by johnnymarin | Jan 7, 2018 | Pigeon Patrol's Services
Holyrood officials have been urged to think again about their decision to spend £80,000 on using birds of prey to scare pigeons away from the Scottish Parliament building over the next five years. Hawks and falcons are brought in regularly to fly over the parliament to deter pigeons from making it their home. But MSPs claim the pigeons have become wise to the practice and now simply wait for the birds of prey to leave with their handler before settling back on the roofs and ledges of the £414 million building. The parliament has renewed its maintenance contract – of which the birds of prey are now a part – for another five years with a possible two-year extension. Overall pigeon numbers are thought to have been reduced as far as they are likely to go, but the parliament believes the hawks and falcons are necessary to stop them increasing again. However, Lothian Tory MSP Miles Briggs, a member of the cross-party animal welfare group at Holyrood, said it was time for a rethink on spending so much money on a bird handler coming to Holyrood. “I don’t think they have looked at how effective it is actually being,” he said. “For a lot of building users it has become a bit of a joke. The pigeons are sitting up on Arthur’s Seat waiting for him to go away. The pigeons seem to be quite bright.” The Holyrood building was plagued by pigeons even before it officially opened in 2004. Muck and feathers were blown through vents on to researchers’ desks and some birds even got into MSPs’ offices. The cross-party Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, which oversees the building, brought in birds of prey as a deterrent nine years ago. Mr Briggs said: “When the MSP office block was first built there were so many nooks and crannies it was like a massive pigeon loft, but that has all been netted off now. “That probably had more effect displacing the pigeon population than the man coming to fly his birds of prey. “The corporate body needs to review this decision and whether it’s an effective use of taxpayers’ money.” Monthly reports by the contractors to the Scottish Parliament claim between 50 and 65 per cent of pigeons are dispersed during their presence on site. But the numbers seem to return to roughly the same level after they have gone. A parliament spokesman said: “We are aware the problem can never be fully eradicated and we will continue with the current approach.”
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by johnnymarin | Jan 6, 2018 | Pigeons in the News
An animal owner in Luzerne County is under investigation after several animals were left outside in frigid temperatures.
More than a dozen dogs and farm animals were left with no food or heat.
State police spent their New Year’s at a home near Wapwallopen investigating the incident where they found dogs kept outside with chickens, goats, and pigeons.
“Lacking shelter, two dogs to one small shelter with frozen water is just not sufficient,” said Mary Sult of the Animal Resource Center.
Troopers and Luzerne County SPCA came to the home on Cemetery Drive Sunday evening to confiscate the dogs and other animals. Pigeons and chickens are still there, left in the cold weather.
Neighbors alerted the Animal Resource Center near Bloomsburg about the conditions. Sult went to the home to provide food and that’s when the investigation started.
“I really have to toast them for the new year because they’re the ones who saved these animals,” said Sult.
The owner was not home at the time. Authorities brought the animals to a local shelter. Now, animal activists are warning others that might be doing the same thing.
“Bring your animals inside,” said Sult. “It does not take much and if you can’t bring them inside then don’t have them.”
Sult says no animal should be outside for more than 20 minutes when it’s 32 degrees or colder. That’s the new state “Libre’s Law,” which makes a conviction for such an offense a felony.
“They would have been in these temperatures for weeks and who knows if they would have survived,” said Sult.
Sult says if you can’t care for them, take them to your local shelter. It may cost a few bucks, but it might be cheaper than animal cruelty charges.
We are waiting on more information on whether charges will be filed.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by johnnymarin | Jan 5, 2018 | Pigeon Patrol's Services
People walking through an underpass on The Queensway should keep their heads up and hats on, to avoid a wet and smelly surprise.
If their gaze is not fixed upward, they could be victimized by pigeons that are bombarding the north sidewalk from the rafters of the South Kingsway overpass.
Pigeons love to find a covered area where they can roost, which makes the support beams running along the underside of overpasses a prime location to set up shop.
Once they’re domiciled, the birds are not bashful about where they do their doo-doo. It’s no skin off their beaks if the sidewalk below is slathered with droppings, along with hapless pedestrians.
A time-tested solution is to put up screens on the bottom of overpasses. It works until the crafty pigeons find a way to sneak in under the screens and foil the best laid plans of mice and men.
Stan Pietlock emailed to say he walks in the area where the South Kingsway passes over The Queensway and is appalled by the bird droppings along the sidewalk on the north side of the underpass.
