by Pigeon Patrol | Sep 25, 2023 | Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Law, Bird Netting, Bird Spikes, Columbidae, Doves
SOUTH JORDAN — Most people aren’t fond of pigeons. But Boris Majnaric loves them.
Take the bluish-gray bird he named Avalon, the one he brought back from the dead.
Majnaric found the featherless fledging frozen in his backyard gazebo, eyes closed and not breathing. He took it into his garage and put it on the hood of his still-warm Toyota Avalon. He gave it a warming solution and started CPR. Nothing. And so he prayed.
“Lord, I have to feed the other birds. I’ll be back in 45 minutes,” the 74-year-old retired middle school French teacher recalls saying. “When I came back, she was moving. As far as I’m concerned, she’s a resurrected bird.”
Avalon now lives in a spacious, 384-square-foot, four-room loft in his backyard along with about 200 other pigeons of various colors and varieties. Dozens more “homeless” birds roost in the unique gazebo he had built just for pigeons.
But some of Majnaric’s neighbors and the city don’t share his passion for pigeons.
People in the well-kept neighborhood don’t like all those birds perching on their houses, defecating on their roofs and patios, or turning up dead in their yards. They also say pigeon feed on the ground attracts rats.
South Jordan charged Majnaric last August with three class B misdemeanors related to the size of his flock, banding and registering pigeons and keeping them in a coop. It also filed a court petition to remove his birds and tear down the pigeon paradise.
Majnaric filed a federal lawsuit last month seeking an injunction to stop the city from razing his loft and gazebo and “cruelly” destroying his pigeons.
Majnaric’s attorney, David Pace, said the city agreed Wednesday to postpone a review hearing scheduled for next week in the city case to talk about a settlement.
Under any scenario, Majnaric would have to find a home for all but 40 birds to comply with South Jordan law. He can’t bear the thought of the city removing his pigeons, which he says means sure death.
“The word ‘remove’ makes me sick,” he said. “You don’t use the word remove for God’s birds. You use the word remove for the garbage.”
Majnaric built his house in 1996 and asked the city about laws for raising pigeons. An official directed him to an ordinance that allowed for a “reasonable and manageable” number of fowl on a residential property. Although the law has changed over the years, Majnaric said his house, which abuts a farm filled with sheep, should be grandfathered in.
Neighbors noticed an explosion of pigeons in the area about three years ago and complained to the city, igniting what has become a three-year battle.
Next-door neighbor Kent Baker said he has no ill will toward Majnaric but says he should come into line with the law.
“Every other city in world is trying to get rid of pigeons, and my neighbor decides he should have more. He’s just kind of hoarding pigeons,” he said.
Majnaric’s federal lawsuit is the latest move in the prolonged fight that he said has cost him $20,000 and caused him heart problems. A jazz saxophonist and clarinetist, he said the fight has sapped his ability to practice and write music.
South Jordan charged Majnaric with animal nuisance/disturbing neighborhood and land use regulations in October 2012. He was found not guilty of the nuisance charge after a trial in 3rd District Court but was cited for a use violation. Judge Barry Lawrence ordered him to bring his flock into compliance with the city ordinance.
The judge also found that in addition to Majnaric’s birds, some “homeless” pigeons took up residence in the gazebo. He ordered a veterinarian to set up a management plan to care for the additional pigeons. Majnaric said he continues to abide by those guidelines, including closing many of the nesting boxes in the gazebo. He also isn’t supposed to feed birds outside the coop.
But South Jordan spokesman Chip Dawson said Majnaric hasn’t complied with the court orders, which has complicated the issue for the city.
“Obviously, the city feels like there’s a limit to how many we can accommodate,” he said.
Last year, South Jordan considered an ordinace patterned after one in Cottonwood Heights to increase the number of pigeons allowed to 220, but it failed.
Majnaric is trying to arrange for a Box Elder County pigeon fancier to pick up about 100 of his birds next week. But Majnaric said pigeons roosting at a nearby apartment complex and recently razed barn will move in within a few days — something he said he can’t control.
Dawson said the city does not ascribe those random birds to Majnaric.
