by Pigeon Patrol | Dec 31, 2015 | 4-S Gel Bird repellent, Animal Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services
Earlier this week Senator Denis O’Donovan became the second Fianna Fail senator to raise the issue of tackling the “vicious seabird”.
Speaking in the Seanad he said that seagulls were “invading the towns and the villages.”
“Seagulls have actually killed lambs and they’ve killed rabbits and I think it is coming to the stage where they are actually endangering society,” Mr O’Donovan said.
He added that “maybe we should look at a cull on this vicious seabird.”
However, animal rights organisation Aran has said that killing the animals won’t keep them away from urban areas.
“Calling for an all-out assault on seagulls is completely irresponsible, cruel and short-sighted,” Aran said in a statement.
The group highlighted that nothing has been done to tackle the real problem of people and businesses leaving out rubbish which “lures the birds in.”
The statement continues: “We are destroying their ecosystem and taking their food from the seas to feed ourselves and the gulls are only doing what is necessary to them by coming inland to try and get food.
“Maybe we, as in society, should take a step back from sucking our seas dry of marine life and letting the fish to the birds and laying off.
“Maybe laying off Senator O’Donovan might not be a bad thing either.”
Speaking to UTV Ireland Senator O’Donovan said some of his comments in the Seanad have been misconstrued.
“I haven’t called for the army to come in. I don’t agree with killing seagulls but a cull can be done in a different way.”
“Their [Aran] response by attacking me is not the response I have been getting from the public,” he added.
He said he had asked for a debate on the issue in the Seanad, and unless a solution can be put forward “people will take the law into their own hands” by poisioning and shooting the animals.
Asked if he would accept Aran’s offer to help draft a humane plan, he said: “I’m willing to meet with them once they acknowledge there is a problem.”
Last year Senator Ned O’Sullivan told the Seanad seagulls had “lost the run of themselves” – and were taking lollipops from young children.
Mr O’Sullivan said while the topic might seem funny to some it was a serious issue in Dublin.
Speaking to UTV Ireland, an expert from Rentokill explained that seagulls are actually protected under animal protection laws.
He admitted the company do receive callouts regarding the marine bird, but rather than killing them there are non-deadly methods like nest removal, netting, bird repellent gels and larus gull wires.
The stainless steel spring wires are apparently effective in preventing birds from roosting on exposed ledges and rooftops.
Nest removal, meanwhile, requires permission under Section 22 of the Wildlife Act.
Removing the habitat without sanction is an offence and breaks wildlife conservation legislation.
“There are very high populations [of seagulls]. Climate and behaviour wise these birds are becoming more established.”
“But from that point of view we are encroaching, we provide food,” he said.
Regarding any cull of the bird, he added that “the last you want to do is to kill, and you have to look at other methods first.”
He said the best course of action would be for an environmental assessment to be carried out, to see how bird populations could be reduced.
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 | Dec 28, 2015 | Animal Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes
MONDOVI, Wis. (WEAU) — It looks like a scene from Alfred Hitchcock’s famous movie “The Birds,” pigeons flying from building to building in downtown Mondovi.
“I look up and the pigeons are kind of swooping around and I have to dodge in the door really quick because they’re really creepy,” said Heidi Michels of Mondovi.
People aren’t taking issue with pigeons’ creepiness, but rather what they are leaving behind.
Tuesday night, the Mondovi City Council will meet to talk about some options to get rid of the birds.
“The droppings were getting dragged into my business on my carpet and it’s just a mess and it’s really gross,” said Lorie Larson.
Larson has owned Petal Pusher Floral and Gifts for five years.
“I would have to clean my sidewalks at least twice a week with bleach water because the pigeon droppings were so bad,” Larson said.
“They like to roost and sit at the very top,” Brian Evans explained, talking about the top of his building.
“We had a lot of issues with droppings and being on the sidewalk and having to scrape them up,” Evans said.
This isn’t the first time the city has had an issue with pigeons.
“We tried Owl decoys, we had some stuff you painted on the sills (window sills) downtown. It was supposed to give them discomfort in their feet,” said City Administrator Dan Lauersdorf.
Lauersdorf explained the city is also dealing with a geese dropping issue.
“They’re dropping their droppings all over the park; I don’t know how you get them out of there,” Lauersdorf said.
No decisions will made at Tuesday night’s meeting, but Lauersdorf says cost will be a factor in the option the city chooses.
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 | Dec 27, 2015 | Animal Deterrent Products, Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services
If it seems there are a lot less pigeons in Washington Square Park, it’s because there are.
