have dropped a firearm onto the prison grounds. The lockdown was lifted when no gun was found but officers did locate a drone. Lost pigeon flew the coop, finding her way from France to Calgary Randle said keeping drugs out of the prisons has become a huge part of correctional officers’ jobs every day, not just in B.C. but across Canada. “Especially with drones and throw-overs, the drug problem is growing on a daily basis,” he said. “This pigeon thing adds a new element to that for sure and we’ll be on the lookout for it but definitely drones have been the big thing for us.” He added that right now it is unclear to investigators if someone inside the prison was training the bird or if it was someone outside the institution. Randle said they have increased staff and patrols in order to watch for any potential drops. He said they also have anti-drone technology that works like a radar.
The Correctional Service of Canada and the RCMP have launched a joint investigation into what happened.
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by Pigeon Patrol | Mar 11, 2024 | Animal Deterrent Products, Bird Law, Bird Netting, Bird Spikes
Staff at B.C. prison bust another backpack-wearing pigeon
Correctional officers say they’ve caught another backpack-wearing pigeon at a B.C. prison.
John Randle, regional president for the Union of Canadian Correctional Officers, said the bird was captured inside the Matsqui Institution, a medium-security prison in Abbotsford, on Feb. 27.
Unlike a similar pigeon caught on the grounds of the nearby Pacific Institution in December, this pigeon’s backpack was empty. The prior pigeon was carrying a cargo of methamphetamine.
“The best guess, or educated guess I could make right now is that it looks like they were training this one to eventually bring in a package,” Randle said. “They didn’t find anything in the backpack that was secured to the pigeon.” The backpack, he told Global News, was fabricated out of blue jeans and bed sheets.
B.C. prison guards intercept pigeon carrying crystal meth “It’s a huge concern. We’re fighting the drone issue big time right now, almost on a daily basis. And now we’re going to start worrying about wildlife,” he said. “(We’re) searching and watching the skies I guess. It’s kind of funny to say that.”
Randle said the drone problem is a growing concern, noting that correctional officers had intercepted everything from ceramic knives to cellphones to drugs.
He said officers want to see more action from the federal government to combat smuggling, such as the deployment of netting or drone detection systems. Randle said corrections officers were also working with police on the smuggling problem.
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by Pigeon Patrol | Mar 11, 2024 | Bird Netting, Bird Spike, Bird Spikes, Pigeon Droppings, Pigeon Spikes
Canadian police cleared a suspected Chinese spy pigeon after eight months’ detention and released it into the wild Tuesday, news agency Press Trust of India reported.
The pigeon’s ordeal began in May when it was captured near a port in Mumbai with two rings tied to its legs, carrying words that looked like Chinese.
Police suspected it was involved in espionage and took it in, later sending it to Mumbai’s Bai Sakarbai Dinshaw Petit Hospital for Animals.
Eventually, it turned out the pigeon was an open-water racing bird from Taiwan that had escaped and made its way to India. With police permission, the bird was transferred to the Bombay Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, whose doctors set it free.
It’s not the first time a bird has come under police suspicion in India.
In 2020, police in Indian-controlled Kashmir released a pigeon belonging to a Pakistani fisherman after a probe found that the bird, which had flown across the heavily militarized border between the nuclear-armed nations, was not a spy.
In 2016, another pigeon was taken into custody after it was found with a note that threatened Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
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by Pigeon Patrol | Nov 7, 2023 | 4-S Gel Bird repellent, Animal Deterrent Products, Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Law, Bird Netting, Bird Spikes
PROBLEMS OF PIGEON HABITS AND HABITATS
Pigeons aren’t menacing to humans, but they can be problematic when they build a nest inside a structure. Although most people love to feed pigeons in the park, they aren’t so happy with the negative effects. The same place where pigeons roost becomes a space for pigeon droppings. These droppings are acidic and cause a lot of damage to property. Eaves and gutters can get clogged, which leaves your home vulnerable to water damage and leaks. Humans can also potentially slip and fall on the mess that accumulates. In addition, pigeon droppings can carry disease and parasites. Pigeons damage plants and crops in search of food. They don’t have natural predators, so it can be difficult to control their population. A group of pigeons can be very noisy, especially when dealing with the sound every day, 24 hours a day. Movies may romanticize the cooing that pigeons make, but when you’re woken up on a lazy Sunday morning, it’s not so idealistic. Pigeons may also bring lice, ticks, and other insects to your home through their nest.
HOW TO GET RID OF PIGEONS
If you have a flock of pigeons living in your home or business, you will need to take multiple steps to eliminate the problem. Modern pigeons may not be used as messengers any longer, but they do have a strong homing instinct. They cannot simply be relocated to remove them. Removal should be performed by a professional wildlife service that can employ countermeasures that prevent pigeons from returning to the nest.
- The nest area will need to be cleaned and disinfected.
