by Pigeon Patrol | Aug 6, 2014 | Animal Deterrent Products, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeons in the News, UltraSonic Bird Control
In the dinosaur kingdom, the raptor reigns as a pop-culture bogeyman. While not as big as the T. Rex, the feathered creature had a mean set of teeth and claws. But there was at least one refuge from its tyranny: the air.
Now, however, scientists have discovered a new fossil that lays waste to that pleasant fiction. This new raptorial dinosaur named Changyuraptor yangi not only flew — it had four wings. And those wings were studded with the longest feathers any dinosaur has ever worn, said lead researcher Luis Chiappe of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles.
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” he told The Washington Post. “It is a stunning specimen and it was stunning to see the size of the feathers. This is the dinosaur with the longest known feathers — by far. There is nothing like this by a very good distance. The feathers were one-fourth the size of the animal.” Chiappe paused for a moment. “It’s just wonderful,” he said.
In the pantheon of hulking dinos, this one wasn’t on the larger side. Published in the scientific journal Nature Communications on Tuesday, the article by Chiappe and colleagues reported it was only about four feet long and weighed about nine pounds — approximately three times the weight of your everyday seagull. But what it lacked in size, it made up for in importance, researchers said.
Classed as a “microraptorine,” its fossils “are essential for testing hypotheses explaining the origin and early evolution of avian flight,” the paper stated. “The lengthy feathered tail of the new fossil provides insight into the flight performance of microraptorines and how they may have maintained aerial competency at larger body sizes.”
Be nice if the WaPo would’ve told us this is from the Early Cretaceous (100-146M years ago). But anyway, that’s cool.
ntodd
by Pigeon Patrol | Aug 6, 2014 | Animal Deterrent Products, Bird Deterrent Products, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons in the News
DALLAS (AP) — United Airlines is defending the poisoning of birds at Houston’s biggest airport, saying it was done for health and safety reasons. But the airline said Wednesday that it didn’t tell its contractor how to control the airport’s bird population, and will ask the firm to consider other methods the next time.
The contractor laid out corn kernels laced with a bird-killing nerve agent at Bush Intercontinental Airport. People who work around the airport reported seeing grackles and pigeons fall to the ground and spin around as they died.
The bait manufacturer, Avitrol Corp., says a lethal dosage causes birds to show distress — including alarm cries and trembling — that frightens away other birds. It usually causes death within an hour, the company says.
Airports commonly take steps to shoo away birds, which can be sucked into jet engines and cause a loss of power. In 2009, US Airways pilot Chesley Sullenberger safely ditched his Airbus A320 into the Hudson River after hitting a flock of Canada geese during the climb from New York’s LaGuardia Airport.
United spokeswoman Mary Clark said in a statement that the airline works with the airport on abatement programs “to reduce the health and safety risks posed by birds on airport property” and to “provide a clean and safe environment for our customers and employees.”
Clark said United hired a contractor, Texas Bird Services, which is experienced at removing birds from airports. She said the company complied with all regulations while laying bait at terminals and a maintenance hangar at Bush airport.
United will work with the contractor to consider alternate methods, Clark said. Texas Bird Services, which lists American Airlines and Delta Air Lines as references on its website, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Bush airport spokeswoman Katena Carvajales said the company’s work was reviewed Tuesday by officials from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and found to be within guidelines. She said controlling wildlife is important for safety and sanitation.
John Hadidian, a senior scientist at the Humane Society of the United States, said it would have been better for the airport to use netting, take away food sources, or use loud noises to deter the birds.
The biggest threat to aircraft is often larger birds such as geese. A group of U.S. agencies including the Federal Aviation Administration recommends steps such as limiting bird-friendly features like ponds and the use of technology to harass birds. The FAA is evaluating portable radar systems for tracking birds.
An FAA database lists more than 80 cases of planes colliding with wildlife — from sparrows and pigeons to cattle egrets — at Bush airport last year. Two planes were damaged — a United Boeing 737 was left with minor damage and a private business jet suffered substantial damage.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | Aug 6, 2014 | Animal Deterrent Products, Bird Deterrent Products, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons in the News
The Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht said tonight it is calling on climbers and walkers in the area to help protect the Peregrine Falcons, which are nesting in the quarry and have four chicks nearly ready to fledge.
Peregrine Falcons are a protected species and the deliberate killing of them is a criminal offence.
The Department said that a “significant threat” to the birds has arisen, as on Wednesday evening a walker noticed two tethered pigeons flapping near the Perigrine Falcons’ nest.
The pigeons’ wings had been clipped to stop them flying, and the birds had been attached to ground stakes. They also had a “wet substance” on their neck.
The pigeons were brought to the State laboratories for testing.
It is believed that they were laced with a poison in a deliberate attempt to kill the breeding Falcons. Peregrines eat live prey and would have been attracted to the pigeons by their wing flapping as they attempted to escape their tethers.
The NPWS and the Parks Department for Killiney Hill, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council are now calling on the public who use the park to remain vigilant and report any similar incidents.
Here’s how you can help:
- Look out for people acting suspiciously around the nest area
- Keep watch for tethered birds or birds fluttering a lot in the one area but not moving, which may mean that they are tied in some way.
- Report any dead birds seen
- Keep children and pets away from suspect birds
”It is not tolerable for these majestic and extraordinary birds of prey or any other wildlife to be persecuted or poisoned,” said Jimmy Deenihan, Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | Aug 6, 2014 | Animal Deterrent Products, Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons in the News
Morning walkers at Nehru Rose Garden were in for a shock on Friday morning when they saw carcasses of numerous pigeons scattered all around.