“The amount of pigeon excrement mixed with feathers is unhealthy, especially with toddlers riding in strollers close to the ground,” he said, adding it’s also “an example of poor sidewalk maintenance.
“One is literally forced to walk on the curb to keep one’s shoes out of the mess.”
We went there and watched as pedestrians veered around bird droppings and feathers coating the north sidewalk, a sign that pigeons still rule the roost.
And no wonder. We spotted pigeons perched above screens that had large holes in them, allowing easy access to a no-bird-trespassing area.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by johnnymarin | Jan 4, 2018 | Pigeons in the News
Winter migratory birds are being sighted farther away from Delhi-NCR as the region’s own wetlands shrink into nothing. This stands true for Haryana’s Sultanpur and Basai, Uttar Pradesh’s Surajpur and Dadri, and Delhi’s own Okhla Bird Sanctuary, Sanjay Jheel and Yamuna Khadar – former rich habitats of winter-roosting avians.
Dr. Surya Prakash, a renowned biologist from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), indicated towards this in a retrospective of rare birds seen in Delhi and NCR in year 2017, on Sunday.
Wild birds are natural indicators of a healthy ecosystem. They thrive only in peaceful habitats and pollution-free environment.
Dr. Prakash said, “This year was good for birding primarily due to rains. Dhanauri wetlands in UP remained on top in number of birding trips being a ‘Sarus crane paradise.’ For many birders, Najafgarh jheel attracted due to its Greater flamingos and Common cranes.”
“Birders enjoyed Sultanpur National Park (SNP) flats to witness Stoliczka’s Bushchat’s mesmerising ‘puff-n-roll’ display. Indian Pitta and Cuckoo Shrike showed up as usual at Mangar but the highlights were Jungle Bush Quail and Greater Rackettail drongo seen at SNP and Mangar forests each,” he said.
Sohail Madan of the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) reported Eurasian Griffon and King Vulture from Asola Bhatti Mines along with the second sighting of Brown Hawk Owl from the same area, Dr. Prakash added.
One Gyps species of vulture was reported from Okhla Bird Park also and a birder, CB Maurya, reported 40 Black Storks from RK Puram, that’s the highest number till date in the history of Delhi. One of the most interesting sightings from NCR cities was that of six Slavonian grebe ducks from Dighal in Haryana by birding enthusiast Rakesh Ahlawat.
Veteran birder Anand Arya said, “We have lost about 150-200 rich and healthy bird habitats over the past decade. Basai wetlands in Haryana were fed by a canal in arrangement with the irrigation department, which has now reduced to about onefourth its size. Sultanpur and Okhla Bird sanctuaries are dying due to bad management. The Yamuna Khadar has been lost to illegal agriculture and mining while Dadri and Hasanpur have gone to construction. Ponds in villages Mandkoula and Mandnaka in Palwal, Haryana, are also lost.”
Bird lovers are now venturing farther to Haryana’s pristine Dighal and Yamunanagar wetlands, which are still unspoilt by development, he said.
But interestingly, Dr. Prakash noted that forest-based raptor birds, previously seen in forest areas mainly, are now being spotted in Delhi more often, thanks to the explosion in population of feral pigeons and common mynas that serve as easy prey.
“We are spotting more of Common kestrel, Perigreen Falcon, Booted Eagle, Bonalese eagles, large owls and shikras than before – most of them with pigeon kills,” he said.
“This is besides the scavenging birds – black kites, vultures and common crows – which frequent landfills. This is quite notable for town planners and civic authorities too as pigeons are believed to be a big nuisance and carriers of diseases, believe some experts,” he informed.”
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by johnnymarin | Jan 3, 2018 | Pigeon Patrol's Services
Hyderabad: A gang that was hunting birds in West Marredpally was stopped by bird conservationists on Sunday afternoon. However, the group of about eight men managed to escape leaving behind a bag full of dead and injured birds.
A dead Greater coucal, which is protected under the Wildlife Protection Act, and five pigeons were recovered from the bag, while three other pigeons were recovered alive but severely injured.
Incidents of bird poaching by group who use primitive methods of hunting such as catapult and stones are common in Secunderabad, said Rama Menon, Hyderabad coordinator for Nature Forever. Catapults are also banned under the Wildlife Protection Act.
A case was booked under the Wildlife Protection Act at the West Marredpally police station, she said.
Secunderabad is home to many species of common birds, and residential colonies here often have birds coming into houses, with residents taking care of them by keeping bowls of water and food in kitchens, balconies and verandas.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
