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What Do I Do With a Bird Trapped in My Wall?

Pigeon Patrol — Thu, 14 Jan 2021 19:00:18 +0000

It starts as a slight scratching. You suspect mice or rats at first until you hear the faint tweeting that means only one thing: A bird has become trapped behind your wall. Unfortunately, getting the bird out is a lot harder for you than it was for it to get in. Accept that it will probably mean cutting a hole in your wall. You also need to figure out where the bird got in and cover the hole with a metal screen to prevent it from happening again.

Lure It Out

Luring a bird out of a wall sounds logical. The bird got itself in, therefore it should be able to get itself out. This can work in some cases, but usually the bird becomes trapped between two walls and doesn’t have enough room to fly. If it sounds like the bird is moving up and down in the walls and you know where it entered, you can try luring it out. Place a bright light near the entrance to the wall since birds often fly toward light. Open any windows in the room and close it off to other areas of your house. Playing recorded birdsong near the entrance can help assure the bird that it is safe to come out; otherwise keep it very quiet in that room. Placing birdseed near the hole won’t work because birds have a poor sense of smell. If the bird is not out within a few hours, it probably can’t get out on its own.

Cut It Out

If you have the right tools and some construction experience, you can try to free the bird yourself by cutting a large hole in the wall above the bird. Cut shallowly into the drywall to avoid cutting into the electrical wires. Make the cut neat to make patching the wall easier. Once the piece of the wall is removed, the bird may fly out suddenly. Open any windows and doors to the outside to allow it to escape. If it doesn’t fly out, reach in with a gloved hand and carefully pick it up. Don’t release it until you are outside.

Call In an Expert

The safest, simplest method of dealing with a trapped bird is to call in a professional wildlife control expert. Look in the phone book under “pest control” or “animal removal services” to find one. Although they will charge a fee, they will get the animal out with the least amount of damage to your wall and home. In some cases, the cost of paying for animal control is less than paying a contractor to repair the damage done to your home.

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. source

Pigeon / Pigeon Patrol / Pigeons Roosting / Vancouver Pigeon Patrol / Bird Control / Surrey Pigeon Control / Pest / Vancouver Pigeon Blog / Birds Inside Home / Pigeons in the cities / Ice Pigeons/ What to do about pigeons/ most common types of sparrows , Damages Caused by Sparrows, How To Keep Raccoons Away, de-fence, Pigeon Nesting and Breeding Patterns and Behavior What Do I Do With a Bird Trapped in My Wall?

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Pigeon Nesting and Breeding Patterns and Behavior

Pigeon Patrol — Sun, 27 Dec 2020 23:18:18 +0000

Pigeon Nesting and Breeding Patterns and Behavior

Pigeon Nesting

Nest building is very simple and often consists of a few stiff twigs. The male will pick the site. They prefer small flat areas away from the ground. Look for nests along building ledges, bridge supports, air conditioning units, window sills, and the like. In crowded flocks, pigeons will even forgo nest building and lay eggs directly on a protected ledge. The young are fed pigeon milk, a liquid/solid substance secreted in the crop of the adult (both male and female) which is regurgitated. More eggs are laid before the first clutch leaves the nest. Breeding may occur at all seasons, but peak reproduction occurs in the spring and fall.

Pigeon Breeding

Pigeon are monogamous and a mating pair will typically have three or four broods a year. The female will usually lay two or sometimes three eggs at a time. The eggs are a solid bright white color. The eggs take roughly 18 days to hatch and then another 35 days before the fledglings leave the nest. Breeding may occur at all seasons, but peak reproduction occurs in the spring and fall. A population of pigeons usually consists of equal numbers of males and females.

Pigeon Cycles

Pigeons are not migratory. Their natural instinct is to stay near their birth site. This trait gives the pigeon a very determined personality when it comes to roosting at a particular site, much to the dismay of the inexperienced pest control technician. The daily cycle of a pigeon is to roost at night, feed in the morning, and loaf in the afternoon. The seasonal cycle begins with courtship in the early winter, then nest building in late winter and breeding in the spring. However, in warm climates, breeding will occur year round. Pigeons molt once a year in late summer.

Life Expectancy: Varies greatly from 3-5 years through to 15 years dependent on many factors, including natural predation and human interference. Predation: The wild pigeon is predated upon, almost exclusively, by the peregrine falcon, a bird that is also found living and breeding in coastal regions.

Behaviour

As gregarious animals, feral pigeons tend to nest in flocks. Once they settle, they tend to nest at the same place for the rest of their lives. Pigeons are extraordinarily intelligent. Even when removed from the nest, they will return back to it. The distance doesn’t play a role—pigeons have “built-in” compasses in their bodies which provide tremendous help with orientation. No matter how far away from their home they are released, they will still find their way back.

Feral pigeons breed rapidly. They lay two eggs, up to six times a year—depending on the food available. If a local population is decreased, pigeons from other areas flock to take advantage of the abundance of food. Thus, poison often causes population boom rather than decrease. source

What Attracts Pigeons

Basically there are two things that attract pigeons to your house or garden:

Food: Pigeons are not very pretentious when it comes to food. They could eat various scraps, leftovers, seeds, your dog/cats food, anything left behind. So don’t leave anything food-worthy in your garden.
Living space: the attic or the air space between last floor and roof is the perfect place for a pigeon to live. Close all entrances if you don’t want to have pigeon droppings and insects feeding with them.

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What Are Dovecotes?

Pigeon Patrol — Sun, 27 Dec 2020 20:04:27 +0000

What Are Dovecotes?

Dovecotes, Commonly known as:

Pigeon houses, columbaria, culver houses, pigeon cotes, dove houses

A dovecote or dovecot, doocot or columbarium is a structure intended to house pigeons or doves. Dovecotes may be free-standing structures in a variety of shapes, or built into the end of a house or barn. They generally contain pigeonholes for the birds to nest.

Widcombe Manor Farm Dovecote

Dovecotes were a common sight throughout Britain and across mainland Europe between the 16th and 19th centuries, but today few remain and of those that do, many are now in ruins. Dovecotes are specially constructed pigeon houses where pigeons were kept for a variety of purposes, but in the main as a source of food. Other uses for the domesticated pigeon were as quarry for falconry and as a target for shooting matches that were common in the 19th century and in which as many as 120 birds were shot for sport in each match. Dovecotes can be constructed of virtually any material (although early dovecotes were constructed exclusively of stone) and can be free-standing structures or provided as part of an existing structure or as a ‘lean-to’ addition.

Ancient Dovecote at Embleton

The earliest dovecotes may have been introduced to Britain by the Romans based on the fact that pigeon rearing was common in Italy with dovecotes being provided close to villas and farmsteads for the purpose of food. Over half a century ago C.D. Chalmers suggested that a number of unexplained foundations on Roman sites in Britain were the remains of ancient dovecotes, but his views have never been corroborated. Due to the lack of any firm evidence that dovecotes were introduced into Britain by the Romans it is likely that it was the Normans that first introduced the dovecote and as a result domesticated the rock dove from which the feral pigeon of today is descended.

One of the earliest British examples is believed to be a 12th century dovecote that was uncovered during archaeological works in Raunds, Northamptonshire. This early dovecote is circular and commonly known as a ‘rubblestone dovecote’. A number of these early rubblestone dovecotes, dating back to the 12th and 13th centuries, have been uncovered throughout southern England in recent years and with quite a significant geographical spread ranging from Devon in the south-west through to Lincolnshire in the east. These early dovecotes were built mainly to service the culinary needs of monasteries, castles and manors but were the sole preserve of the wealthy and almost certainly beyond the means of the poor. In Medieval and Norman times the building of a dovecote was a feudal right restricted to lords of the manor, abbots and barons with these privileges eventually extending down to the humble parish priest. Today very few of these structures remain intact.

Much Marcle Dovecote

It was in the 16th century that dovecotes became popular in Britain with a huge variety of different designs and types being constructed. Ancient dovecotes are believed to be round in shape but later in the 17th century square, rectangular and octagonal dovecotes were built, some with incredibly intricate designs. Further designs and types include ‘lectern’ dovecotes, ‘in and out’ dovecotes, ‘polygon’ dovecotes and even caves have been adapted for the keeping of domesticated pigeons. Lectern dovecotes are shaped like a reading desk, hence their common name, and normally consisted of a 4-sided building with a single pitched roof with raised parapet walls on 3 sides. In and out dovecotes, sometimes known as Irish dovecotes, consisted of tiers of breeding cubicles together with perching ledges that were built into the exterior wall of a house or building. Polygon dovecotes (polygon, in this context, meaning a building with more than 5 sides) are more often than not octagonal structures ranging dramatically in size and often housing large numbers of birds. Caves, both coastal and inland, have been used to house domestic pigeons but their use is less common than the conventional dovecote.

Breeding Cubicles,
Shobdon Court Dovecote

The interior of a dovecote is usually a large open space with the breeding cubicles or ledges being offered in rows around the internal walls. Pigeons would enter the dovecote in a variety of ways, depending on the size, shape and type of structure, with the most common entry/exit point (known as the flight entrance) being provided beneath a cupola on the roof of the structure. The birds would be encouraged to roost and breed within the structure and as pigeons are quite prolific breeders, bringing up to 8 young into the world each year, competition for breeding cubicles would be high.

As the main purpose of a dovecote was to provide food, and as the pigeon squab (or chick) was seen as a delicacy, squabs would be ‘farmed’ when they achieved a certain age and size (normally 4 weeks of age). In the 16th century eating pigeon meat became much more popular with ‘pigeon pie’ becoming a delicacy and often described as ‘food fit for kings’ – this rather dispels the myth that pigeons are disease carriers! As a result of this popularisation, pigeon meat not only graced the tables of the monarchy and the rich, it became a standard food for the masses and it was commonly said that every family should eat squab at least once a week. Some squab ‘farms’ were believed to house anything from 10,000 to 30,000 birds to satisfy this demand.

Cross-section of
Classic Dovecote

In order to access breeding cubicles and remove squabs an ingenious system had to be designed based on the inaccessibility of nests and the sheer height and size of some of the larger dovecotes. For smaller dovecotes a free-standing ladder was used for access but for larger structures a ‘potence’ was used, although more commonly for round rather than square or rectangular dovecotes. The potence consisted of a large vertical wooden pole situated in the centre of the interior and which was pivoted both at the base and at the top, allowing the pole to rotate 360°. Several lateral arms were joined to the vertical post at right angles to which ladders were attached. As the main pole was rotated the lateral arms and ladders also rotated around the interior allowing access to all the breeding cubicles.

