by Pigeon Patrol | Sep 9, 2015 | 4-S Gel Bird repellent, Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes, UltraSonic Bird Control
Feathered diners at a McDonald’s restaurant in Wellington have driven a customer to lay complaints with the city council.
Wellington man Vinod Mistry is a fan of the fast-food franchise, but does not want to share his table and fries with a pigeon.
The Lambton Quay McDonald’s was a haven for hungry pigeons and the Wellington City Council needed to force the fast-food giant to keep them out of the indoor dining area, Mistry said. The birds make their way to the second floor via an internal escalator.
However, the council said it was up to the company to deal with the pigeons and it has repeatedly asked for the issue to be dealt with for six years.
McDonald’s said it was working with the council to fix the problem.
Mistry said he made two separate complaints last week about the pigeons in the restaurant.
The council appeared to swoop on a small business if there was a squeak of a mouse, rat or spider in their premises, he said.
But it appeared that, when it came to the feathered vermin, the council was turning a blind eye.
“Pigeons are just as much of a health risk as other animals. You never know when one flying around the restaurant or sitting on table could put droppings in your food.”
Council’s public health operations team leader Andrew Taylor confirmed there was a health risk, but only if diners inadvertently ate pigeon poo with their meal.
“Bird poo can contain bacteria such as salmonella, so it is not safe. But the person would have to ingest some of the bacteria through direct contamination or hand contact,” Taylor said.
The council had been trying to get McDonald’s to keep pigeons out of the premises since 2008, he said. “Every time we’ve spoken to them about the pigeon issue, we have been told by management that they will address the issue.”
The restaurant had tried different methods, such as a distress-call speaker at the entrance and lowering the entry-space height to the food premises, but none had proven to be effective, Taylor said.
Council staff would be contacting McDonald’s this week to discuss how they proposed to rectify the matter so “these ongoing complaints cease”.
McDonald’s spokesman Kim Bartlett said pigeons were a widespread issue in the Wellington CBD and the Lambton Quay McDonald’s had taken a number of measures to address the problem, including “working with an external company on effectively managing the presence of the birds”.
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 | Sep 8, 2015 | Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons in the News, UltraSonic Bird Control
NOBLE SQUARE — A new survey on the future of the Polish Triangle reveals people want Nelson Algren in, the pigeons out and somewhere for people to sit down.
A grassroots coalition hoping to revitalize the Triangle put out a call for opinions with an online survey, residents weighing in on what they would like to see at the intersection of Milwaukee, Avenue and Ashland avenues.
Kapra Fleming, a member of the Polish Triangle Coalition, said the survey, which lasted for three weeks and ended on Friday, brought in 1,257 responses on how to improve the transit-friendly patch that serves as a gateway to four neighborhoods.
Remove or Keep the Nelson Algren Fountain?
Sixty-six percent of survey respondents want to keep the fountain as-is but “refresh” it, Fleming said.
Should the pigeons be relocated?
Seventy-two percent of respondents want to “relocate the pigeons,” if possible.
“Some love pigeons, but some thought this was an impossible task on the nay-sayer side,” Fleming said.
The long-discussed pigeon relocation plan, which would require financing and city permits, would involve building a structure just east of the triangle where pigeons could nest, and their eggs were replaced with fake eggs to reduce the population.
“We can’t get rid of the pigeon feeders — the people that want to feed the birds will do that. But we want to get [the birds] off the triangle and somewhere else,” said Fleming, who owns the House of Two Urns, a bed and breakfast at 1239 N. Greenview Ave., around the corner from the triangle.
Should the CTA install a traditional canopy design or a modern design above the CTA Blue Line Division “L” underground entrance?
Kapra said 69 percent of respondents preferred a traditional canopy design over a contemporary design.
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 | Sep 7, 2015 | Animal Deterrent Products, Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeons in the News, UltraSonic Bird Control
They tried almost everything to shoo away the pigeons that had taken over the entire apartment complex. They laid nets along the building, employed a worker to drive away the roosting pigeons and got iron grills for their windows.