Majnaric said he’s raising pigeons to fulfill a childhood dream. His parents gave him two pigeons in his native Croatia when he was 12 years old. He said he cried when they died.
When he retired, pigeons became his life.
One is a look-alike to a gray and brown bird his parents gave him. He named it Delnice, after his hometown. He feeds his flock twice a day and keeps medicine on hand to heal sick and wounded birds. Veterinarian Martin Orr describes him as a compassionate caregiver with a deep sense of what pigeons need.
“I think the birds love it here. And I love them, too,” Majnaric said. “They’re my best friends.”
Source
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 | Sep 11, 2023 | Bird Netting, Bird Spikes, Doves, history of pigeons, MBCA, pet bird, Pigeon Control
The pigeon problem in Kirkland Lake is so bad, police felt the need to issue a news release this morning warning residents to follow the law when dealing with them.
The town started renting out traps to residents today to capture pigeons, and police say that trappers will be responsible for the disposal of the birds, which includes a ban on throwing them in the garbage for curbside pickup. Successful trappers will instead have to take the pigeons for burial at the town dump.
“The OPP want to inform the residents that it is each individual’s responsibility to educate themselves on this topic and to ensure that they are acting within the laws, regulations and town by-laws,” says Constable Adam Gauthier.
The problem started, says Ashley Bilodeau, Kirkland Lake’s Manager of Planning and Land Development, when a few bird lovers started feeding the pigeons.
“We have a couple of residents that have been obnoxiously feeding pigeons to the point where we have some serious problem areas, so we passed a no-feeding bylaw back in the fall,” she told BayToday. “However, there is one individual who just continues to feed them despite the bylaw and has been charged. There’s been a few charges laid around town but there is one individual who is causing more headaches than normal.”
The fine for feeding is steep at $100, and that’s down from the $250 the town wanted to charge but the province wouldn’t allow it.
“So we’re trying to find different ways to combat the issue because it’s now causing problems to people’s properties and vehicles because there are so many of them.”
Bilodeau says the town has checked with the MNRF and it’s not illegal to kill pigeons although you are required to have a small game licence in order to trap and kill pigeons.
The town has not placed a limit on the number of pigeons people can capture, but police warn folks can’t use their guns to shoot the birds because discharging a firearm is prohibited within the Town of Kirkland Lake,
Bilodeau says poop is the problem.
“They’re also causing damage to buildings by trying to build nesting areas,” she adds. “We’ve got four traps here and people can come in and put in a deposit and take the trap for 10 days, and when they bring it back they get their money back.”
Pigeons were originally bred from the wild rock dove, which naturally inhabits sea-cliffs and mountains according to Wikipedia, so the bird finds the ledges of buildings to be a substitute for sea cliffs.
They have become abundant in towns and cities throughout the world. Due to their abilities to create large amounts of excrement and to carry disease, combined with crop and property damage, pigeons are largely considered a nuisance with steps being taken in many municipalities to lower their numbers or completely eradicate them.
Source
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 | Jul 26, 2023 | Bird Spike, Bird Spikes, Columbidae, Doves, history of pigeons, MBCA, pet bird, Pigeon Control, Pigeon Predators, Pigeon Spikes
You could be forgiven for thinking that pigeons ever lived in the wild. They have been such a constant presence in human cities for so long that they are seen as urban creatures to this day. However, their commonness doesn’t mean they are harmless. Pigeons can be just as troublesome as other common pests, and they can be even more dangerous than you probably realize. Learning how you can prevent a pigeon infestation in your property can protect you from these problems.
Common But Not Harmless
Pigeons are so common in urban America that most people don’t pay them any real attention. Some people even feed them. It’s this relationship to humans that has allowed pigeons to thrive and reveal their true colors as truly harmful birds. But pigeons haven’t always nested in cities and suburbs, they descend from cave birds that occupied rugged coasts and mountains. Some pigeons still migrate to these natural areas to breed but their reliance on human waste for food and industrial buildings for shelter means pigeons are a permanent fixture in modern life. But make no mistake, pigeons are responsible for the same kinds of damage and danger that other pests are known for.