Dovecote at Godminster

Although the provision of food was the main purpose of the dovecote, there was one interesting and highly valued by-product that had a dual purpose – pigeon guano! Pigeon guano was, and still is, considered to be one of the finest fertilisers in the world and was a highly prized commodity as a result. In the Middle East (where eating pigeon flesh was forbidden) dovecotes were built simply to provide manure for growing fruit and this practice continued for centuries. In France, Italy and Spain guano was used extensively on hemp crops and for the fertilisation of vineyards and in England it was considered to be an extremely potent manure. It was often said that pigeon guano was worth 10 loads of other sorts (manure).

Dovecote at Weetwood Hall

In the 16th century pigeon guano was sought after for a different reason – it was found to contain saltpetre, which was used for the manufacture of gunpowder. This secret was brought across from Germany and sold for a payment of £300, which would have been a huge sum in those days. This dramatically changed the role of the dovecote in light of the fact that guano was potentially valued more highly than the birds themselves and to protect this resource armed guards were often placed outside dovecotes to stop thieves stealing the guano. Production of saltpetre from pigeon guano ended in the late 18th century when it was found to be naturally occurring in South America.

Dovecote at Kings Pyon

Although the commercial use of dovecotes died out in the 19th century with many magnificent examples being allowed to fall into disrepair due to neglect, they have experienced something of a re-birth in the 21st century with dovecotes being used for the control of the feral pigeon, a direct descendent of the domesticated dovecote bird. Dovecotes and pigeon lofts are now commonly used for the control of the feral pigeon in towns and cities all over the world, with the notable exception of the USA.

The principle of using a dovecote (or pigeon loft) as a pigeon control option was pioneered by the Pigeon Control Advisory Service International (PiCAS International) and can be loosely described as a form of birth control. Pigeons are encouraged into a dovecote by the provision of a dedicated public feeding area, sited immediately beside the dovecote, where the public will be asked to feed the birds at the same time as being asked to cease feeding elsewhere. Pigeons will then take up residence in the dovecote (based on the close proximity of a good reliable food source) and once breeding starts all eggs are removed, as laid, and replaced with dummy eggs. Where a pigeon loft is used for the purpose of control rather than a dovecote the facility would be sited on the roof of a building or even within the roof of a building, rather than at ground level. Pigeons would be encouraged into the loft by the provision of food and once breeding starts eggs would be removed and replaced in the same way as with a dovecote facility.

Bailiffscourt Dovecote

This humane, effective and cost effective method of control is rapidly replacing the extreme use of lethal control, commonly used to control pigeon populations in the 21st century. Schemes using dovecotes, or artificial breeding facilities as they are now commonly known, have achieved staggering results where provided as a control option, often reducing pigeon flock size by as much as 50% and in some cases by as much as 95%. Pigeons will readily use a dovecote facility for the purposes of breeding and providing that some basic rules are followed this method of control, based on a concept that is more than 1000 years old, will provide any property owner or local government body with a cheap, popular and highly effective means of controlling feral pigeon populations. Source

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What To Do About Birds That Get In Your House

Pigeon Patrol — Sun, 27 Dec 2020 19:43:58 +0000

What To Do About Birds That Get In Your House

Picture this: you’re sitting on your living room couch, reading a book or dozing off, when you suddenly hear the sound of flapping wings. Intrigued, you look around, only to see a sparrow, a Mockingbird, or some other non-domesticated bird perched inside your fireplace. You barely manage to say “What in the world…?!” (or something a little less polite) before the terrified critter takes flight and settles on top of your mantle or a wall-mounted kitchen cabinet.

So, now you have an avian intruder inside your house, and neither of you are particularly pleased to see each other.
What do you do?

Typically, when a bird winds up in a house via the chimney, it’s a direct result of either (1) the bird seeking out the warm/cold air that it senses emanating from the house and deciding to take shelter, or (2) the bird—especially if it’s only a fledgling—taking a tumble out of a nest that’s been built inside the chimney. In any case, while it’s really not a reason to panic or let your household descend into chaos, it is a situation that should be resolved as soon as possible!

What To Do About Birds That Get In Your House

If a single bird “drops in” unexpectedly, there are a few steps you can take to try to resolve the problem yourself:

1. Shut all interior doors leading into (or out of) the room where the bird is, and remove all pets.

Modern houses tend to have open floor plans with fewer doors and walls, so isolating the bird to one room may be a little tricky. But at the very least, closing off the area will limit the space in which the bird can flee. Getting pets out of the way is for both their safety and the safety of the stray bird; while dogs and cats may be inclined to give chase, interactions with wild birds can lead to illnesses or injury for both parties.

2. In the “bird room,” open up a single door or window and cover up all the others.

Remove any screens and close any curtains (or put up sheets) as necessary. The point is to make the bird think that there’s only one way out of the room. Covering up the other windows and doors will also decrease the likelihood that the bird will fly into a glass barrier, injuring—or killing—itself in the process.

3. Give the bird time to leave on its own.

If you’re lucky, it will notice the exit you made and see itself out. In that case, be sure to close the door or window immediately after!

4. Use a sheet to help guide the bird out.

If the bird seems hopelessly confused and can’t find the exit, you can hold up a sheet with two hands and try to shepherd the bird in the right direction. You are not trying to capture the bird inside the sheet; you’re simply using it as a tool to direct the bird’s movement. Holding the sheet in front of your face during this attempt can help you protect yourself from scratches or pecks if the bird lashes out in fear.

5. Check the chimney.

Hopefully, the bird that’s currently in your house is acting alone. However, it’s also possible that there’s an entire nest of birds living inside the chimney and this episode is just the tip of the avian iceberg. So take a look (and a listen) inside your fireplace; if you have any suspicions that there are more birds lurking within the chimney, then you need to…

6. Call for help.

If your attempts to get the bird yourself have failed, you may need to call a professional wildlife removal service and have one of their technicians take care of things. It’s also a good idea to get a professional involved if the bird appears sick, injured, or too young to fly on its own, as it may need help beyond simply relocating it outside. And, of course, if peeking into the chimney reveals evidence of a whole nest of birds instead of just a single stray, you’ll want to get professional backup ASAP.

Bird Blocking

Dealing with a stray bird isn’t as complicated or nerve-racking as dealing with a colony of rats or an ornery skunk, but it’s still not a great situation in which to find yourself.

Fortunately, you can reduce your risk by taking some preventative measures:

1. Have a chimney cap installed.

Birds can’t enter your home through the chimney if they can’t get inside (or build their nests) inside the chimney in the first place. Thus, adding a chimney cap (or replacing your damaged cap) is probably the more effective way to keep out birds and other animals.

2. Make sure the rest of your house is bird-proofed.

The chimney isn’t the only way that a bird can enter your house; exhaust vents and small holes in your roof are also prime targets. If you didn’t actually see the stray bird come out of your fireplace, check your attic to see if there are more of them living on your property.

3. Put screens on your windows and doors.

It’s not unheard of for birds to simply fly inside homes using these pathways instead of going through the trouble of breaching the walls or chimney. Sturdy screen doors and windows are a good way to enjoy the mid-spring breeze while keeping out birds (and bugs, too). Having a barrier in front of glass panes can also help prevent birds from accidentally flying into them, as well.

Generally speaking, people don’t really “fear” birds the way they do other pest animals. For full-blown infestations involving multiple birds, or any situation in which you find yourself feeling like you’re in over your head, Chimney and Wildlife Specialists is only a phone call away!

SOURCE

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Pigeon / Pigeon Patrol / Pigeons Roosting Vancouver Pigeon Patrol / Bird Control / What To Do About Birds That Get In Your House Surrey Pigeon Control / Pest / Vancouver Pigeon Blog / Birds Inside Home / Pigeons in the cities / Ice Pigeons/ What to do about pigeons/ most common types of sparrows , Damages Caused by Sparrows, How To Keep Raccoons Away, de-fence, What To Do About Birds That Get In Your House What To Do About Birds That Get In Your House

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Birds Can Carry Diseases That Affect Humans

Pigeon Patrol — Sat, 26 Dec 2020 22:33:03 +0000

Birds Can Carry Diseases That Affect Humans

Avians aren’t the source of COVID-19, but some do harbor pathogens that can infect humans. Here’s what you need to know and how to stay safe.

COVID-19, the viral disease gripping the globe, is not bird-related. Researchers believe it likely came from bats. Still, this pandemic understandably provokes fear about wildlife diseases and so provides an opportunity to clear up confusion surrounding the question, “can birds get you sick?”

Karel Schat, professor emeritus of avian virology at Cornell University, says that birds generally pose a “very limited threat to humans,” at least not directly. If you want to admire the birds from afar in your backyard or your local park, you don’t have to worry about contagion. But if you are in contact with a bird with its excretions such as feces or saliva (that includes filling bird feeders), he advises observing common hygiene practices, including not touching your face and washing your hands right after. That’s because birds can carry some viral, bacterial, or fungal pathogens that cause human illness—think Salmonella or West Nile Virus. And if you see a dead bird, stay away from it and don’t touch it, he says (though you may consider reporting it to your state or local wildlife agency, which can come to remove it and may be tracking dead animal clusters).

Wild birds do also pass diseases to farm animals and vice versa, and that can pose the more indirect threat to human health. One of the most well-known examples of this is with avian influenza. A recent outbreak of a bird flu on a quail farm in the Philippines, for example, resulted in the culling of 17,000 quail to stop the spread.

Bird flu strains live in a bird’s gut and become exposed in fecal matter. Birds being birds, they may peck at their droppings and become infected that way. In more confined settings, like on an industrial farm or in a dense colony, airborne fecal particles can find their way into a bird’s eyes or respiratory tract, offering another avenue for infection. That is how bird flu spreads among birds.

Few strains of bird flu can cause serious harm to humans, and none are currently active in the United States, says Schat. “Fortunately, the transmission of those avian influenza virus strains from human to human has been fairly limited,” Schat says. “But it is a continuous problem that is in the chickens, it is in the ducks, and maybe in some wild birds, and it can always get to humans.”

The particularly deadly avian flu H5N1 strain, however, has occurred intermittently across Asia since 2004. It has led to 455 human deaths from about 861 recorded cases, mostly across the Middle East and East Asia, according to the World Health Organization (there have been no cases in the United States). These sporadic cases are largely in people who have close contact with infected live or dead birds, often before home slaughter— and spread from person-to-person is unusual, the health agency says. Still, health officials closely monitor for outbreaks and mutations of H5N1.

In general, it is contact with other animals, including humans, that gives any wildlife viruses— including coronaviruses and avian influenza— the best chance to mutate and shift into new strains. These types of interactions, however, mostly occur in settings that include many different species of animals in close proximity, like a live animal market. Habitat loss may also increase the amount of interaction between wild animals, farm animals, and humans. Even with these ample opportunities to interact with other species and mutate, avian influenza viruses seldom change into anything that poses significant risk for humans, says Schat. Still, given that deadly influenza outbreaks have occurred, the risk is always there, though it is lessened when birds are not kept with other species.