Earlier last week, on Tuesday afternoon, birdnappers were reportedly out in force on the park’s far west side. In an orchestrated maneuver taking just minutes, the peaceful pigeons were lured to a spot near the Washington Place park entrance, where they were captured by net — they netted three batches — and then whisked away in a van.
Larry the Birdman was near the fountain and missed the abduction of possibly more than 200 birds.
“It happened so fast,” he said. “It was a silver-colored van.”
One member of the cadre who hang out on the park’s western side near the Holley monument said, “We know these birds and some of us have relationships with individual birds.”
Doris Deither, a Community Board 2 member, is among the F.O.B. (Friends of the Birds). She said the pigeon she calls Opal likes her and comes to her as she walks assisted by a walker. Deither said, thankfully, “her bird” is still in the park.
“But they got two of William’s birds,” she said, explaining that William cares for pigeons that are injured.
Seven years ago, the New York Post wrote about “pigeon netting,” the black-market act of snatching pigeons off the streets and selling them for $5 and $10 each, mostly to legal, out-of-state (frequently Pennsylvania) pigeon shoots.
It was believed that the purloined Washington Square pigeons were destined for a similar fate. Diether said word was that the van had New Jersey license plates.
Phew! Some of the lucky survivors, thanking their tail feathers they weren’t scooped up by the birdnappers.
Phew! Some of the lucky survivors, thanking their tail feathers they weren’t scooped up by the birdnappers.
Saturday afternoon at the Holley bust, a memorial service was held for the avian abductees organized by Tina Trachtenberg, an artist and animal advocate. She creates the felt pigeons at Washington Square.
Days later, flowers marked the memorial site and a weathered sign read: “This park is a safe haven for many animals. Today we mourn the tragic death of 200-300 resident pigeons. We loved and cherished their magical presence. They will be deeply missed.”
By Tuesday, flowers and sign were gone.
Joyce Friedman the New York City coordinator at The Humane Society of the United States, read on social media about the memorial and came to the park to learn more.
“I reported it to the N.Y.P.D. Animal Cruelty Investigation Squad,” she said. “We can’t give out any more detailed information, because now it’s an ongoing investigation.”
She reiterated that the investigating officers take it seriously, also mentioning that the same sort of birdnappings took place a couple months ago on the Upper West Side and are also under investigation.
For four days, Tuesday through Friday, security at the Parks Department office at Washington Square Park, the bicycle police on patrol and police in a van watching on Sunday morning were totally unaware of the birdnapping. As of this Tuesday, not all the local patrolling police or Parks employees were aware of the nefarious netting.
However, on Tuesday, Parks spokesperson Crystal Howard warned the pigeon pluckers to beware.
“Don’t steal our animals!” she said in a phone interview. “Pigeons are core to the character of New York City, and it is illegal and dangerous to remove animals from New York City parks.”
Friedman also emphasized that birdnapping is illegal.
“If you see someone doing it, take a picture of the license plate,” she said. “Then call 911. If you become aware afterward, report it by calling 311.”
Early Sunday evening, Haley, a friend of Larry, swung by the park to see if he was all right.
Larry now sits on his usual bench, but no longer bedecked with birds, keeping a vigilant eye on the park’s Washington Place entrance to see if there are any more lurking vans.
“There are surveillance cameras,” he said, hoping they would have caught useful information to bust the birdnappers.
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 | Dec 23, 2015 | Animal Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes
According to the blog, on July 21st, in the afternoon, a van pulled up next to the park and netted between 250 and 300 pigeons. The blog states that the NYPD is investigating this issue, but a spokesperson from the police stated: “There was no crime committed. Animal Cruelty Unit is not going to investigate something that isn’t a crime.”
This isn’t the first time pigeons were snatched from the streets of New York City. There have been reports for more than 10 years of pigeons getting netted by men in vans (usually white). These pigeons are then allegedly taken to Pennsylvania, where they are clipped and sold to be used in live canned shooting events.
If you think a couple of New York’s flying rats won’t be missed, you don’t know the power of nature. A memorial service was held last Saturday for the pigeons at the park. Tina Trachtenberg, artist and animal rights advocate, was behind this memorial.
Trachtenberg told the Washington Square Park blog: “You can’t go into a park and take a tree, take a squirrel. That’s not there for us to take.”
Park regular William MacLeod has rescued and raised number of pigeons since they were babies. He had a few trained to fly to his apartment window at night, and could call them to his shoulders just by walking through the park and calling their names.
“My pet birds,” he told the blog, “my five flyers are gone. There are 300ish birds in the park at any given time. I’ve counted about 30 are left.”
Taking wildlife from NYC is a crime, but the city seems to be turning a blind eye to this. The NYPD seems aware that “this happens” from time to time, but has not been willing to open any investigation into the issue.