But none of these devices deterred the adaptive “blue rock” pigeons which had made Spartan Apartments on Richmond Road their abode here.
The residents have now found a way to keep the rock pigeons at bay. Some residents were aggravating the situation by feeding the pigeons which proved to be a force multiplier for avian.
Finally, the apartment owners, with the help of bird experts, tried something unique.
They fixed an acoustic box emitting sounds of different birds and it worked. When sounds like pigeons in distress, or predator birds like falcons started coming out of the box, the pigeons flew away, scared by the alien sounds.
The box emits the sounds for one minute; then there’s a gap of three minutes before it starts blaring out once again.
The residents’ association in this apartment building have now launched a massive awareness drive, asking people not to feed the pigeons, which would encourage them to nest in the shafts.
“The acoustic boxes have helped somewhat but some of the birds try to come back, knowing that the box will not harm them. Now the developers of the box are trying different sounds so that the birds are kept at bay,” they 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 Pigeon Patrol | Sep 1, 2015 | Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons in the News, UltraSonic Bird Control
ANDERSON, S.C. — The Anderson City Council plans to consider Monday how to deal with a pigeon problem in the pavilion at Carolina Wren Park.
The council is expected to vote on whether to hire an animal control company to install a net inside the pavilion, which is downtown.
According to the agenda for Monday’s evening, a “recurring nuisance with pigeons nesting in the rafters” has developed at the pavilion.
“There have been some attempts to cease their interest in the pavilion through cleaning and installing an ultrasonic bird repellent with a strobe light,” according to the agenda. “But those efforts have been unsuccessful.”
City staff said the pigeons and their waste can cause property damage and pose a health risk, and cleaning up after them can be costly.
The city sought bids from pest control companies, to see how much it would cost to install a net inside the ceiling of the pavilion.
Orkin Pest Control bid $28,000, Trehel Corp. bid $16,899 and the low bidder was Animal Control Experts at $11,385.
If the council approves the expenditure, the money to pay for it would come from hospitality tax revenue the city collects.
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 31, 2015 | Animal Deterrent Products, Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services, UltraSonic Bird Control
WEST CHESTER >>Chester County employees and visitors to the county’s Justice Center have been greeted by squawks and screeches, chatters and chitters, cawing and cackling over the past 
few weeks, all in the name of pigeon-proofing the county-owned parking garage there.
Thanks to the installation of a sonic bird repellent system in the garage, those parking their cars hear something vaguely reminiscent of a bad Tarzan jungle movie sound track, or something not too far from the noise in the shower scene of Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho.”
The sounds that come from the system’s speakers – one on each of the floors two through six in the multi-level structure – are designed to mimic sounds of fright from pigeons and calls of impending avian doom from predator raptors.
And as much as the system seems to be working – one county employee described seeing pigeons perched on the concrete rafters of the garage scattering like roaches after a light is turned on when the system is activated –it also has caused some consternation in the neighborhood adjacent to the garage on West Market Street.
When the unit – a Electronic Bird Repeller Model 110 db purchased by the county’s Facilities and Parks Department for $1,104 from a retailer in Frazer – was installed three weeks ago, the manufacturer advised that it should be operated 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for the initial break-in period, a county spokeswoman said.
That did not sit well with those whose homes surround the garage.
“At first I thought it was a mockingbird,” said one resident, who asked not to be identified. The screeching noises were easily heard in the night, what with windows open in the cool, fall-like weather, and kept the light sleeper awake. “I wondered where it was coming from, and finally decided it was coming form the garage.”
The contours of the system dictate that the recorded sonic bird bombardment goes on and off at irregular intervals, lasting for a minute or so. “I could hear it all night, even after I closed the windows,” the resident said. “I lost a lot of sleep.”
Rebecca Brain, county public information officer, said last week that the system had been switched to run only during the daytime hours from now on, although what constitutes daytime is open to interpretation. One observer said he heard the artificial birdcalls begin at 6:15 a.m. Saturday.