Birds, of course, do carry other diseases they spread amongst themselves (this is why it’s important to keep your bird feeders clean). For example, Newcastle disease, a virus common in chickens but also found in more than 200 bird species, is a well-known scourge that inflicts flu-like symptoms along with severe eye irritation in birds. Though it is mostly found in poultry, Newcastle was hampering Toronto’s Cormorant population as recently as 2018. While Newcastle is a nasty bug for birds, it does not pose a significant threat to humans. Birds also carry coronaviruses, but not the one that causes COVID-19. For example, the coronavirus that causes avian infectious bronchitis is a well-known scourge in the poultry industry, and many chickens are vaccinated against it, according to Schat.

Beyond influenza, the biggest virological threat birds can pose to humans is from the West Nile Virus, which has been in the United States since 1999. It is likely that an infected mosquito, surviving a flight from somewhere in the Middle East, brought the disease to the U.S., says Schat. Over time, this mosquito must have infected at least one bird by feeding on it, thereby making it a carrier for more mosquitoes to feed on and become infected as well. As the virus moved from this “mosquito zero” to birds, and to other mosquitoes feeding on those birds, particularly crows and jays, it eventually spread to humans. In 1999, hundreds of birds and seven people around the New York-New Jersey area died from the virus, but it continues to kill today. In the past year, per the CDC, 51 people died of West Nile in the United States.

So, while close contact with bird poop may not be a part of the everyday experience of most people, mosquitoes are a constant threat during the summer in many parts of the world, and they can serve as a conduit between birds and humans.

Overall, the lesson is: Whether you handle wild birds, or you admire them for afar, getting infected by one is something you probably don’t have to worry about, just as long as you maintain the same hygienic habits you’re probably already sticking to in this time of COVID-19. In other words, wash your hands and don’t touch your face. And please, unless you’re a scientist or trained worker with a purpose, leave the bird poop or any dead birds alone.

Source

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Why The House Sparrows Are Unwelcome

Pigeon Patrol — Tue, 08 Dec 2020 03:01:45 +0000

Curious to know why sparrows are considered to be a pest and are unwelcome? Keep on reading!

Why The House Sparrows Are Unwelcome

The common house sparrow can be more than a nuisance: Its nesting habits can bring both disease and destruction

House sparrows (Passer domesticus (L.)), sometimes referred to as English sparrows, town sparrows or domestic sparrows, are probably the most citified and ubiquitous birds around human habitation and workplaces in the United States.

This bird is native to Eurasia and northern Africa, occurring from the United Kingdom east to Siberia (with the exception of Italy). The house sparrow has been introduced into many countries and is common in populated areas throughout the world. It even colonized the Falkland Islands by traveling there aboard a fleet of whalers from Uruguay.

Eight pairs of this non-native species were purposely imported from England to Brooklyn, N.Y., in 1850 (thus, its English sparrow moniker). The initial objective was to use this bird in a misguided attempt to control larvae of the linden moth. However, it was later discovered that house sparrows don’t feed on linden moth larvae.

Unwelcome Houseguest

House sparrows have since become a common pest bird that lives in close association with humans, greatly depending upon them for food and nesting sites. The birds are associated with the transmission of more than 25 diseases of humans and domestic animals, including St. Louis encephalitis.

About 75 species of ectoparasites have been reported from the house sparrow in Europe and North America. A number of these live in sparrow nests, from where they often enter structures and bite people and infest domestic animals (mites) or become stored product pests (dermestid beetles, clothes moths).

In addition, house sparrow feces deface and foul structures, park benches, outdoor lunch tables, statues and stair railings, and contaminate walkways around buildings. Their uric acid droppings can even damage automobile paint.

House sparrow nests often clog roof drains, plug gutters and downspouts, and cause roof leaks. Their bulky nests made of grass, straw, feathers, hair, weeds and other dried plant materials, strings and other miscellaneous flammable trash are serious fire hazards—especially when nests are located in electrical equipment, light fixtures, around power lines and electrical substations.

Bullying Behaviour

House sparrows are opportunistic, quarrelsome, aggressive, persistent, relentless and pugnacious competitors, and they’ll frequently out-compete, drive out and displace desirable native songbirds and other endemic species such as bluebirds, woodpeckers, robins, Carolina wrens and martins.

Bird houses that are placed out to accommodate songbirds are often usurped by house sparrows. In addition, these birds often consume and contaminate poultry and livestock feed at dairies and animal feed lots.

House sparrows are also opportunistic nesters: They’ll construct nests just about anywhere. They seldom build their nests in woods, thickets or fields like other sparrows do. In cities, the overwhelming majority of house sparrow nests are built in or on buildings. They prefer openings, cavities, holes, gaps and various construction defects that allow them access to an area.

Roof Risks

House sparrows are small birds, so to exclude them from constructing nests in structures, you must block entry holes 2 centimeters or larger. It’s a formidable task on two-story or taller structures, especially those with tile roofs.

On buildings with clay and concrete roof tiles, house sparrows commonly locate nests in areas under tiles at roof edges above fascia boards. When house sparrows shove nest materials under perimeter overhanging barrel tiles, they can dislodge these heavy, precariously hanging tiles and cause them to come crashing down.

In one case, a house sparrow nest (and the bird’s frequent comings and goings) dislodged a corner barrel tile that fell 30 feet to the concrete walkway below. It crashed with such force that it shattered.

The weight of the average concrete barrel tile is 12 pounds.: If this missile, falling from about 30 feet above, were to hit someone, it would certainly cause serious injury and possibly death.

In another case on the same structure, a second-story corner barrel tile was dislodged by a sparrow nest and its occupant’s accompanying activities. The tile fell onto a first-story roof, where it broke three concrete roof tiles before it cascaded down to a concrete walkway below and shattered. source

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3 More Facts About Pigeons

Pigeon Patrol — Mon, 30 Nov 2020 05:48:48 +0000

We’ve made a couple of blogs on facts about pigeons and guess what? We have another one for you! Keep on reading to find out what thee facts are!

3 More Facts About Pigeons

They recognize people who are nice to them

Though they may seem to be a little spaced-out from time to time, pigeons remember faces they run across. In one study focusing on birds in the center of Paris, two researchers offered food to the birds or chased them away, respectively. When this was repeated over several visits, the pigeons began to avoid the chaser while being drawn towards the feeder, even if they were wearing different clothes.

They see the world in a kaleidoscope of colors

Pigeons are known to have extraordinary vision, and are capable of discriminating between nearly identical shades of colour. Humans, for example, have a triple system of colour perception whereas pigeons photo sensors and light filters can differentiate as many as five spectral bands — making the world for them appear to be a virtual kaleidoscope of colours

They were early pioneers in aerial photography

Not long after pigeons got out of the news business, they entered the world of photography. In 1907, a German pharmacist named Julius Neubronner developed special bird-mounted cameras. These lightweight, timer camera rigs were strapped onto pigeons who would then snap rare aerial photos in flight. Prior to this, such images could only be captured using balloons or kites.

Aerial photography is the taking of photographs from an aircraft or other flying object. Platforms for aerial photography include fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles, balloons, blimps and dirigibles, rockets, pigeons, kites, parachutes, stand-alone telescoping and vehicle-mounted poles.

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What To Do About Pigeons

Pigeon Patrol — Mon, 30 Nov 2020 05:35:31 +0000

Having bird problems? Keep on reading to find out things you can do to get rid of them!

From a pigeon’s perspective, city living can’t be beat. Food and water are readily available. Predators are rare. Plus, there’s plenty of free housing. Pigeons find our window ledges, rooftops, bridges, and warehouses to be ideal substitutes for the natural ledges in cliff sides that they have always used as roosting, nesting, and sheltering sites.

When flocks grow too large and become a nuisance, killing the birds is often the first plan of action. But killing pigeons doesn’t work, and there are better, non-lethal ways to fix a pigeon problem.

Steps to Solve Some Pigeon Problems

You may just need one or a combination of all three techniques, depending on the size of the pigeon population you’re dealing with.

Stop feeding the pigeons (intentionally or not)

Most conflicts with pigeons can be tied at one point or another to feeding, intentionally or otherwise.

Pigeons get fed plenty of handouts and garbage, but there are also well-intentioned pigeon lovers who regularly feed the birds. This does the pigeons more harm than good as the pigeons begin to gather in large numbers, often leading to inhumane and ineffective attempts to reduce their numbers.

When such troubles arise, the best thing for the birds is to reduce feeding gradually over several weeks. The flock will gradually disperse until the remaining number of birds matches what the area can naturally support.

Unintentional food sources

Even when not feeding on purpose, we humans are messy, leaving leftovers and dropped crumbs everywhere. Pigeons hang around town squares, public parks, and other trafficked areas to help themselves to what we leave behind, especially when convenient roosting and nesting sites are nearby. To discourage pigeons from gathering, food attractants need to be cleaned up regularly.

In suburban neighborhoods, too, homeowners may mistakenly feed pigeons or they may be providing food for pigeons inadvertently when feeding their backyard birds by tossing seed on the ground, rather than putting it in birdfeeders. To discourage pigeons visiting your yard, change the type, amount, and timing of feeding. If most of the pigeons fail to move elsewhere, you’ll need to stop feeding all birds for a couple weeks. (Don’t worry; the birds won’t starve.) When you resume feeding, only put out seed in birdfeeders and keep the ground below them cleaned up.

Prevent roosting and nesting

Pigeons look for flat surfaces for roosting and nesting. Encourage them to do these things elsewhere by making flat surfaces unavailable to them. With the correct application of the right product, roosting structures can be rendered virtually pigeon-free.

Call Pigeon Patrol today to get your bird spikes and netting material to keep pigeons off your property Source

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The Bird Flu

Pigeon Patrol — Mon, 30 Nov 2020 05:07:00 +0000

Ever heard of the bird flu? Keep on reading to find out more about what it is!

So what is the bird flu?

The Bird Flu also known as the Avian influenza refers to the disease caused by infection with avian (bird) influenza (flu) Type A viruses. These viruses occur naturally among wild aquatic birds worldwide and can infect domestic poultry and other bird and animal species

When was the bird flu?

The year 2005 has been dubbed ‘the year of bird flu’. Across the globe, the fear of avian influenza has caused government officials to place a higher priority on developing plans to deal with pandemic influenza. A survey published on 23 December 2005 by the World Health Organization (WHO) named avian influenza as the number one health concern. This heightened concern exists despite any evidence suggesting sustained human-to-human transmission of the potentially pandemic H5N1 strain of avian influenza virus. Experts have been closely monitoring occurrences of H5N1 since it first appeared in 1996 in the Chinese province of Guangdong.

