by Pigeon Patrol | May 19, 2016 | 4-S Gel Bird repellent, Animal Deterrent Products, Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting
Marlborough Falcon Trust handler, Rob Lawry, is using Tappe the falcon on the campus at University of Canterbury to scare away pigeons as a humane pest control measure.
The University of Canterbury (UC) hopes a native falcon will eradicate hundreds of pigeons plaguing the campus.
In its latest move to reduce the pigeon population, a karearea bird – as pictured on the $20 banknote – has been trained to make territorial flights to scare off flocks of pest birds from buildings and the campus.
Marlborough Falcon Trust handlers Vikki Smith and Rob Lawry have been free-flying the specially bred one-year-old karearea, called Tappe, in what is believed to be the first programme of its kind in New Zealand.
Hundreds of pigeons are plaguing the University of Canterbury campus.
UC engineering services manager Rob Oudshoorn said the pigeon problem had “escalated dramatically” since the quakes when central city roosting spots were pulled down.
Combined with an abundance of food from the ruined city and the campus’ proximity to town, the university’s pigeon population has ballooned into the hundreds and affects more than 20 buildings.
The falcon is the university’s latest innovation to solve the problem after unsuccessful attempts using electric fencing, spikes and controlled culling with slug guns, Oudshoorn said.
Marlborough Falcon Trust handler Rob Lawry hopes Tappe, a karearea bird, will stop University of Canterbury’s pigeon problem.
Excrement is the biggest problem the birds bring as it piles around doors, windows, footpaths, and roofs, he said. Where pigeon numbers are high, buildings deteriorate more rapidly and the spread of disease increases.
“And depending on the scale of it, it can become quite an issue. In the extreme if it’s left there for a long period of time, those piles of excrement bring in maggots, and the excrement itself is pretty toxic too really.”
With a population of around 6000, karearea are rare. They are a natural predator to pigeons, which use avoidance and escape as a natural defence.
The natural bird control technique is used around the world, including Dubai, airports and London’s Trafalgar Square.
Lawry said the birds are trained to fly to a lure held by an instructor, rather than to capture birds.
“As the falcon comes rocketing towards the lure I pass it behind me in the direction I want it to travel, and so he goes up high in that direction. When he goes high the pigeons will go ‘I’m out of here because there’s a falcon here’. But at that point if there’s a really slow pigeon the falcon might get it.”
Lawry said Tappe had responded well to training at UC and would expand the program
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 | May 18, 2016 | Bird Netting, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons in the News, UltraSonic Bird Control
JAIPUR: A study coordinated by Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Medical College made a startling revelation that pigeons could cause serious respiratory diseases. They said even air-coolers were harmful for lungs.
Feeding pigeons is fine, but constant exposure to them could invite serious diseases like hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP), says a recent national study coordinated by Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Medical College.
“At least 22% of cases of HP had history of bird (pigeon) exposure,” said Dr Sheetu Singh, assistant professor, Institute of Respiratory Diseases, SMS Medical College, and coordinator, ILD India Registry – a perspective database (March 2012-April 2015).
“Another major finding of the study shows that around 48.8% patients with HP in the registry had exposure to air-coolers,” Dr Singh said.
In Jaipur, pigeons have homes in flats and apartments. Pigeons’ droppings and nesting could be found easily in heritage buildings, flats, apartments, government buildings, which forces residents of the city to remain exposed to such environmental conditions. Over the past few years, more pigeons are being spotted everywhere. “Pigeons’ droppings or pigeon-affected environment is not good for lungs,” Dr Singh said, while talking about the findings of the study.
The ILD India registry is a set of data collected for the very first time in the country from 19 cities including Jaipur by 27 investigators. They managed to collect clinical data from 1,090 patients. In Rajasthan, 400 patients were found suffering from ILD, but the figures could be even higher. The findings further say, “A vast majority of ILD patients (47%) enrolled in this registry were diagnosed with HP, an inflammatory-fibrotic lung disease, caused by inhalation of environmental factors and 71% of patients with HP lived in urban areas.”
The details of the breakthrough findings were presented by former SMS superintendent Dr Virendra Singh in a session during NAPCON 2015, on Friday, and discussed by a panel of experts during the session that was moderated by Dr Ganesh Raghu, director, Centre for ILD, sarcoid and pulmonary fibrosis program, Seattle, USA.
The experts discussed that since the disease is usually unrecognised, one can avoid its progression by preventing further exposure to such environment or surroundings either at home or work place. The findings from the results of the analyses of data gathered by the participating site pulmonologists from their consenting patients across India, is an eye-opener and has implications not only for the public and physicians in India but provides useful insights into the field of ILD in general.
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 | May 17, 2016 | 4-S Gel Bird repellent, Bird Netting, UltraSonic Bird Control
Researchers Andrew Biewener and David Williams of Harvard University have uncovered the reason for the seemingly impeccable flight abilities of pigeons – they can make choices on what flying technique to follow when faced with an obstacle.
Scientists and engineers have studied the flight patterns of pigeons, which, despite a great presence in the city where major unnatural path blocks are present like buildings and cars, rarely crash compared to other birds like robins.
The duo set up an area with video cameras and pre-planted obstacles made of plastic pipes, which the pigeons have to fly over in order to get their meal. Upon review of the videos, the two researchers observed that the pigeons perform two techniques when passing through an obstacle. The more amazing part is how the pigeons are able to decide on which technique is the better choice, based on the distance of the obstacle they had to pass through, according to Phys.Org.