Damage & Danger Caused By Pigeons
Even though people consider them harmless birds, pigeons have proven time and time again that they are more than just birds picking up breadcrumbs. Pigeons can lead to all of the following problems for humans:
- Disease. Pigeons are known as vermin for a reason, they are carriers of dangerous and fast-spreading diseases like hepatitis and salmonella.
- Parasites. Even if pigeons themselves aren’t carriers of diseases, they can carry ticks and lice that are also harmful and known to transmit pathogens.
- Damage. Pigeons aren’t just a health risk, but a property risk too. With their habit of nesting inside of electrical utilities and roosting inside of people’s roofs, pigeons can cause direct damage and interference to the common amenities of daily life.
- Feces. Not only can pigeons cause damage with their nests, but they can also cause damage to their poop. The highly corrosive droppings can chew through concrete and even metal — not to mention the unpleasant sights and smells that result.
Keeping Pigeons Off Your Property
Since pigeons in Owensboro are everywhere, it’s important to take steps to make your property less attractive to flying invaders in search of shelter or food. Here are some steps you can take:
- Don’t feed them. First and foremost, everyone should take heed of this tip. The more people feed pigeons, the more their populations grow. If you feed them on your property, either directly or via bird feeders, you’re simply inviting them to cause more problems.
- Landscaping. Keeping trees trimmed away from any structures will prevent pigeons from having an easy place to land that’s right next to your property.
- Anti-roosting. There is a wide range of spikes, grates, and covers that are available for commercial and residential properties, which prevent pigeons from landing or nesting.
Take Proper Action
Because pigeons are such a common part of modern life, anyone can fall victim to the problems they cause. Once they’ve taken hold in an area, pigeon populations can grow simply massive. Rather than try to deal with prevention and removal on your own, enlist the help of trained experts who can assist you. At Action Pest Control, our friendly staff can provide you with even more tips to prevent and spot the signs of pigeon damage. If our inspections reveal an infestation, we’ll work to get rid of it and work with you on steps for future prevention.
Don’t get complacent when it comes to pigeons, act today.
Source
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 | Jul 26, 2023 | 4-S Gel Bird repellent, Animal Deterrent Products, Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Law, Bird Netting, Bird Spikes, Columbidae, Doves
How to Deter Birds From the Garden
Birds are not picky eaters. They can feed on a number of things: seeds, grains, fruit, breadcrumbs, worms, and more.
Bird control is a hard job, especially if you have a vegetable garden. You’d want to keep birds as far away as possible. Even though it’s not easy, there are a few things you can do.
- Make a scarecrow or use decoy hawks and owls. Also, fake snakes could scare some of the birds.
- Use old CDs as shiny reflective objects to scare the birds. Hang a few of them every couple of meters around your garden.
- Buy or make bird nettings from cord or wire to protect your crops.
- Plants to distract them. You want to keep your crops intact and you’ve lost all hope of keeping the birds away? You can distract them by planting other seductive plants away from your vegetables. Plants like buckwheat, sunflowers, or some berries can be used to attract pigeons and other birds to the opposite side of your garden.
How to Keep Pigeons Away From Bird Feeders
Pigeons are a typical example of a bully bird that doesn’t allow smaller birds to get food. They are larger than most birds you can find in urban areas and this gives them some advantage in the race to get the food people leave behind.
You can keep pigeons and other bully birds away from your bird feeders by making it hard for them to reach it. How? By enclosing the bird feeder with hardware cloth with openings big enough so only smaller birds can get through and feed (5cm should be more than enough).
There are caged-in trays or tube bird feeders sold in garden or hardware stores you can purchase. The tray or tube is placed several centimetres inside of the cage and it makes it difficult for larger bully birds to eat the seeds.
Some bird species, like pigeons, the European starling, house sparrows, feed on the ground. If you remove all food sources from the ground and make a hanging bird feeder under a small shelter, they may get scared to get under the cover. With the lack of food, they will soon stop coming.