The number of confirmed human H5N1 infections doubled in 2005. Of the 142 cases of human H5N1 influenza reported as of 30 December 2005, over half have been fatal. That statistic sparked a media frenzy that H5N1 may develop into the next pandemic strain of influenza. A serological survey published in the Journal of Infectious Disease by Bridges et al. (185, 1005–1010, 2002) showed that although the incidence of human H5N1 infection might be higher than previously thought, the mortality rate might be much lower. Up to 10% of 1,525 asymptomatic poultry workers had antibodies to the H5N1 virus. Most of these human cases are thought to have developed after contact with infected animals. Documented reports suggest that H5N1 can infect many bird species and mammals, in addition to humans. Although more serological studies in affected areas are needed, the 2002 study suggests the virus can infect humans without producing the extreme mortality commonly associated with the H5N1 strain. Yet the fear remains that mutation or reassortment of viral genomic segments with those of other endemic strains of influenza might result in a highly virulent human virus.

The WHO, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization have established extensive surveillance and reporting programs for H5N1 influenza. The year 2005 witnessed an explosion of H5N1 outbreaks in poultry and migrating wild bird populations in Asia, spreading to Russia and eastern Europe. That dissemination occurred despite massive vaccine inoculation programs for poultry initiated by local governments in Asia and culling of infected bird flocks elsewhere. Although not yet reported, experts have expressed concern over the appearance of H5N1 in Africa, where surveillance and control measures are subject to regional conflicts, thereby heightening the risk that a highly transmissible human form of H5N1 virus might evolve. Thus, a race against time is now on to develop and generate effective human vaccines to prevent H5N1 infection and to produce sufficient amounts of antiviral drugs that might lessen disease severity. Therapies aimed at controlling innate immune responses should also be pursued, given the clinical evidence that H5N1 elicits ‘cytokine storms’ that can contribute to disease pathogenesis.

Is all the news dire? No. In fact, the present threat of pandemic influenza has spurred several encouraging steps. There seems to be greater accountability in disease surveillance by local health authorities, who supply critical field samples to international agencies that constitute the WHO Influenza Surveillance Network. The WHO has established several laboratories dedicated to analyzing new isolates of influenza virus, thereby providing much-needed standardized epidemiological information on viral samples obtained from geographically separate regions and monitoring how the virus is evolving from earlier isolates. Should a pandemic strain of human influenza arise, these laboratories can quickly identify the relevant ‘genomic fingerprint’ and advise vaccine manufacturers.

Another welcome consequence of the focus on avian influenza has been a resurgence of interest in vaccine manufacturing. Because which H5N1 influenza isolate will have the ‘right’ combination of mutations that allows it to spread quickly throughout human populations cannot be predicted in advance, vaccine manufacturers need to develop new means for rapid production of effective vaccines. At present, methods for the production of influenza vaccines require billions of chicken eggs, a resource that might be unavailable given the lethality of the virus in avian species. The use of reverse genetics in vaccine design as well as mass production using vaccine-certified cell lines hold the promise of streamlining production schedules and reducing potential bottlenecks based on the availability of eggs. The WHO and the US National Institutes of Health have several recombinant H5N1 prototype vaccine strains derived by reverse genetics from viral isolates from southeast Asia. Both agencies have provided these clones to licensed manufacturers for the development and testing of vaccines, some of which have already entered clinical trials. Governmental licensing agencies need to expedite their review process for vaccines produced by cell-based manufacturing methods. Sufficient incentives or collaborative partnerships must be extended to vaccine manufacturers to retool their production facilities so they can meet the global demand for viral vaccines.

Yet planning for the possibility of a future pandemic must also be done on the local level. As witnessed by the SARS outbreak in 2003, substantial economic consequences can result from the mere threat of a highly transmissible disease. It is imperative that local governments, businesses and other institutions develop and test contingency plans that can be deployed in their communities should a pandemic strain arise. Such contingency plans should be independent of vaccination programs (vaccination with the present viral formulations should be encouraged) or antiviral prophylaxis for exposed people, as no guarantee can be made that sufficient supplies of such agents would be available. These plans should include infection-control measures, identification of essential personnel and possible alternative work procedures (such as telecommuting), and a means of communication to rapidly disseminate critical information. All community members should be educated on the specifics of their plan and what to do in the event of such a health emergency. Such planning might avoid future revisionists from proclaiming 2006 as the year of bird flu. Source

The virus continued to kill chickens and to occasionally infect and sometimes kill people. But as the years passed, the number of human H5N1 cases subsided. There has not been a single H5N1 human infection detected since February 2017. This is the good news

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Pigeons In Religions

Pigeon Patrol — Mon, 30 Nov 2020 04:49:32 +0000

Did you know Pigeons had a part in many religions? Keep on reading to find out more!

Pigeons In Religions

Pigeons in Judaism and Christianity

The dove features strongly in both the Old Testament and the New Testament, and references to frequent sacrifices exist in both. There are a number of references to the sacrifice of doves in the Talmud, a series of Jewish texts compiled between AD 250-500. Although the texts were compiled in AD 250-500, they are thought to relate to much earlier periods. The texts not only describe the sacrifices but also how the sacrificial birds should be reared and the correct ways of killing them. The dove is better known for its part in the Old Testament story of the Great Flood, however, when one returned to Noah with an olive branch. As a result, the dove has always been linked with peace and good news and is still released at the start of the Olympic Games today for this reason.

Pigeons and the Romans

Roman Mosaic
3rd Century AD

Pigeons in religions. The Romans had a great affinity with the pigeon and although they sacrificed the dove to the goddess Venus, and therefore revered the bird, they also bred different varieties and used the pigeon widely as a messenger. Historian and philosopher Caius Pliny, writing in the 1st century AD, says: “Many people have quite a mania for pigeons, building turrets for them on house roofs and tracing the pedigrees of single birds…”. The pigeon is commonly depicted throughout the Roman period but never in more detail than the superb Dove Mosaic discovered during the 18th century at Emperor Hadrian’s Villa. Another detailed mosaic, dating from 200 BC, shows a priest beside a shrine with an adjoining dovecote. The dovecote is detailed with pigeons on the roof and flying above it. This mosaic further confirms the connection between worship and the breeding of pigeons.

Pigeons and Islam

Prophet Mohammed
Depicted with Dove

Islam has had strong associations with the pigeon throughout history and that association continues today with large flocks being found in the holy city of Mecca, where breeding sites are provided for the birds and where pilgrims to Mecca purchase grain to feed them.

Pigeons Waiting Outside
21st Century Mosque
to be Fed

At the shrine of Mohammed in Medina (western Saudi Arabia) the thousands of pigeons that gather there are commonly referred to as the ‘Prophet’s birds’.

Pigeon racing and fancying is still a popular sport in the Muslim world and the breed of pigeon known as the ‘Arabian Laughter’ is believed to have been introduced by Mohammed and is still bred today.

Pigeons and Hinduism

The Hindu religion has also revered the dove throughout history, with the bird being mentioned as far back as 1500-1200 BC in the Rig Veda, an ancient hymn dedicated to the Aryan Deities. There are countless illustrations of the pigeon throughout Hindu history, depicted with various deities. The pigeon is still revered today, with huge flocks of pigeons being fed on a daily basis in temples throughout India, in many towns and cities in the UK and many other European cities. Source

Pigeons and Sikhism

The Sikh religion, founded in the 16th century, considers the dove to be a symbol of peace, harmony and goodwill. Sikhs believe that God’s light is in all creatures including pigeons and other birds. As with the Hindu religion, Sikhs feed pigeons around temples in India and throughout the UK and many European cities today.

The feral pigeon that is directly descended from the domesticated rock dove is now perceived as being a pest and a nuisance in towns and cities throughout the world, and yet the bird is still revered in the 21st century. Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs continue to revere the pigeon and the huge flocks of pigeons that can be seen in and around temples and places of worship confirm this. In towns and cities throughout the UK the continued growth of multi-racial groups has ensured that the feral pigeon is, to some small degree, still a symbol of peace and harmony.

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What Are Ice Pigeons?

Pigeon Patrol — Tue, 24 Nov 2020 05:45:38 +0000

Ever heard of ice pigeons? No? keep on reading to find out what they are!

Ice Pigeons

The Ice pigeon is a breed of fancy pigeon developed over many years of selective breeding. Ice pigeons, along with other varieties of domesticated pigeons, are all descendants from the rock pigeon. In 1846, Charles Darwin is known to have crossbred the Ice pigeon in order to ascertain colour patterns.

it is one of the oldest of the German color pigeon breeds and was developed over many years of selective breeding.The breed is actually from the South Germany. And it was first developed in the region from eastern Germany to western Poland, with most early breeding in Saxony and Silesia.

Where Do They Live?

And it was first developed in the region from eastern Germany to western Poland, with most early breeding in Saxony and Silesia. The Ice pigeon and other varieties of domesticated pigeons, all are descendants from the wild or feral rock pigeon.

Appearance

This pigeon is an average sized bird which is named and known for it’s ‘ice-blue’ coloration. It’s head is slightly oblong, and have smooth head.

It has several varieties, which are differing in the type and color of their wing pattern. But the basic color of these birds is a pale grey.

Eyes of these birds are of different color depending on the variety. The black barred and checked version has orange to yellow orange colored eyes. And all other varieties have black eyes.

Ice Pigeon \| Breed Profile
Breed Name	Ice
Other Name	Polish: Lazurek; German: Eistaube
Breed Purpose	Exhibition, ornamental, pets
Special Notes	Beautiful, calm and gentle in nature, good for ornamental purpose, good for exhibition, good for raising as pets
Breed Class	Small to medium
Climate Tolerance	All climates
Flying Ability	Average
As Pets	Good
Color	Many
Rarity	Common

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Why Are There So Many Pigeons In The Cities?

Pigeon Patrol — Tue, 24 Nov 2020 05:32:37 +0000

Ever thought about why there are so many pigeons in your city? I have, I always notice a flock of pigeons hanging out on posts and rooftops and individually roaming the streets. But why are there so many? Keep on reading to find out! It may surprise you.

Pigeons In The City

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.”

But perhaps the biggest reason you’ll find pigeons in cities around the world is because humans brought them there.

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

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Keep Pest Birds Away From Your Garden!

Pigeon Patrol — Mon, 16 Nov 2020 05:52:40 +0000

Wanna know how to keep pest birds away from your garden? Well you’ve come to the right place!

It takes work to till, plant and weed a garden. But the results are worth it—flowers, fruits and vegetables you can proudly share with family and friends. The problem is birds. They like your garden too.