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 | Dec 22, 2015 | 4-S Gel Bird repellent, Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services, UltraSonic Bird Control
Mysterious pink pigeons have left the people of Eastville and surrounding areas baffled.
With a number of theories about how the birds ended up so luminous, people have called the Post, sent in pictures and demanded answers.
But now it can be revealed that the pigeons belong to a family man who lives in Eastville.
After chasing confused residents who sent in pictures and speaking to people who live in the area, the Post has discovered that a Mr Singh, of Glenfrome Road, paints a number of his pigeons pink.
The long-term pigeon keeper from India paints his pigeons to protect them from preying birds.
In Mr Singh’s back garden are close to 100 birds – not all pink – kept in pens with the ability to fly free if they wish.
Mr Singh’s daughter said that the birds can fly away but they always return to their keeper.
The pigeon keeper has been awarded trophies for his hobby of pigeon racing and makes sure that they are in tiptop form by feeding them and giving them a lot of special care and attention.
A number of theories surfaced about the pigeons after a family sent in pictures of the garish birds.
One woman went as far to say that the birds can actually change colour if they eat pink foods.
While others said that there was a possibility that the birds might even be a pink tinted breed known as the Columba mayeri.
But if that was the case, the bird – which is native to Mauritius, over 6,000 miles away – would have escaped from a zoo. The family who originally sent in the pictures said that the bird had definitely been painted.
And Bristol Zoo bird expert, Evelyn Guyett, agreed.
She said: “That is definitely not a pink pigeon. I think the family are right in thinking it is a common rock dove that has been painted pink.
“We have Mauritius pink pigeons on show at Wild Place Project, and they are much larger than our native species, and not quite that fluorescent.”
It was also revealed that in Mr Singh’s native country, pigeon racing is a popular sport.
But although the collector’s intentions of marking his birds might be good, the RSPCA told the Post that painting pigeons is wrong.
This is because if the birds were to ingest the dye, there is the potential that it could be toxic.
An RSPCA spokesperson also said that the pigeons may find being restrained – so the owner can paint them – a stressful ordeal.
But a bird expert from the RSPB said that people often paint pigeons at certain events – such as weddings.
Mr Singh was unavailable for comment.
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 | Dec 20, 2015 | Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeons in the News, UltraSonic Bird Control
You can look at pigeons one of two ways: as pooping, disease-ridden pests, or ambassadors of nature in an otherwise urban setting.
Last week’s news that 100 pigeons went missing from Washington Square Park — after perhaps being lured and netted by hunters — has polarized New Yorkers. Some were happy to say “good-bye to a huge flock of ‘rats,'” as one commenter on our story wrote. Others, like animal activist Tina Trachtenberg, worried about the welfare of “these innocent, trusting, loving pigeons.”
In an attempt to weigh the arguments of both sides, we’ve listed the pros and cons of pigeons, otherwise known as rock doves, below.
THE CONS:
► With so much food to be scavenged from garbage cans and sidewalks, and with humans feeding them, pigeons in the city can spend less time searching for sustenance and more time mating. That leads to overpopulation — and lots of pigeon droppings.
► Pigeon droppings are associated with three diseases: histoplasmosis, a fungal infection that causes flu-like symptoms; cryptococcosis, another fungal disease; and psittacosis, a bacterial disease characterized by a rash and sometimes pneumonia. (Note: the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene says that contact with droppings doesn’t pose a serious health risk; people with compromised immune systems are most likely to contract one of the three diseases.)
► Speaking of pigeon excrement, a single pigeon excretes 25 pounds of droppings a year. Those droppings deface buildings, quicken the pace of their deterioration and add to their costs of maintenance.
► Pigeons are technically an invasive species: colonists brought them to this country from Europe in the 1600s as barnyard animals, raised to be eaten. (Squab — it’s what’s for dinner?)
THE PROS:
► Let’s not forget that pigeons served this country in both World Wars as stealthy message carriers.
► Pigeons do more than eat and poop: they can compete in races. During a competitive pigeon race, competitors are released simultaneously from one location and the pigeon that makes it home to its own coop first wins.
► Some people find them aesthetically pleasing. Photographer Andrew Garn, who snapped pictures of 5,000 pigeons over the course of four years, told New York magazine he finds them “really quite beautiful” up close. And we have to admit, the iridescent green and purple neck of a pigeon can be quite beguiling — when the bird isn’t pooping on us.
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)
Earlier this week Senator Denis O’Donovan became the second Fianna Fail senator to raise the issue of tackling the “vicious seabird”.
