Pigeon Patrol

Pigeon Poop Causes 60 Diseases

by Pigeon Patrol | Oct 14, 2021 | Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons, Pigeons in the News, Raccoons, Sparrows

With a warm spell of weather predicted, staff from Cleankill Pest Control are gearing up for more calls to deal with the bird they call the ‘flying rat’.

Pigeons take advantage of the warmer weather to sit on outside ledges and pipework while their foulings fall to the floor below, creating a dangerously slippery surface.

Cleankill Managing Director Paul Bates said: “With pigeons now breeding four or five times a year, compared to two or three times 20 years ago, their numbers are increasing dramatically. The problem is exacerbated by people feeding them and attracting them into town squares where they are fouling on pavements and buildings.

“Pigeons are the most unhygienic and messy birds and actually carry more diseases than rats. They nest on their poo and attract mites. Nearly all pigeons carry the bird mite – a tiny insect that feeds off the bird, but will also makes humans itch and scratch. Pigeon fouling and nest materials also provide a home for many other insects such as clothes moths, carpet beetle and mealworm beetles.

Most of the pest controllers’ work against pigeons tends to be proofing of buildings and light wells, using a variety of techniques including installing nets, sprung wire systems and bird spike repellents.

Paul explained: “If a slipped tile goes unnoticed on a roof, or the louvres slip on a church bell tower, a pair of pigeons can get in and, in a matter of months, there can be hundreds of pigeons living in the loft space. The floor will soon be covered with fouling up to a foot deep.res further ‘natural-style’ habitats for these descendants of the Rock Dove – ll then have health and safety implications for engineers who come to service the equipment.

“Pigeon poo, when it is wet, is not too much of a danger apart from being slippery and the acidity will, of course, burn car paintwork. But when it is dry, as it often is in a loft space, or below sheltered machinery, then the airborne bacteria can become a real problem – affecting anybody that may be susceptible to asthma and other breathing difficulties.”

When pest controllers are called in, wearing special safety gear, they have to remove the birds, the nests and all loose fouling. The places they have to get to are often difficult to access, very restricted, very hot loft spaces that are about four-feet high – which is one of the reasons they dislike pigeons so much.

Cleankill Pest Control offers a specialist bird control service for facilities and property management companies in London, Sussex. Surrey and Kent, from the initial survey and specification through to the final proofing solution. As registered waste carriers, Cleankill can carry out full scale removal of bird fouling, as well as contaminated goods and furniture, from infested properties. As well as the feral pigeon, seagulls are becoming a greater problem for property owners and Cleankill can also offer advice and solutions for these pests as well.

Some facts about pigeons:

• A pigeon aged between 1 and 30 days is called a squab

• A pigeon’s white feathers have no colour pigment

• Pigeons can see in colour, but can also see ultra-violet light – a part of the light spectrum that humans cannot see

• Most birds take a sip of water and throw their heads back so it trickles down their throat – pigeons suck up water like straws

• In the 16th century, pigeon poo was a highly valued commodity as it was a source of salt petre or Potassium nitrate – a main ingredient of gunpowder! In France, it was also used to fertilise vineyards

• In India, the pigeon post mail service stopped in 2004

• Cher Ami and GI Joe were two famous war hero pigeons…both saved the lives of many soldiers by carrying important messages across enemy lines

• Young pigeons remain in their nests for up to two months…which is why it is only pest controllers who often get to see them!

• Peregrine Falcons are a natural predator of the pigeon…they can dive at up to 200 miles per hour. A pigeon can dive at about 70 miles an hour.

Source

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 Bird Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.

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Pigeons carry more diseases than rats

by Pigeon Patrol | Oct 14, 2021 | Bird Law, Bird Netting, Bird Spikes, Columbidae, Doves

Feral pigeons are also known as city doves or street pigeons, they are descents of the wild rock doves. Many people appropriately call them rats of the sky as they can carry more diseases than rats therefore they are a serious risk to health. Examples of bacteria associated with pigeons are aspergillosis, cryptococcosis, histoplasmosis, listeriosis, psittacosis and salmonella.

Pigeons carry more diseases than rats

Bird fouling or guano contains various bacteria and the spores from the bacteria can become airborne. When these spores are breathed in they can be extremely hazardous.

People with compromised immune systems are particularly at risk as once the bacteria enters the bloodstream it can cause lung infections, sepsis, meningitis, encephalitis and sometimes even lifelong illness or death.

a pigeon bird standing by guano manure

In 2017 the biggest listeriosis outbreak in the world occurred in South Africa when 1,065 cases of listeriosis were confirmed and 218 deaths were caused by contaminated food originating in a factory owned by South Africa’s largest food company Tiger Brands. While it is unsure where the listeriosis originated, it is an example of the destruction a disease carried by birds can cause.

Bird control is not only necessary in order to keep our environments healthy and to prevent disease, but also to prevent secondary infestations such as rodents (which also carry diseases), maggots, flies and bird fleas.