Brain said the system was installed to attempt to control the population of pigeons that had taken to roosting in the garage. The birds were not only a nuisance – spoiling the hoods and roofs of cars parked beneath them with their droppings – but also a public heath hazard because of the amount of guano they left behind.
“We looked at various options, and this was determined to be the most cost-effective and humane,” Brain said. A similar system had been in place at the county’s former Hazlett Building on North Walnut Street, and is now installed on the tower at the Government Services Center in West Goshen.
The need for a permanent electronic system became evident when the pigeons natural predator – a Peregrine Falcon that had taken up hunting the birds last fall – went elsewhere, having diverted the pigeons away from the garage. “The falcon left its perch and the pigeon population came back,” Brain said.
The soundtrack of the system is unnerving when one first encounters it, said one county employee who was bombarded one night when leaving the office late. But others say that unless someone points it out, the noises are just part of the background hum of life in downtown West Chester.
“When you hear it during the day, it is not nearly as bothersome as it was at night,” said the neighbor whose sleep was disturbed. “Although it is still not pleasant.”
To contact staff writer Michael P. Rellahan call 610-696-1544.
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 30, 2015 | 4-S Gel Bird repellent, Animal Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes, UltraSonic Bird Control
WICKER PARK — Members of a grassroots coalition who are hoping to revitalize the pigeon-plagued intersection of Ashland, Milwaukee, and Division known as the Polish Triangle are soliciting feedback on how to improve the transit-friendly patch that serves as a gateway to four neighborhoods.
Inaddition to polling residents about what they’d like to see on the triangle, such as food trucks and seating, the short online survey released Wednesday asks, “If possible, should the existing fountain be removed?” and “If possible, should the pigeons be relocated?”
The long talked about pigeon relocation plan, which would require financing and city permits, would involve building a structure just east of the triangle where pigeons can nest, as their eggs are replaced with fake eggs to reduce the population.
“We can’t get rid of the pigeon feeders — the people that want to feed the birds will do that. But we want to get [the birds] off the triangle and somewhere else,” said Kapra Fleming, who owns the House of Two Urns, a bed and breakfast at 1239 N. Greenview Ave., around the corner from the triangle.
Fleming is one of 12 core members of the Polish Triangle Coalition, a group of leaders from local businesses and community groups who want to improve the small but significant spot that serves as Wicker Park’s southern gateway and a bridge to West Town enclaves East Village, Pulaski Park and Noble Square.
In addition to offering an entrance to the underground CTA Division Blue Line “L” station, the transit-oriented triangle has a stop for the CTA’s No. 70 Division bus.
The neighborhood’s only cab stand is located along the Milwaukee Avenue side of the triangle.
The most pressing question in the survey involves the uncovered stairway leading to the underground “L” station. The CTA is planning to add a canopy over the entrance as part of “Your New Blue,” a $492 million project that will modernize several stations.
“There is nothing protecting the steps from wind, snow and ice. Installing canopies has been on our wish list. The CTA said they would listen to community input. They are looking to see if people prefer a more contemporary or traditional look for the canopies,” Fleming said.
Fleming said some of coalition’s members met with CTA representatives in September to discuss the canopies and are scheduled to discuss the topic again in November.
The survey also polls residents on whether they would like to see the Polish Triangle’s fountain removed or replaced.
“Some people like the fountain; some want to get rid of it and redevelop the entire space. We want to get broader feedback,” Fleming said.
The survey will remain online through Oct. 24. The results of the survey will be posted on the coalition’s website in November.
Early Thursday, Greg Garrod, a worker at Sweet Cakes Bakery, 1223 N. Milwaukee Ave., which overlooks the triangle, said he would like to see the area improved.
“Every time I walk by it, I think it’s a focal point, they should do something more [with it], make it more community-oriented. Yesterday was a nice day and I would like to see places to sit. I sit on the fountain edge and get bombarded by pigeons,” Garrod said.
Take the Polish Triangle Coalition’s survey here.
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)
Feathered diners at a McDonald’s restaurant in Wellington have driven a customer to lay complaints with the city council.