The pigeons had to scrunch their bodies in order to pass through the obstacles. However, for obstacles with a distance of at least half a wing apart, the pigeons opted to lift their wings as if to flap, but when they approached the obstacle, their wings “paused” so that they didn’t hit the plastic pipes. When the pipes were much closer, the pigeons opted to pull their wings into their body – a technique that presents a higher chance of losing altitude, but greatly protects the birds from wing damage.
Biewener and Williams believe that the ability of the pigeons to choose what technique to follow is a deliberate act. This means the birds are able to intelligently made a decision before passing through the obstacles, which is something rare since birds in general are not known to be an “intelligent” species.
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 | May 16, 2016 | 4-S Gel Bird repellent, Bird Netting, Pigeon Spikes, UltraSonic Bird Control
FEEDING the birds could cost a lot more than tuppence a bag under new rules to make Northwich a cleaner and safer place to work and visit.
Anyone caught giving food to pigeons in the town centre will be fined £75 in a bid to reduce the number of the birds in the shopping area.
Northwich Business Improvement District (BID) has worked with the regulatory authorities at Cheshire West and Chester Council and Streetscene on the new legislation.
Mark Henshaw, Northwich BID officer, said: “The Northwich BID team is constantly looking at ways to make the town an even better place to visit and after a series of complaints about pigeons we knew we needed to act.
“These posters will hopefully discourage people from feeding the birds; a cleaner, safer and more prosperous Northwich is beneficial to everyone.”
The BID is installing 50 enforceable signs in and around the town centre on bins and shop frontages.
The signs are designed to stop people from feeding the pigeons, outlining that individuals could be fined £75 on the spot if they are found guilty of giving food to the birds.
This will be enforced by community wardens who will be monitoring the situation for two hours a day between Monday and Saturday.
The measures follow numerous complaints from shoppers and traders about the growing number of pigeons in the town centre.
Concerns about the issue have also been raised with Northwich Town Council.
Mark said he hoped the signs would deter people from feeding the pigeons and cause the pigeon population would decrease.
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 | May 15, 2016 | Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes
COMMUTERS using the Bandar Baru Kuala Selangor Bus Terminal are in a flap over pigeons roosting in the rafters of the vandalised first floor of the bus station that used to be occupied by traders.
Office workers and traders working opposite the bus terminal were worried that the thick covering of dried pigeon droppings on the first floor could be carried by the winds and lead to a number of illnesses.
Feral rock pigeons, which are stout-bodied and pale grey birds with black patterns, are often seen scavenging for food in flocks around the bus station before returning to their “homes” on the first floor in the late evenings.
Bandar Baru Kuala Selangor Bus Terminal is sandwiched by Jalan Melati 3/17 and Jalan 3/19 within the commercial quarter but there are also residential units in the surrounding area.
Businessman Chong Hee Fah, 58, said the shops on the first floor of the bus station had closed down in mid-2005 and unscrupulous individuals had stripped the aluminium and metal fittings from the shop lots.
“All the shop lots there have been damaged. I work within walking distance to the bus station and I am worried the pigeon droppings will cause illnesses.
Kuala Selangor Bus Terminals first floor covered in pigeon droppings is a health hazard.
Kuala Selangor Bus Terminal’s first floor covered in pigeon droppings is a health hazard.
“Fine particles of the bird droppings along with feathers sometimes land on our cars after a gust of wind blows through the bus terminal,” he added.
Assistant officer Amira Kadir, 22, who works for Kuala Selangor District Council (MDKS) Zone 3B councillor Nor Azhar Jamil, said the first floor of the bus station had been abandoned for some time and she hoped the local council would revive it.
Klang Consumer Association president Devadass Anjan urged MDKS to conduct an immediate clean up of the pigeon droppings at the bus station as these birds could transmit various diseases.
“Commuters, shoppers, people working around the area and even those living within a short distance from the bus station could suffer from respiratory diseases, rashes and allergies.
“Children would be more at risk and MDKS must clean up the bus station,” he said.
Devadass added that MDKS must install pigeon spikes on the ledges and fence up the openings of the first floor to curb the problem.
The first floor of the Kuala Selangor Bus Terminal off Jalan Melati 3/19 that used to house various trading booths have been abandoned and is now a place for pigeons to roost making it a messy affair and health hazard. —Photos by KAMARUL ARIFFIN/The Star
The first floor of the Kuala Selangor Bus Terminal off Jalan Melati 3/19 that used to house various trading booths have been abandoned and is now a place for pigeons to roost making it a messy affair and health hazard.
According to a medical practitioner, pigeon droppings could cause histoplasmosis, a fungal disease that develops in the droppings and is carried by the wind.
“Signs of histoplasmosis begin to show about two weeks after initial infection and it causes tiredness, fever and chest pains,” she said.
MDKS secretary Azahari Sairin said the pigeon problem at the bus station was difficult to solve as the first floor had been abandoned for a decade.
“For 10 years, the first floor had been left vacant. For a short time, there were other businesses but most left within a month or two.
“As a result of food remnants available in back lanes and some people feeding the pigeons, the flock has thrived,” he said.
Azahari said MDKS would conduct a thorough clean up of the first floor and use bristling wires or spikes to fence the openings to discourage the birds from getting into the building.
“MDKS has allocated RM50,000 to refurbish the first floor of the bus station and work will begin in the first quarter of 2016.
“Our aim is to encourage the sale of local handicraft and household decorations that could bring tourists and locals to the commercial area,” he 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)