Pest Birds Can Destroy Gardens

Without effective bird controls, pest birds like sparrows, swallows, pigeons and crows can wreak havoc on your garden. Songbirds will show no mercy to your broccoli, corn, green peas, snap peas, apples, apricots, blackberries, blueberries, cherries, currants, grapes, peaches, pears, plums, raspberries and strawberries. You’ll know you have a problem if patches of young seedlings completely disappear, or the tops of your young plants are chewed off, or if you notice bites taken out of the berries as they ripen.

Mocking birds, orioles and thrashers, for example, will eat your oranges. Bluebirds, finches, robins and waxwings love to feast on grapes. Starlings will go after your cherries. Regardless of the fruit you’re growing, there’s a bird that will “beat you to the picking.” Birds also won’t hesitate to crater your lawn while they dig for bugs. In times of drought, birds will eat many different fruits and vegetables, including tomatoes and melons.

Lethal Means of Bird Control Are Often Illegal

Some homeowners are tempted to resort to lethal bird control measures. Poisons (avicides) should not be used, since they can be ingested by pets and pose additional hazards to adults and children. These lethal substances are also tightly controlled by the government, and many species of birds are protected, so their use is highly restricted. The use of firearms, even pellet guns, should also be avoided, since they pose harm and possible injury to neighbours, pets and property. Trapping birds is one option, but this method won’t stop other birds from invading your garden. If your garden is attractive for roosting and nesting, they’ll just keep coming.

The hard truth is that unless you implement some effective bird control measures, you’re just growing fruits and vegetables for the birds. To save your garden, here are some inexpensive and humane strategies the bird control experts at Absolute Bird Control recommend:

Make Your Garden Less Attractive to Pest Birds

To deter pest birds from your garden, start by removing their easy access to food and water—including pools of standing water after rains or sprinkler use. Convince your family (especially kids and grandma/grandpa) to stop feeding any birds. These early “scouts” will bring flocks to your garden. So make sure trash containers are tightly closed, and clean any food scraps around tables, benches and chairs. Finally, deny birds access to nesting and roosting sites around your property by sealing all openings to eaves, lofts, steeples and vents.

Another Way To Keep Pest Birds Away: Create a Visual Distraction Zone for Pest Birds

To keep pest birds from your garden, create a visual distraction zone around it. Absolute Bird Control offers a number of economical products that will harmlessly alarm or distract pest birds. Here are five you should consider:

Flash Tape. This tape comes in 100-ft rolls and is made of iridescent foil that’s easily cut into short strips. Affixed to high visibility areas of your garden, the strips snap in the wind and reflect sunlight to make birds too nervous to stay.
Bird Scare Diverters. These teardrop-shaped deterrents intimidate pest birds with a predator eye on a reflective surface. A swivel attachment allows the diverter to rotate 360° for added effectiveness. Attach to fences, trees and patio covers.
Bird Scare Balloons. Covered with lifelike reflective predator eyes and markings, these balloons are 16-inches in diameter (about he size of a standard beach ball). Pest birds take one look at those big bright eyes and think they’re about to be attacked by a giant predator. Made of UV-resistant and weather-resistant vinyl. Attach to fences, trees and patio covers.
Hawk Decoys. These realistic-looking decoys stand about 17 inches tall to convince pest birds that a real hawk is standing by ready to strike. Made of heavy duty plastic to ensure its “live” appearance, the decoys can be placed in any high visibility area of your garden. Simply move the decoy from time to time to keep pest birds “on their toes.” Source

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Problems Caused By Pest Birds

Pigeon Patrol — Mon, 16 Nov 2020 05:39:05 +0000

Do you wanna know what the problems are with pest birds? then keep on reading!

Pest Bird Problems – Problems Caused by Pest Birds

Birds problems can cause damage to buildings and agriculture environments. Many bird problems are due to poor planning and /or design. Nimby Bird Control Solutions has a team of experts who first study the bird problems and develop a plan of action to address the particular bird problem faced by each client.

Nimby Bird Control Solutions is committed to environmentally sound methods of bird control. This includes a number of bird control techniques including netting, spikes, electric shock and other bird deterrents. Our methods to address bird problems first begin with a thorough examination and understanding of each bird problem situation.

Types of Bird Problems

Pigeon Nesting Bird Problems

Nesting can cause fire hazards and extensive damage to roofs, eaves, structures and machinery. Nesting around building ventilation systems will cause them to clog and work inefficiently. Birds nesting can introduce bacteria and viruses into buildings. Spores, parasites, fleas and ticks can become serious health hazards in affected buildings. Nests in chimneys and vents can block exhausting of moisture and carbon monoxide. This can cause build up of mold and carbon monoxide causing health hazards.

Pigeon droppings Bird Problems

Bird Droppings are not just unsightly. They contain allergens and health hazards. They are also highly corrosive and harmful to buildings, machinery. Bird droppings can lead to clogging of the ventilation ducts and obstruction of drainage systems. Damage to equipment and machinery, buildings and roofs can be very expensive to repair. Unpleasant odors can permeate through ducts and ventilation systems. Bird droppings and feces, when inhaled, can cause an incurable disease called histoplasmosis which is characterized by constant flu-like symptoms. Source

Property damage Bird Problems

Property Damage to roofs, eaves, chimneys and machinery are among some of the issues faced by property managers. Bird droppings contain corrosive matter including uric acid. They are extremely harmful to machinery and equipment and are often the cause of expensive damage to stored items as well. Bird droppings can accumulate and block gutters and result in water damage to roofs and walls.

Appearance issues Bird Problems

Appearance issues Nests, droppings and debris cause appearance problems as well as safety and health concerns. At entrances to buildings, stores and restaurants they can be unsightly and a reason for drop in traffic and sales. Depending on their locations, bird droppings in high traffic areas can cause safety concerns. Around paths and walkways, and at entrances to stores and buildings, bird droppings and bird feces are slippery and unsafe, can spread bacteria and health risks.

Safety hazards

Safety Hazards are frequently less understood. Birds carry allergens, parasites, bacteria and other health risks to humans. Histoplasmosis, encephalitis and other infectious diseases are spread by birds. Birds nesting around air-conditioning equipment can spread these contaminants throughout buildings and cause a phenomenon called sick building. Birds introduce parasites, fleas and ticks in the environment around their nesting areas and building ventilation system. Air circulation can quickly spread odor and contaminants throughout the building.

Food Contamination Bird Problems

In warehouses, food manufacturing plants, grain silos, storage facilities. Grocery stores with open displays, exposed food shelves and other such facilities require special attention. Birds often find ways to nest and breed around such buildings. Contaminated food, stored items may have to be destroyed and extensive expenses incurred for cleaning and sanitation.

Bird Problems in airport hangars and small twin engine planes on tarmac

Aircraft Hazards – there are a number of bird problems besides bird strikes that are faced by municipal airports. Birds find nesting areas and form colonies around aircraft hangars, maintenance buildings. They can cause slippery hangar floors due to their droppings and thus jeopardize people’s safety. Birds will also lead to unhealthy work environments, foul parts prior to installation, cause hazardous situations when birds inhabit aircraft mechanisms. Bird droppings are extremely corrosive and cause expensive damage to the paint on aircraft. Birds also nest or loaf around airport jetways and loading bridges. Nimby Bird Control Solutions has effective bird control solutions designed especially for bird problems at aircraft hangars and airports.

Birds in agricultural fields Bird Problems

Agricultural Damage Bird Problems have a direct impact on the economics of agriculture. Birds feed on seeds or seedlings, damage or destroy ripened crops or pass bacteria on the crops possibly spreading disease or harmful bacteria. The birds may also eat or defecate on stored food. In small numbers, these bird problems are manageable. Left unchecked, they can have a significant adverse impact on farming operations, fish farms, orchards and vegetable farms. In recent times cormorants have become a serious concern in the upper great lakes region.

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Smartest Birds In The World

Pigeon Patrol — Mon, 16 Nov 2020 04:25:33 +0000

Wondering which birds are the smartest of them all? Then keep on reading!

The Smartest Birds

When you think about all of the animals in the world, you quickly realize that birds are, in fact, amongst some of the most intelligent creatures we have on Earth. Although there are more than 10,000 bird species worldwide, only a handful of them have made the list for extremely talented and incredibly intelligent. So who are these super intelligent feathered friends? It’s not easy to really say who is number one or number 2, or to choose the smartest and brightest of them all. But this blog gives you an overview, of what birds have made the top of the list in most bird intelligence studies around the world. So sit back and be amazed how smart some of our feathered friends really are!

Crows

Crows are black birds known for their intelligence and adaptability, and for their loud, harsh “caw.” They also have a reputation for damaging crops; however, their impact may be less than previously thought. The genus Corvus comprises crows, ravens and rooks. These birds are all part of the Corvidae family, which includes jays, magpies and nutcrackers. When it comes to intelligence, Crows should probably be at the top of the list, or close to it. Many scientists think that crows just may be among the most intelligent birds on earth. This intelligent rating is based on their ability to solve problems, make tools as well as consider both future events and other individuals’ states of mind. In addition to Crows making customize tools, they understand causality, can reason, count up to five and remember human faces. In Israel, Wild Hooded Crows actually use bread crumbs to catch fish. In Norway and Sweden they have been seen dragging fishing lines out of water to get the hooked fish. They are second only to humans in intelligence — even smarter than apes in some research tests. And what’s also impressive is that their brain-to-body weight ratio is equal to that of the great apes and cetaceans (whales, dolphins, porpoises) and just slightly lower than in humans.

Kea

Next on the list of smartest birds in the world is the Kea. The kea is a species of large parrot in the family Nestoridae found in the forested and alpine regions of the South Island of New Zealand. About 48 cm long, it is mostly olive-green with a brilliant orange under its wings and has a large, narrow, curved, grey-brown upper beak.The Kea has been enlisted by many as the worlds most intelligent bird among top ten intelligent birds. The Kea is found in New Zealand and it is basically a parrot. This extremely intelligent bird knows how to be very crafty when it comes to finding or stealing food.The troublesome native parrot, is known as the ‘Clown of the Alps’ and can cause havoc with many things (especially cars) and has proved to be as clever as some of the smartest animals on the planet. In some intelligence tests carried out by a Canterbury University masters student, kea outscored gibbons – and anthropoid apes which are part of the primate family.

Jays

Another bird we have up in our list are the Jays.

Blue Jays are one of the smartest birds you’ll see visiting your feeder. As for Blue Jays, there’s still much more to learn and discover, as we don’t know the full extent of their intelligence. However, research so far suggests the Blue Jay is no “birdbrain.” Here are three things we know about Blue Jays that prove their smarts:

Blue Jays can imitate the sounds in their environments, and one thing they mimic is hawk calls. Researchers believe they do this to warn other jays in their family and flock that danger is near. However, Blue Jays don’t shy away from using this ability to their advantage. Some backyard birders have caught jays making this sound to scare off songbirds at the feeder so they can get the feeding station to themselves!