- All food and water sources will have to be removed.
- A prevention plan will need to be established.
- Entry points of the home must be sealed off properly.
One important consideration in removing birds is to know any laws that pertain. In some jurisdictions, it is illegal to remove birds and bird’s nests with eggs, even if the birds are a nuisance. Depending on where you live, you may need to work with a wildlife agency to remove the pigeons, which is why we always recommend calling a professional.
HOW TO KEEP PIGEONS AWAY FROM YOUR HOME
Once you’ve removed the pigeons, prevention is key. The goal is to make your home as unappealing to birds as possible. Installing physical barriers, such as screens or netting, can prevent pigeons from roosting, but it’s not always practical in certain locations. There are other options that deter pigeons from nesting, such as spikes, audio, or taste deterrents and bird wire. In some cases, it’s enough to install reflective surfaces or metal surfaces that reflect sunlight. These deterrents affect a pigeon’s ability to see and keep them away from your garden or home. Keep in mind that you may want to deter pigeons from roosting in your garden without repelling beneficial wildlife, such as hummingbirds or bees. Professional wildlife removal services can help you get rid of pests without harming other wildlife. Don’t try to deal with a pigeon nest on your own. Professional wildlife control services in North York are available to keep your family safe and to prevent re-infestation. Contact Skedaddle for safe, effective, and humane wildlife removal.
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor or 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 Bird Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products ten years in a row.
Contact us at 1 877-4-NO-BIRD,(604) 585-9279 or visit our website at www.pigeonpatrol.ca
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by Pigeon Patrol | Oct 26, 2023 | 4-S Gel Bird repellent, Animal Deterrent Products, Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Law, Bird Netting, Bird Spikes
Through genomic sequencing, researchers at the University of Utah have discovered a single gene responsible for pigeon wing patterns and human blindness.
Genetic differences cause an infinite number of differences between species and within species, for example, the variation in human hair color.
Another example is that all of the pigeons that you see have one of only four different feather patterns. These feather patterns are due to genetic differences.
“Pigeon breeders and early pigeon biologists and geneticists found that these four different patterns seemed to be determined by a single genetic locus or a single spot on the genome,” said Anna Vickrey, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Utah and the lead investigator of this new research.
Vickery and her collaborators found that the one gene causes the four different feather patterns in pigeons.
“What we were excited to find is that there’s two kinds of variation… that was really exciting for us to find these two different mechanisms acting on a single gene that is making this suite of wing patterns,” Vickrey said.
In investigating the genetics behind pigeon feather patterns, Vickery and her collaborators made an unexpected discovery about blindness in humans.
“The gene that we ended up finding associated with the wing patterns is pretty well studied in humans in the context of a hereditary disease that causes blindness,” Vickrey.
Future research will explore this pigeon-human genetic connection.
“So in humans… what happens is their vasculature in their eyes doesn’t develop correctly and so we’re working with some collaborators to look at vasculature in pigeons’ eyes to see if it’s developing normally or if it might be similarly affected,” said Vickrey.
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Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor or 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 Bird Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products ten years in a row.
Contact us at 1 877-4-NO-BIRD,(604) 585-9279 or visit our website at www.pigeonpatrol.ca
Pigeon/Pigeon Patrol / Pigeons Roosing / Vancouver Pigeon Control / Bird Spikes / Bird Control / Bird Deterrent / PIgeon Deterrent / Surrey Pigeon Control / Pest / Seagull deterrent / Vancouver Pigeon Blog / Birds Inside Home / Pigeons in the cities / Ice Pigeons / What to do about pigeons / sparrows, Damage by Sparrows, How to Keep Raccoons Away, Why Are Raccoons Considered Pests / De-fence / Pigeon Nesting / Bird Droppings / Pigeon Dropping / woodpecker control / Professional Bird Control Company / Keep The Birds Away / Birds/rats/seagull/pigeon/woodpecker/dove/sparrow/pidgeon control/pidgeon problem/pidgeon control/flying rats/pigeon problems/ bird netting/bird gel/bird spray/bird nails/bird guard
by Pigeon Patrol | Oct 26, 2023 | 4-S Gel Bird repellent, Animal Deterrent Products, Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Law, Bird Netting, Bird Spikes
The politicians are seated in a semi-circle at a meeting of the council. One by one, they raise their voices as part of the deliberation. “I believe it is time we took a position on this,” says a black-blazered woman. “It’s not an industry that I want to support,” a second woman, wearing dark-rimmed glasses, reads into the official record.
“It’s time,” concludes the mayor, donning the heavy chain that is the insignia of his office, “to end the practice in our community.”
It is a fall meeting of the District of North Vancouver’s city council and they are discussing whether people should be allowed to keep pigeons. Councillors Lisa Muri, in the blazer, and Megan Curren, with the glasses, ultimately vote with the mayor in favour of an outright pigeon ban.