How to Get Rid of Pigeons With Poison
Poisoning pigeons and other birds is not recommended. There’s no need to kill the birds. You can simply take some measures to keep them away from your home or business building. A dead pigeon, filled with poison, laying somewhere in your garden might cause you more problems than a live one. Plus, you should consider the chance of poisoning other animals alongside the pigeons. Refrain from using poison as a bird control method, please.
How to Get Rid of Pigeons in Your Garden With Sound
Sounds can prove to be one of the most effective ways to keep birds away. You will need to invest some money to do it the right way but it will be worth it. There are a number of sounds that can do the trick.
Audible repellers produce frightening bird sounds that scare pigeons and other birds. There are different sounds – distressed cries of birds, shrieks of predator birds. The devices can be bought in most gardening stores.
Ultrasonic repellers emit high-frequency sounds that people cannot hear. The sounds are at a specific frequency targeted at birds.
How to Get Rid of Pigeons From Trees
Gather aluminium plates, mirrors, and other shiny objects. Hang them on your trees and they’ll create movements and reflect the sunlight. Thus they will scare off the pigeons and other birds from roosting on your trees.
Put a predator bird statue on the tree to scare the pigeons off. Most professional exterminators rely on this method as well.
Wind chimes can also scare pigeons away with the sound and movement they make, but if the pigeons get used to them they will not hesitate to roost on your trees.
Natural Pigeon Repellents and Control Methods
You have to be careful with the homemade repellents. Birds, especially pigeons are smart animals and can see through your scarecrows and tricks.
Homemade pigeon repellents and other repelling methods should be combined with preventive methods for full effect and protection.
Other natural ways to deal with bird control
Remove food and water sources. Keeping your property clean from seeds, grains and other food remains is a convenient way to have birds and pigeons skip your home and go to your neighbour’s’ yard. This can be done by regularly sweeping floors, keeping your garbage in the garbage can with a closed lid on it.
Gardens should be protected as well, either with decoy predator birds statues, sprinklers, sound repellents, or nets.
Make sure you don’t leave standing water anywhere around your home.
Removing the nest is essential because you are putting your home at risk of getting infested with bird mites.
Homemade Pigeon Repellents
As mentioned above, there are a number of bird repellents that can get the job done. But if you wish to deal with the issue without having to put a fake owl or spikes on your roof, you can try to make some homemade repellents.
1) Repel pigeons with honey – Applying a thin layer of honey to your roof or balcony will inconvenience birds and they won’t roost there. Honey’s stickiness will keep them away as birds do not like sticky surfaces. You can use other sticky products as well. You may have to reapply the sticky substance from time to time because it will wear off.
2) Hose the birds. You can instal automatic sprinkles on your roof or balcony to spray them when they land. Or you can do the work when you notice them. Hosing them a couple of times should be enough to teach them a lesson and keep them away.
3) Spicy pigeon repellent
Pigeons and other birds do not like spices. Which makes it a fantastic natural repellent for all kinds of birds.
4) Pepper powder can be used to repel pigeons from your balcony and roof. Sprinkle more of it on their roosting places and in other places they may roost. You can use black pepper, cayenne pepper or cinnamon powder to keep the pigeons off your property. You will have to reapply it after rainy or windy days.
5) Chilli powder is another spicy repellent that you can use. Throw chilli solution in the birds’ roosting places and watch how they stop coming back. Reapplying it may be also necessary after windy and rainy days. The chilli is also unpleasant to the pigeons and will drive them away from your home.
Take measures to keep birds away from your home now or call an expert to do it for you.
Source
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 | Jul 20, 2023 | Columbidae, Doves, history of pigeons, MBCA, pet bird, Pigeon Control, Pigeon Droppings, Pigeon Patrol's Services
New research publishing June 18 in the open-access journal, PLOS Biology, led by Dr Lucy Taylor from the University of Oxford’s Department of Zoology now reveals that homing pigeons fit in one extra wingbeat per second when flying in pairs compared to flying solo.
Birds that fly in ‘V’-formations, such as geese, are able to conserve energy by flying in aerodynamically optimal positions. By contrast, in species that don’t fly in formation, such as homing pigeons, the costs and benefits of flocking have been less well understood.