So far, no one has documented Blue Jays using tools in the wild. However, in at least one laboratory setting, Blue Jays were seen ripping pieces of the newspaper lining in their cages, using these strips to help them access out-of-reach food pellets. This suggests when they have the right motivation, Blue Jays have an aptitude for tools. Many Jays avoid eating ants because they taste, well, awful. That bitter taste comes from the ant’s self-defense strategy: When it detects a threat, a gland releases a noxious formic acid that covers the ant’s body. However, Blue Jays found a workaround. They carefully rub the insect on their feathers, a process that birders refer to as anting, to remove the bitter-tasting substance before eating.

Cockatoos

Last on our list of smartest birds are the Cockatoos

A cockatoo is any of the 21 parrot species belonging to the family Cacatuidae, the only family in the superfamily Cacatuoidea. Along with the Psittacoidea and the Strigopoidea, they make up the order Psittaciformes.

Cockatoos are recognizable by the showy crests and curved bills. These extremely social birds have endearing personalities and great speaking abilities. As a part of their extreme intelligence, is their ability to imitate a wide variety of sounds and speech. But more than that, when scientists performed intelligent tests with the captive bred Goffin’s cockatoo they learned they are able to actually resist the temptation of eating a food item put in front of them in order to trade it for a better reward later.
This reaction mirrored a famous experiment in the U.S. 40 years ago when nursery school children were put in a room and given a marshmallow, biscuit or pretzel stick. They could either eat it right away or wait 15 minutes and get an extra treat. On average they are larger than most other parrots.

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Stop Aggressive Behavior in Pet Birds

Pigeon Patrol — Thu, 12 Nov 2020 00:38:49 +0000

There’s no such thing as a mean bird. There are, however, birds that are fearful and those with emotional problems that cause them to want to avoid being handled. When one of these birds finds itself in a situation as a pet, it can be problematic for both bird and owner, possibly leading to bird aggression. Fortunately, you can train your bird to enjoy the time it spends with you.

Why Do Some Pet Birds Have Aggressive Behavior?

The most common causes of aggression in birds are fear or previous traumatic experiences. These can lead to handling problems, bites, and attacks when birds are interacting with their owners and others. Yet, birds are complex and any number of things can lead to aggressive behavior:

Fear often develops in pet birds that were not hand-fed when they were young.

A lack of proper socialization may lead a bird to be afraid of humans, other birds, or new experiences.
Some birds become jealous when their owner interacts with other people. This plays on the natural “pair bonding” instinct many bird species have and, in captivity, you may be seen as your bird’s partner.
If you adopted an older bird, it’s possible that it was mistreated or neglected in some way by its previous owner.
Some birds become aggressive during their adolescence due to hormone changes. This will typically pass once the bird gets through this stage.
Protecting their claimed territory, such as the birdcage or feeder, can lead to aggression.
Birds that are stressed or lack mental stimulation may also act out.

How to Stop Aggressive Behavior

If your pet bird bites you when you try to handle it, you must set aside time each day to work on handling your feathered friend. This doesn’t have to be anything specific; you can incorporate your attempts to reduce your bird’s aggression into normal handling. For instance, you might need to work on bonding with your bird or train it to enjoy petting. You can even teach it how to do fun bird tricks. The point is that the more you work with your bird, the more it will enjoy your company, and the less aggressive it will act.

When working with your pet, a few tips and techniques will help it to learn that handling is safe and fun.

Move to a Neutral Location

If possible, move your bird’s cage to a neutral location during training sessions. Removing a bird from its “territory” can sometimes make it more willing to cooperate with its owner and prevent any territorial aggression.

Don’t Force Contact

If your bird lunges at your fingers when you place your hand near it, try not to jerk away suddenly out of fear. Your swift movements will likely make your bird even more nervous and apprehensive.

Taking it slow and easy is the better method; don’t try to force contact. Try to leave it up to the bird to decide when it’s comfortable enough to step up or accept a treat.

Try Stick Training

Training a bird to step up on a stick or a perch is referred to as “stick training.” It’s the recommended alternative to training a bird that’s not able to be handled at first. It’s a less invasive approach and easier for a bird that is fearful or was traumatized in the past to accept this way of moving without force.

Avoid Yelling

Raising your voice in anger (or pain) will not make your bird understand that it has done something wrong. In fact, it’s more likely to reinforce your bird’s bad behavior as it will love getting such a big reaction out of you. Whatever happens, avoid the temptation to yell at or punish your bird.

Bear Gifts

Offer your bird treats and speak in a soothing voice when you’re trying to handle it. Using treats and praise will help your pet be more willing to interact with you and it’s much more effective than discipline. If every interaction with your bird results in a positive experience, it will likely become more comfortable and open to a closer relationship with you.

Many people try to force interaction in the hope that this will stop the bird from resisting and it will simply give in to being handled. This is referred to as “flooding” and it’s not recommended as a training technique.

Build Trust Through Repetition

With birds, repetition and consistency are keys to training. Make time to work with your bird at least once a day to ensure success. Keep in mind that it sometimes takes a while to build up trust with a bird, so don’t give up!

Don’t Overwork Your Bird

Initially, keep training sessions at a 15-minute maximum. Birds are intelligent and sensitive creatures, and they need to have some fun in order to maintain their mental health and keep from becoming stressed.

Break the Pair Bond

If your bird becomes jealous of your interactions with other people, you will need to enlist the help of family members and visitors. The goal is to better socialize your bird and show it that these people are not a threat to the relationship it has with you.

Try various confidence-building exercises with other people and stay nearby to show your approval. You might, for instance, have visitors offer your bird a treat whenever they enter the house. To reinforce good behavior, they should also praise the bird in a happy, upbeat voice while making eye contact.

Another exercise is to lay out your bird’s food on a towel in front of the bird and have your family pick at it with their fingers, just like a bird does with its beak. If you do this regularly, your bird may want to join in the fun. They can also help you clean the cage or give your bird food or water so it is comfortable with your family’s presence.

Keep a Flexible Routine

Birds need mental stimulation and many enjoy a routine, so regular time for food, play, and other interactions each day is a good idea. However, some birds may react negatively if a routine is too rigid and gets disrupted. source

For example, if you get home from work at a certain time each day and immediately let your bird out for playtime, being late one day could lead the bird to act out. Try to employ some flexibility in your daily routines that involve your bird. It will help the bird better tolerate change and understand that things won’t always happen in a particular order or at a certain time, but it will happen.

Get Professional Help

If you put in the necessary effort, chances are you will be able to train your pet in a reasonable amount of time. If your bird is so aggressive that you cannot attempt training exercises, the first thing you should do is visit your avian veterinarian to rule out any health concerns. When no physical reasons can explain your pet’s undesirable behavior, contact a certified parrot behavior consultant for an expert opinion on your situation.

& That is how you stop aggressive behavior in pet birds

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Predators of The Pigeon

Pigeon Patrol — Thu, 05 Nov 2020 18:08:54 +0000

So you want to learn more about who and what are predators of the pigeon,

Well you’ve come to the right place. Today we will be talking about just that and how these pigeons try to avoid them.

Pigeon Predators

Some common predators of feral pigeons in North America are Foxes, snakes, red-tailed hawks, and owls. The birds that prey on pigeons in North America can range in size from American kestrels to golden eagles and can even include gulls, crows, and ravens.

Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. Foxes have a flattened skull, upright triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail. Twelve species belong to the monophyletic “true foxes” group of genus Vulpes. These animals can be seen preying on pigeons early in the morning

Snakes are no stranger to pigeons. Snakes are elongated, legless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpents. Like all other squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales. Snakes can easily swallow a pigeon in no time. There’s a couple of videos of snakes devouring pigeons.

Another big predator or the pigeon is the Seagull. Gulls, or colloquially seagulls, are seabirds of the family Laridae in the suborder Lari. They are most closely related to the terns and only distantly related to auks, skimmers and even more distantly to waders. Seagulls in Rome are “returning” to their natural status as predators, hunting down rats, pigeons, and other smaller birds as the lack of humans on the streets mean no food scraps are to be found

Another predator of pigeons are the golden eagle. The golden eagle is one of the best-known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere. It is the most widely distributed species of eagle. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. These birds are dark brown, with lighter golden-brown plumage on their napes. The healthy adult golden eagle, due to its impressive size and hunting prowess, has no natural predators. Eggs, chicks, immature eagles, and injured birds are susceptible to a range of predators, such as other birds of prey, including other kinds of eagles and hawks, bears, wolves and cougars.

And the biggest predator of pigeons? Man is by far the greatest predator of pigeons.

How The Pigeon Avoid Predators

In most birds, flight is the most important means of escape from predators. Impaired flight abilities due to increased wing loading may increase vulnerability to predation. To compensate for an increase in wing loading, birds are able to independently decrease body mass (BM) or increase pectoral muscle mass (PMM). Comparing nearshore and farshore foraging shorebird species, we develop a theory as to which of these responses should be the most appropriate. We hypothesize that nearshore foragers should respond to increased predation by increasing their PMM in order to promote speed-based escape. Instead, farshore foragers should decrease BM in order to improve agility for maneuvering escape. Experiments on 2 shorebird species are consistent with these predictions, but on the basis of the theoretical framework for evaluating effect size and biological significance developed here, more experiments are clearly needed. Source

They can startle the predator, stand their ground, crouch and stay put, or fly off (Caro 2005). For most birds, flight is the predominant escape mode. A reduction of speed or maneuverability is likely to increase the chance of being depredated once airborne

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Reducing Number In Pigeons

Pigeon Patrol — Thu, 05 Nov 2020 07:23:35 +0000

Do You Wanna Know How To Reduce The Numbers In Pigeons Roaming Around?

Keep on reading!

The need to reduce numbers in feral pigeon populations in urban areas has been the subject of intense debate for decades with town and city councils making little impact on the problem due to lack of investment and, in many cases, a reluctance to think laterally. Although the feral pigeon has been a common feature of urban life for the last 100 years there is no doubt that urban flocks are now growing faster than their numbers can be controlled. The reason for this unprecedented rise in feral pigeon numbers is due, almost exclusively, to the availability of food and the methods used to control the birds. Other factors such as the availability of good roosting and breeding facilities also play their part.

The feral pigeon is completely at home in urban environments, exploiting humans for food and using buildings for the purposes of roosting and breeding. This is because the feral pigeon is a descendent of the rock dove, a cliff-dwelling bird that was commonly found feeding and breeding along rocky coastlines prior to its mass exodus inland to make its home alongside man.