While the exact number of dead pigeons is not known, eyewitnesses estimated that around 50-60 pigeons were lying dead in the garden. What surprised people was that there was no bleeding or injury marks.
However, since the city witnessed a powerful thunderstorm and hailstorm on late Thursday night, it is also being cited as the reason for mass deaths. Parmeet Sethi, a resident who witnessed the site in the morning, said, “There were no naked wires or any electricity pole where birds were lying dead. Maybe lightning fell on them but that is only a suspicion. The exact reason must be known through proper post-mortem.”
Residents suspected that birds might have fallen prey to poisonous grains or food served by people in the Rose Garden. “People come here daily to offer grains to pigeons. Maybe they ate something poisonous,” said Pravin Kumar, a resident.
The Ludhiana Municipal Corporation was not aware of the deaths initially. Sumit Jarangal, additional commissioner and in-charge of Rose Garden and horticulture department, said, “I will get the dead bodies cleared from the garden and also find out the reason behind the tragedy.” Later, Jarangal said that “pigeons died because of short circuit”, but failed to explain the source of short circuit. Sandeep Jain, co-opted member of Animal Welfare Board of India, also contacted Jarangal and demanded post-mortem of the pigeons to know the exact reason.
Isha Kalia, additional commissioner, confirmed to Newsline that a post-mortem had been ordered. “Health wing incharge A S Sekhon and animal husbandry department have been given responsibility to get the post-mortem done,” she said. The Rose Garden presents an utter dismal picture. While once it had a full-fledged zoo with monkeys, deer, ducks and rabbits, now it houses nothing except pigeons.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | Aug 6, 2014 | Animal Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons in the News
METRO VANCOUVER — A night of drinking and shooting pigeons with a pellet gun turned violent in Langley and ended with a man in police custody.
Langley RCMP arrested a man at a rural Langley property in the 21900-block of 64th Avenue Tuesday night for assaulting a woman.
The incident happened after the suspect and his 12-year-old son had been shooting birds together.
The boy was shot in the hip, upsetting his mother. When she confronted the boy’s father about the injury, he assaulted her. The adults had been drinking.
The woman and her son left the property to contact police and the man stayed inside the residence.
Police attended and at about 8 p.m. and ERT teams negotiated with the 40-year-old man (top left) until he came outside.
He was arrested without incident and taken into custody.
File Photo
The Langley Detachment Investigational Support Team is pursuing the case and charges are pending.
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 | Jul 22, 2014 | 4-S Gel Bird repellent, Animal Deterrent Products, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons in the News
The roof of the Prestige Senior Living High Desert facility in northeast Bend is littered with Avitrol, a bird repellent used by licensed pest control agencies. The repellent can cause seizures to birds, often in mid-flight. And during last week’s heat wave, it even led to deaths.
“Many of the birds were found on the pavement, where temperatures were over 140 degrees,” said Dr. Jeff Cooney, veterinarian with the High Desert Wildlife Rehab & Rehabilitation Center.
“Their hearts were racing, they were seizing, and they were often dying of cardiac arrest,” Cooney said/
All are side-effects of the bird repellent Avitrol, sold in the form of corn kernels that birds will consume when spread across their normal feed.
The wildlife center hired a local drone company to fly over the building to confirm that the repellent was on the roof. The video confirmed the poison, and uncovered a dead pigeon lying on the roof.
But bird carcasses have been found in other areas as well. When we initially reported this story on Friday night, Jeannette Bonomo of the High Desert Wildlife Center said that pigeons were found either seizing or dead near the Forum Shopping Center at Highway 20 and NE 27th Street.
“People were literally seeing them fall out of the sky, crash onto the ground, flopping around like a typical seizure,” Bonomo said.
Prestige Senior Living High Desert, an assisted living center to the north of the shopping center, declined to comment on our story, but issued a statement in response to concern and criticism.
“At Prestige Senior Living, the health, well-being and safety of our residents is our highest priority,” the statement began.
“When we assumed operation of High Desert, we saw that pigeons – after years of roosting – had accumulated a large amount of droppings near an air intake. We contracted with a licensed, professional company to manage the problem for us. We understand the approach they used conforms to applicable laws and regulations.”
We contacted the Oregon Department of Agriculture to confirm the legality of using Avitrol. Several areas, including San Francisco and the state of New York, have banned the toxic bait. However, it’s currently legal in the state of Oregon to use Avitrol to deter birds from an environment.
“We have not seen any reason to ban this product yet,” said Mike Odenthal of the state agency’s pesticide division. “We suggest that people look for other ways to deter the birds, but there are some cases where this may be the only or best option that a person has to repel birds.”
However, Odenthal went on to say that the repellent is not only used as a last-ditch effort. When asked if a customer could request that a pest control company use Avitrol on their premises, he said, “It’s possible.”
“That’s to be expected when you use (Avitrol), that you are going to kill some birds,” he added.
But as birds die, and others suffer seizures, those left to take care of them argue that just because it’s legal doesn’t mean it’s right.
“Humanely euthanize them, if that’s why you need to do (this), to eliminate them,” Cooney said.
“But to give them a poison where it’s just out, uncontrolled — that’s a little bit extreme, in my opinion,” he added.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