The research indicates that flying with another bird requires more energy compared to flying solo. ‘The results of this study were completely unexpected. Energy is the currency of life so it’s astonishing that the birds are prepared to pay a substantial energetic cost to fly together,” said lead-author, Dr Lucy Taylor.
The team used high frequency GPS and accelerometer bio-loggers to measure how pigeons changed their wingbeat patterns when flying in pairs compared to flying solo. The accelerometers act much like fitness trackers but, instead of measuring steps, the researchers measure wingbeats. ‘The increase in wingbeat frequency is equivalent to Usain Bolt running the 100m sprint at his usual speed, whilst fitting in nearly one extra step per second. The pigeons are flapping faster when flying in pairs but hardly going any faster,” said Dr Taylor.
The increase in wingbeat frequency is likely to be related to the demands of coordinating flight. Dr Taylor said: ‘Imagine trying to coordinate with and avoid hitting another small object travelling at around 44 miles per hour. This is nearly two times faster than an Olympic sprinter, and the birds can move up and down as well as left and right. For a pigeon, flapping your wings faster will both give you faster reactions and greater control over your movements, and will help keep your head stable making it easier to track where the other bird is.’
Despite the costs of fitting in one additional wingbeat per second, the birds consistently chose to fly together, suggesting that they were able to gain other benefits from flocking. Birds flying in a pair were simultaneously able to improve their homing accuracy, meaning that they could conserve energy by flying shorter routes home. Combined with increased predator protection from safety in numbers, this research suggests that the overall benefits of flocking outweigh the immediate energetic costs of changing wingbeat patterns.
Source
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 | Jul 20, 2023 | Columbidae, Doves, history of pigeons, MBCA, pet bird, Pigeon Control
Some people feed pigeons bread crumbs or keep them as pets in rooftop coops. Others see the animals as pests, carriers of disease or simply “rats with wings.” But whatever you think about these birds, there’s one fact no one will argue: Pigeons are everywhere.
Have you ever wondered how one kind of bird managed to take over urban areas as far apart as Washington; London, England; Mumbai, India; and Melbourne, Australia? Or why it is that pigeons are so plentiful in cities and not eagles, turkeys, hummingbirds or vultures?
Well, the first thing you need to know about pigeons is that they’re actually doves. Or doves are actually pigeons. Scientifically, there’s no difference between the two.
“In some languages, there isn’t even a separate word for ‘pigeon,’ ” said Colin Jerolmack, a scientist at New York University who studies human societies.
There are still pigeons living in the wild today. They evolved on the shores of North Africa and the Mediterranean Sea, where they make their homes on rocky ledges and cliffs. And it was this natural love for hard surfaces that made them a perfect fit in urban areas.
“They actually really like concrete, marble and stone, so they prefer to live and build nests not in the trees and shrubs and grass, but alongside buildings,” said Jerolmack, who wrote a book called “The Global Pigeon.”
But perhaps the biggest reason you’ll find pigeons in cities around the world is because humans brought them there.
At least as long as 5,000 years ago, the people of an ancient Middle Eastern civilization known as Mesopotamia started putting out houses for these birds. As the birds became more tame, people began breeding them for food in areas where other wild animals had become scarce.
Later, people learned that they could also use pigeons to carry written messages over long distances, thanks to the birds’ homing instinct.
“You can take a street pigeon in D.C. and drive it down to North Carolina and release it, and, more often than not, it’ll find its way home,” Jerolmack said.
As you can see, pigeons can be quite useful. It’s been only in the past 80 to 100 years that people started disliking the birds, Jerolmack said. And much of the dislike comes from misunderstanding.
For example, there’s really no solid evidence that pigeons pass diseases on to people. And once you get to know them, you might change the way you think.
Did you know that pigeons mate for life, for instance? Or that once their chicks hatch, both parents take turns feeding their young a liquid produced in their digestive tract called “crop milk?”
Anyway, humans have only themselves to blame for the pigeons cooing on every corner.
“We bred them and domesticated them, and kept them in cities as we developed cities,” Jerolmack said. “So they’ve always been here, from the beginning.”
Source
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