Pigeons (Rock Doves) in
their Natural Habitat

The reason that the rock dove chose to desert its natural habitat is the obvious availability of food combined with the optimum breeding and roosting potential offered by buildings, which resemble cliff faces. In its natural habitat the only real predator of the rock dove was the peregrine falcon, an extremely efficient predator that preyed on both pigeons and gull chicks.

In these natural environments flock size was restricted and maintained at levels dictated by the availability of natural food sources and the extent of predation in the area concerned. In urban environments, however, the picture is very different with man being the sole predator of the feral pigeon and food sources guaranteed.

Peregrine Falcon

Today the feral pigeon can be seen in virtually every area of the globe other than the two polar icecaps, exploiting man for food and his buildings for the purposes of roosting and breeding. Man has attempted to control the feral pigeon by using a variety of lethal controls, including poisons, narcotics, cage traps and shooting, and yet the pigeon has shrugged off all these attempts at population control and continued to live and breed in close association with man undeterred. Lethal controls have been complemented by an arsenal of deterrents, provided in an effort to deny or restrict roosting and perching opportunities (thereby reducing guano-related problems). Anti-roosting systems such as anti-roosting spikes have proved extremely effective at displacing pigeons from areas that pigeons roost and nest; but may not be a total solution as pigeons may simply move to other areas nearby.

Rifle Used for Pigeon Culling

So what other options are available to control and contain the problem? The answer to the question really lies in the source of the problem: available food and the means by which we currently control the birds. The use of lethal control as a means of controlling and reducing pigeon populations has been found to have no effect in terms of reducing pigeon flock size. Scientific research has even found that lethal controls can have the opposite effect, resulting in an increased flock size as a result of rejuvenation within the flock. Although we now have the science which proves that all attempts to reduce flock size by lethal means will be a wasted effort, the use of lethal control on pigeon populations is still extensive in the UK and many other countries worldwide. Why then are lethal controls used at all? Culling has been relied upon for decades by the pest control industry as a highly lucrative and revenue-rich service. If it were withdrawn as a control option many contractors would simply go out of business.

Pigeon Loft used for
Breeding Control

The only proven method of reducing pigeon flock size as part of an area-wide control system is to use a method pioneered by PiCAS International involving the use of artificial breeding facilities. This stand-alone method of control has been scientifically* proven to reduce pigeon flock size and is currently being employed throughout mainland Europe by councils and commercial organizations alike. The principle of a scheme using artificial breeding facilities is to provide a pigeon loft or dovecote in which feral pigeons can be encouraged to roost and breed and from which their eggs can be removed as laid and replaced with dummy eggs. This method of breeding control has been found to be extremely effective in reducing flock size and maintaining that reduction indefinitely

Whether a dovecote or pigeon loft is used the principle is the same – pigeons are encouraged to take up residence in the facility provided and as soon as breeding commences their eggs are removed as laid and substituted with dummy eggs. The hen bird will then continue to sit on the eggs for a period of between 18 and 25 days before realizing that the eggs will not hatch, at which time she will then abandon them. If eggs are removed without substituting with dummy eggs the hen bird will re-lay immediately and continue to re-lay each time her eggs are removed.

This may result in long-term health-related problems for the hen bird (such as a severe calcium deficiency) and as the goal is to maintain a small healthy flock of pigeons this is clearly not desirable.

The two types of artificial breeding facility available for use as a breeding control are very different in respect of both design and siting criteria, with a pigeon ‘loft’ normally provided on or possibly even within a building and a dovecote provided in an open space and at ground level. A pigeon loft would normally be provided by a property owner on a specific building or site in an effort to control breeding flocks of feral pigeons within that localized area. A dovecote would normally be provided in a green open space, such as a public park, where the scope of the facility would be the control of large feeding flocks of feral pigeons. In the case of a dovecote-based system a designated public feeding area would normally be provided adjacent to the dovecote in which the general public would be encouraged to feed pigeons, as the food would act to attract the birds to the dovecote facility.

The additional benefit of a designated feeding area, certainly where deliberate and persistent feeding of pigeons is identified as being the root cause of the problem, is that the facility will draw feeders away from their normal feeding areas in town and city centers and relocate them to green areas where pigeons can be better tolerated. Many councils will use the ‘carrot and stick’ approach when offering a system of this nature, providing feeders with legitimized areas in which to feed pigeons but large fines if they continue to feed outside the designated areas.

The main source of all pigeon-related problems in urban areas is deliberate and persistent over-feeding of pigeons by a small number of people who normally feed large quantities of high quality food 7 days a week. To a lesser extent the methods most commonly used to control pigeons (lethal controls) exacerbate and further entrench problems caused by overfeeding. The combination of overfeeding and the rejuvenation of pigeon flocks through the use of lethal controls has resulted in deeply entrenched problems in virtually every city in the Western world.

sourceFlock of
Urban Pigeons

In some countries the feral pigeon has a religious significance and this fact has also acted to further embed the problem. Muslim, Hindu and Sikh cultures feed pigeons for religious reasons and although the feeding of pigeons for these reasons still continues in many UK towns and cities today, there is a view that the feeding of pigeons is the preserve of the older generation with younger generations taking little interest in the bird. In multi-racial cities like Leicester, for example, where the council embraces the concept of culling and where ethnic minority groups offer huge quantities of food to feral pigeon populations on a daily basis, feral pigeon flocks have grown to unsustainable proportions, creating deeply entrenched problems for property owners.

The problem has become so entrenched that several years ago PICAS International was called in to humanely remove nearly 2000 breeding pigeons and their young from 7 residential roof-spaces in council-owned properties in the city. This indicates the scale of the problem and confirms that citywide overfeeding of feral pigeons, combined with the over-use of culling, will only ever result in upwardly spiraling pigeon flock size.

For any urban pigeon control system to be effective there must not only be area-wide controls provided in the form of pigeon lofts and dovecotes with designated feeding areas, but also an acceptance by property owners that they must play their part. The only body that can be a catalyst for area-wide controls is a council, but if property owners fail to control pigeons on their own properties and allow entrenched roosting and breeding problems to occur or to continue any programme provided by the council will inevitably be compromised. Breeding controls can be astonishingly effective, but if property owners fail to exclude pigeons from their properties those same birds will continue to breed unchecked, further compounding the problem throughout the area. If breeding controls are provided in the form of lofts and dovecotes, however, and if both the local authority and property owners pull in the same direction, a vast majority of pigeons that are excluded during proofing programmes will end up in loft or dovecote facilities where their breeding can be controlled.

The average property owner can provide an extremely effective pigeon control system by installing deterrents in areas where roosting, breeding or perching exists and, if the problem justifies it, by providing an artificial breeding facility in the form of a pigeon loft. The combination of these two controls on one building or site will not only reduce the incidence of soiling in sensitive areas, but will also reduce flock size year on year, resulting in a small manageable flock of pigeons. This must be the goal of every property owner based on the fact that it is simply impossible to eradicate the feral pigeon completely. Although deterrents cannot be considered to be cheap, if the correct choice is made and if the product is sourced and installed by the property owner concerned at least 20-30 years’ protection should be afforded. The correct choice of deterrents is key, with some anti-perching products such as repellent gel only providing between 3 and 12 months’ protection and bird exclusion products like nylon bird netting only offering 5-10 years’ protection. The anti-roosting spike will, however, offer the property owner up to 30 years’ protection without the need to maintain or replace the product, making it an economical and aesthetically pleasing choice.

When a council chooses to provide an area-wide control system for feral pigeons (and very few UK-based councils do provide area-wide systems) expert guidance is critically important. Control systems that are designed to resolve entrenched pigeon-related problems are complex, particularly if the root cause of the problem is persistent and deliberate feeding by the general public. Many UK-based councils have attempted to address the problem by using hard-hitting and aggressive campaigns threatening pigeon feeders with large fines or imprisonment and often undertaking deeply unpopular culling operations at the same time. In each and every case these campaigns have failed due to the fact that the council concerned has failed to understand the underlying reason why people feed pigeons. The ‘problem’ cannot be dealt with as a littering offense or an anti-social act; it must be dealt with by education and persuasion rather than by threats and legislation.

If public feeding is identified to be the cause of the problem a system of controls must be provided that take the impact of persistent feeding into consideration at the same time as identifying large-scale pigeon roosts and closing them down. The principle of an effective area-wide control system using dovecote-based artificial breeding facilities is to provide the general public with an area specifically set aside for the purpose of pigeon feeding and to confirm that feeding is allowed in this area, but nowhere else.

A high-quality public education campaign must be launched confirming what the council is trying to achieve and why. Once a dovecote and designated feeding area facility has been provided in a central and accessible area the task of encouraging the feral pigeon population to feed on the site and take up residence in the dovecote is the next step.

Where pigeon-related problems exist as a result of public feeding the public education campaign will guide feeders to use the dovecote site for this purpose and as a result pigeons will follow, thereby resolving problems for property owners. Where breeding or roosting-related problems exist, however, it will be necessary to exclude pigeons from these areas with physical deterrents or to provide a loft-based artificial breeding facility or a combination of both.

One of the main reasons that area-wide control systems break down is the failure of councils to identify large-scale overnight roosts and force property owners to close them down and exclude pigeons. Councils have the power to force any property owner to undertake works to exclude pigeons from their property or, if the property owner refuses, to undertake those works itself and then bill the property owner. Even in light of these far-ranging powers, however, councils are deeply reluctant to take this action even though it may make render the area-wide control system a failure.

Of course, it is not always advisable or desirable to exclude pigeons from an existing roosting or breeding site, particularly if there is no area-wide control system in place to provide alternative accommodation. This does not stop property owners and companies like Network Rail excluding tens of thousands of pigeons from buildings and roosting sites under railway bridges every year. These excluded birds simply become someone else’s problem and the cycle begins again. This is why it is so important to provide a system of sustainable controls, such as the use of artificial breeding facilities, that will continue to control both breeding and (in the case of dovecote-based systems) feeding indefinitely, with little or no cost involved other than the initial outlay. These systems are popular with the general public and property owners alike as they humanely relocate pigeons to areas where they can be tolerated, accommodated and controlled without the need to resort to unpopular, invasive and unsustainable controls such as culling.

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Difference Between Pigeons & Doves

Pigeon Patrol — Thu, 05 Nov 2020 07:12:23 +0000

Looking to learn the differences between pigeons and doves?

Well, look no further, because you’re in the right place!

In this blog you’ll learn:

Size and Appearance of Doves and Pigeons
Are Doves and Pigeons Considered Pests?
Cultural Significance of Doves and Pigeons
Pest Control for Pigeons
FAQ

What Are Their Differences In Size And Appearance?