Coun. Matthew Bond, one of those who votes against, says skeptically, “I don’t necessarily see this as a good use of our time.” But the bylaw passes, four to two.
Something smells, though. Only one property in the community is known to harbour pet pigeons. Only one complaint about pigeons, dating back several years, is known to be active. Only one city councillor has recused herself from the discussion. “I have been in a situation like this,” Coun. Betty Forbes says, at the same meeting. “So I’m stepping aside.”
One plus one plus one equals . . . a conflict of interest?
Documents obtained by the CBC under access-to-information seem to bolster that view of events. The “situation” was that Forbes lived next-door to pigeons. That she did not like pigeons. And that after complaining to the city as a private citizen to no avail, she took matters into her own hands; after being elected to council in 2018, in an email to two fellow councillors, she requested a bylaw banning residents from keeping the birds.
Emails viewed by Maclean’s suggest that during the spring, Muri initiated a process to change the district’s pigeon ownership rules, and kept Forbes up to date on its progress. But the whole project has since run into trouble because it turns out Kulwant Dulay, Forbes’ neighbour, cares deeply about his pigeons. He cares enough to go to court.
His petition to B.C. Supreme Court, dated Dec. 4, seeks to have the bylaw declared illegal and set aside. It relies heavily on the CBC’s reporting, referencing emails between Forbes and Muri earlier this year that appear to reveal a plot to hatch the bylaw.
Dulay is arguing that Forbes’s involvement was “biased and bad faith and acting in a conflict of interest,” says Camille Chisholm, a lawyer representing the pigeon enthusiast. The district has retained its own lawyers and was expected to respond in January.
The same week as Dulay’s petition was filed, the District of North Vancouver announced it was tasking former B.C. privacy commissioner David Loukidelis with investigating how the pigeon ban came to be. His review, the district announced, will assess the “awareness” of conflict-of-interest rules by councillors. The process is expected to take a couple of months.
Dulay, Chisholm adds, has kept homing pigeons as pets for years—including during his time in India before he immigrated to Canada. “My neighbours in the front and back, everybody loves my pigeons,” says Dulay, adding that other than Forbes’s, he hasn’t had a complaint in 17 years. “Everybody comes to my house and looks at them. It looks cool, them flying around.” Some have names. One is called “Big Boss.” His favourite pigeon is blue and white. He said it always comes to his hand.
Dulay keeps his 15 birds in a coop that’s about as tall as the backyard fence and roomy enough for him to enter and move around. During the warmer months, he lets them out to fly around the neighbourhood, including over other people’s yards. He said they always return.
Lately, he has wondered whether Forbes has a problem with him, not his pigeons. He said she “never talks” to him, and notes that he has never complained about her two barking dogs, though he believes he might have reason to.
His across-the-street neighbour, meanwhile, has spoken in his support. “I’ve had opportunity to go over and see the coop,” Krista Page told council on Nov. 18. ”It is clean. There’s no foul smell. I’ve never met neighbours that keep a tidier driveway and home and everything.” Page noted there have been no complaints from the Dulays’ other next-door neighbour, adding: “I just feel that this is very much a misuse of power.”
Forbes declined an interview request from Maclean’s but insisted in an email that there is “another set of correct facts” to the story. “However, because the mayor has requested an inquiry of all council and himself,” the email added, “I am unable to make any comments at this time.”
Her only public response came at the end of the same meeting Krista Page attended. “If I have erred in any way,” she said, “I assure council and the community that it was done inadvertently and in good faith with my understanding, as a new councillor, of the conflict-of-interest rules.”
Muri echoed Forbes in an email to Maclean’s, saying: “We are currently reviewing the process of this bylaw, so it would be inappropriate for me to comment.” But a response to the petition later filed in court by her lawyers denies the councillor was aware of any interest Forbes could’ve had in a pigeon ban beyond one “in common with electors of the municipality generally.”
The submission argues that neither councillor stood to gain financially from the bylaw and doubles down on the councillors’ position that the ban is legitimate and serves to protect residents from current and future pigeon keepers who might “adversely impact them or their property.”
To some, this is more than a dispute between neighbours. Givo Hassko, who is on the board of the Vancouver Poultry & Fancy Pigeon Association, told council in November he believed this was a test case for corruption in Canadian politics writ large. “If there are no consequences to how council goes to change bylaws here locally or Canada-wide,” he said, “then anyone—anyone—would get a green light.”
Hassko set up a GoFundMe to help with Dulay’s legal fees. At the time of writing, it had raised $700. A single commenter named Wayne, who pitched in $55, offered this input: “It is important that pigeons are not homeless.”
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Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor or 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 Bird Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products ten years in a row.
Contact us at 1 877-4-NO-BIRD,(604) 585-9279 or visit our website at www.pigeonpatrol.ca
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