Doves and pigeons are both members of the family of birds known as Columbidae. They are similar in many respects, but there are still some noticeable differences between them.

Doves

Doves are smaller than pigeons. Some weigh as little as 22 grams (less than an ounce). The most noticeable aspect about them is their pointed tail.

The most plentiful breed of doves in America is the mourning dove or rain dove. They typically range in size around 12-inches in length and weigh between 4 and 6 ounces.

The head is rounded with a distinctive crescent-shaped area of dark feathers under each eye. They are a light grayish-brown color with lighter, pink coloration underneath, and a dark speckling on their wings.

They are strong fliers, capable of reaching speeds up to 55 mph. At takeoff and landing their wings make an unusual whistling sound, a phenomena known as sonation, the deliberate production of sounds without using the throat or vocal cords.

The adult males have some bright purple-pink patches on the sides of their neck, along with light pink coloring reaching the breast. On the crown of their head is distinctly bluish-grey in color.

The female, by contrast, is a bit smaller than the males and instead of the male’s bright plumage have more brown coloration overall.

Doves eat seeds almost exclusively and prefer open or semi-open habitats such as prairies, grasslands, and lightly wooded areas while avoiding swamps and thick forests.

They are generally monogamous and both parents participate in feeding and caring for their young. After a noisy courtship flight, the male will lead the female to several potential nesting sites in various trees until she chooses one, then helps her build the nest.

She normally lays two eggs and one or the other of them always remains with the eggs, then later with the young until they’re mature.

Doves will put on a broken-wing display in order to distract a predator who is approaching the nest and their young. They do this by fluttering about on the ground as if they’re helpless or injured, then flying away when the predator gets close.

Pigeons

Pigeons are larger than doves and have a rounded tail instead of a pointed one. They are usually 13-inches or more in length and can weigh as much as 4kg (8.8 pounds).

The most common variety of pigeons are the rock pigeons. They’re usually light gray on their upper body and belly, with a darker gray on their head and breast.

They can be identified by the distinctive iridescent purple and green coloration on their neck and breast. They’re not native to the United States. They were introduced into America from Europe in the 1600’s. This means they have no natural predators to limit their population.

Homing pigeons were selectively bred from rock pigeons to take advantage of their innate ability to find their way home over incredibly long distances. This ability is believed to be a function of magnetoreception, the ability to use the earth’s magnetic field to navigate.

Their long-distance flight speed (over distances of 400 miles) has been clocked at 50 mph sustained speed, but they can go as high as 90 mph in racing contests.

Rock pigeons have been domesticated for thousands of years, as food and as message carriers. The males are usually larger than the females and stand taller.

They have larger beaks, with eye cores (fleshy growth around the eyes), round heads and thick napes. Females, however, are shorter with smaller beaks and ceres. They have flatter heads and larger breasts than the males.

Courtship rituals are noisy. The male will puff out his chest, strut around the female bobbing his head and cooing insistently.

He will often turn completely around during his display. Once the female accepts him, they mate for life and will often re-enact their courtship over and over throughout their lives.

Pigeons are quite content to nest on building ledges, rooftops, girders, and the rafters of warehouses. They eat seeds almost exclusively and will take turns foraging when they have young in their nest.

Source

Are Doves and Pigeons Considered Pests?

Yes & No.

Doves aren’t considered pests. They generally don’t nest in and around human habitations, although they have been known to do so occasionally.

For the most part, they are considered a game bird and sportsmen enjoy a good dove hunt as much as hunting for turkeys, pheasants, or any other wild game.

When it comes to pigeons, however, the situation is a bit different. Factories often have quite extensive problems with them nesting in the rafters of warehouses or the upper stories of a power plant.

It doesn’t take long before their population expands to the point where they become a genuine nuisance.

Their droppings discolor machinery, stairways, railings, pallets, crates, and anything else (or anyone else) unfortunate enough to be under when they “let go.” It leaves a pungent, unpleasant odor and the biochemicals in it can accelerate the deterioration of whatever it touches.

What Is The Cultural Significance of Doves and Pigeons?

Doves

For most of human history, doves have been considered symbols of peace. The iconic symbol of a dove carrying an olive branch in its mouth had its beginnings in the early chapters of the Book of Genesis in the Bible.

And he waited yet another seven days, and again he sent the dove out from the ark. Then the dove came to him in the evening, and behold, a freshly plucked olive leaf was in her mouth; and Noah knew that the waters had receded from the earth. [Genesis 8:10-11, NKJV]After the rain stopped, Noah sent out a dove but it came back. The next time he sent it out it came back carrying an olive branch in its beak, a symbol that God’s wrath – and the waters of the Flood – was abating, and peace was returning to the world.

The New Testament also has a dove that symbolizes peace and love. When Jesus went down to the Jordan river to be baptized by John, He came up out of the water and the Holy Spirit, in the shape of a dove, came down upon Him.

When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” [Matthew 3:16-17, NKJV]That powerful imagery from these two events has stayed with us ever since and has been used in peace movements all over the world even by those who reject the Biblical story of the Flood and Jesus.

There is even a book entitled Doves and Diplomats that is dedicated to the subject.

Pigeons

Despite their many similarities, pigeons occupy a somewhat lower position in the, ahem, pecking order, than doves do. There are Mesopotamian cuneiform tablets that are over 5000 years old showing pigeons being domesticated and raised for food.

They have also been used in commerce, and by the military, to carry important messages back and forth. Early references to pigeons being used to carry messages date back to 2500 B.C.

The Roman Empire used pigeons for this purpose, as did the ancient Greeks. Whereas doves are seen more like symbols, pigeons are more often viewed as work animals or food.

Pigeons have often been housed in structures referred to as dovecotes, essentially a hen house for pigeons. These birdhouses ranged from crude, thatch-covered huts to clay pot-shaped buildings to ornate structures designed to hold thousands of birds.

Pigeons were domesticated not only for food and for its ability to “return home” but also for sport.

Pigeon racing has a long and storied history, as do various forms of falconry and pigeon killing. With the advent of guns, sports shooting of pigeons quickly gained popularity.

Huge numbers of pigeons would be captured, then released all at once in front of a crowd of hunters who shot them at point-blank range.

“Clay pigeons” were derived from this practice when the availability of live pigeons dwindled through over-hunting.

How Can You Control Pigeons?

Doves don’t provide nearly the nuisance level of activity that their larger pigeon cousins do, so this section will focus mainly on pigeons.

As stated earlier, they have a regrettable habit of infesting factories and large buildings then pooping all over them, producing an unsightly mess and a health hazard.

One of the ways PCO’s (Pest Control Operators) defend against pigeons is with the use of anti-bird spikes. Many of them are actually called pigeon control spikes, which tells you how often they’re the culprit in these situations.

These spikes can be laid out on girders and ledges where pigeons like to nest. They can’t land without getting stabbed or hurting their feet so they eventually give up and fly away somewhere else.

A second way PCO’s control pigeon populations is through live trapping. Bird traps are set out with bait corn in them and the doors wired open so they won’t close.

After the pigeons get used the traps and get used to going in and out without harm, then the PCO unwires the doors and lets the traps capture the pigeons. Once the trap is full the PCO collects the birds and transports them away for release back into the wild.

The problem here is obvious; pigeons, with their natural homing ability, quickly return to their “home” in the factory or warehouse and you’re right back to square one.

The only permanent solution is to kill them with poisoned bait. The PCO does essentially the same thing as before with the live trapping, only this time without a trap.

Unpoisoned bait is put out for a week or so to acclimate the birds to being feed at a certain place. Once they’re feeding freely on the safe bait, the poisoned bait is substituted and the pigeons will go on eating it as usual. Very quickly they’ll all be dead.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it safe to ship doves across the country for a wedding release?

Yes. Dove release companies do this all the time without any danger to the birds. Once released, the birds immediately fly back home again.

What should I do if I find an injured dove or pigeon?

As with any wild animal that is injured, be careful not to let them bite or scratch you. They’re in scared and in pain.

They won’t understand that you’re trying to help them and will fight to escape. Contact a local veterinarian for help on capturing the bird.

Is it okay to feed pigeons and doves?

Yes and no. It’s not illegal to feed them, but you’ll definitely be encouraging them to gather for a daily feeding, which increases the amount of bird poop in the area.

They can also get quite noisy when they’re squabbling over food, which might upset your neighbors. It might not be against the law to feed them, but it might be against good manners.

What should I feed pigeons and doves?

Birdseed for doves and pigeons is available in 6-25 pound bags. Rather than putting it in a bird feeder as people do with smaller birds, spread it out across your backyard.

If you feed them at the same time every day it won’t be long before they’ll be out there waiting for you when it’s time.

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History of Pigeons

Pigeon Patrol — Mon, 02 Nov 2020 08:57:27 +0000

History of Pigeons

Where Are They Found?

The history of these pigeons were originally found wild in Europe, North Africa, and Western Asia, pigeons have become established in cities around the world. The species is abundant, with an estimated population of 17 to 28 million feral and wild birds in Europe alone and up to 120 million worldwide. These birds were introduced into North America in the early 1600’s. Window ledges and tall buildings mimic the rocky cliffs originally inhabited by their ancient ancestors in Europe. The pigeon has a long history of association with humans, having been used for food and entertainment for over 5,000 years. Source

How Many Species Are There?

Pigeons live worldwide except in the coldest regions and the most remote islands. About 250 species are known; two-thirds of them occur in tropical Southeast Asia, Australia, and the islands of the western Pacific, but the family also has many members in Africa and South America and a few in temperate Eurasia and North America. All members of the family suck liquids, rather than sip and swallow as do other birds, and all pigeon parents feed their young “pigeon’s milk,” the sloughed-off lining of the crop, the production of which is stimulated by the hormone prolactin. The nestling obtains this “milk” by poking its bill down the parent’s throat.

Pigeons are gentle, plump, small-billed birds with a skin saddle (cere) between the bill and forehead. All pigeons strut about with a characteristic bobbing of the head. Because of their long wings and powerful flight muscles, they are strong, swift fliers. Pigeons are monogamous; i.e., they mate for life, and the survivor accepts a new mate only slowly. The female lays two glossy white eggs in a flimsy nest that barely holds them. The female generally incubates the eggs by night, the male by day. The incubation period is 14 to 19 days, but the young are cared for in the nest for another 12 to 18 days. Source

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bird blog Archives - Pigeon Patrol Canada - Bird Control Products & Services

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​Frequently Asked Questions

Is it safe to ship doves across the country for a wedding release?

What should I do if I find an injured dove or pigeon?

What Are Their Differences In Size And Appearance?

Are Doves and Pigeons Considered Pests?

What Is The Cultural Significance of Doves and Pigeons?

How Can You Control Pigeons?

Frequently Asked Questions