Birds thrive in an urban environment and only require the smallest amount of shelter on buildings. All birds can cause damage to buildings through nesting activity and by eroding surfaces with their faeces which contains uric acid, eventually, this causes water ingress to buildings. Solar Panels are also at risk of damage as they are often used by pigeons and seagulls for shelter. Fouling on the surface also reduces their effectiveness

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Pigeon Poop – The Facts

by Pigeon Patrol | Oct 5, 2021 | Bird Netting, Bird Spikes, Columbidae, Doves, pet bird, Pigeon Control, Pigeon Droppings, Pigeon Patrol's Services

Pigeon poop!

It was a nice, clear, warm day and I was enjoying watching the pigeons doing a formation flight above me when I was distracted by two teenagers who were shrieking and cowering under a magazine held above their heads, presumably to shield them from falling poop. I couldn’t help stopping to reassure them that the pigeons wouldn’t poop during this flight, so they could relax and enjoy the sunshine. This incident inspired me to dedicate a page to the enthralling subject of pigeon droppings!

The pigeon’s excretion system is not the same as that of a mammal. The food passes through the digestive system and empties from the rectum into the cloaca.

This literally means “cesspool” and is the “emptying place” for both the digestive and the urogenital system in pigeons. The pigeon has the ability to hold the action of defecating and to contain a considerable volume of poop in the cloaca without relief (Levi, The Pigeon), so unlike humans it is never “caught short”.

When pigeons are about a week old they learn to step backward before pooping and they continue to do this during their adult life, which is why you are likely to be pooped on by a perching pigeon if you are in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The situation is different when pigeons are in flight. Pigeons are designed for flapping or “powered” flight rather than for soaring or gliding flight like the seagull (which admittedly does poop on humans, sometimes deliberately) – so when a pigeon takes off it will immediately begin to draw its feet backward under its body to assist with flight and balance. The feet are held back until the pigeon is about to land, when they are thrust forward and down.

If a pigeon were to poop in flight it would have to risk the poop landing on its feet as they are held below the vent (anus), or it would have to lower its feet. Both of these actions would affect the dynamics of flight. So they don’t do either. You will usually see a pigeon poop when it is perching on a ledge or branch, or when it is foraging…but not when it is flying overhead.

Today there is an unreasonable hysteria about pigeon poop, but in earlier times it was so valuable as a fertiliser that it was used as a dowry and left as an inheritance! Even today it is probably the best organic fertiliser for vegetable patches that you can find (after it has been composted, of course).

An officer of London Wildlife Protection wrote to the Department of Health to establish whether pigeon poop is a hazard to human health and if so to what extent. Their reply should reassure even the most cynical pigeon hater or pest controller:

We are not aware of any cases of human infections associated with contact with pigeon faeces.

Whilst wild bird faeces including pigeon faeces can present a potential hazard from infections such as Campylobacter and Salmonella via faecal-oral transmission (i.e. when contaminated bird faeces is accidentally swallowed), there is limited documented supportive evidence for this occurrence. The use of simple hygiene precautions especially hand washing after touching potentially contaminated materials and before eating or drinking should reduce the risk of infection via the faecal-oral route.

A review of human health hazards posed by feral pigeons in 2004 concluded that, “In spite of the worldwide distribution of feral pigeons, the close and frequent contact they have with humans, their use as food, and the high prevalence of carriage of human pathogens, zoonotic disease caused by feral pigeons is infrequent. Although feral pigeons pose sporadic health risks to humans, the risk is very low, even for humans involved in occupations that bring them into close contact with nesting sites.

There are some health hazards associated with pigeon droppings, but these are not as dire as pest controllers and local authorities would lead us to believe:

Like all fecal matter (human and animal) pigeon poop can contain bacteria that are harmful if ingested, so it is best to keep pigeon poop away from food that is about to be eaten and from kitchen work surfaces.

The fungus histoplasma capsulatum, if inhaled, can cause histoplasmosis in humans. There is no record of anyone becoming infected with Histoplasma within the UK but it can be found in river valleys in Eastern and Southern Europe and has caused disease in parrts of North America.. Pigeons don’t carry or spread histoplasma, it is not a disease that can be caught from a bird but under the right conditions (temperate climate, damp acidic soil with high organic content) all bird droppings can produce an environment in which this fungus thrives if it is there in the first place.

Cryptococcus neoformans is another fungus that is found in the dried droppings of birds, including pigeons. When dried bird droppings are stirred up, this can make dust containing Cryptococcus Neoformans go into the air. If inhaled this doesn’t normally affect healthy humans but it can cause disease in people with compromised immune systems, such as those with HIV/AIDS, people who have had organ transplants and those who are being treated for cancer.

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What Not To Feed Pigeons

by Pigeon Patrol | Oct 5, 2021 | Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons, Pigeons in the News, Raccoons, Sparrows

Pigeons are stout-bodied birds that are common in large cities. The most common type of pigeon found in urban areas is the feral rock pigeon, which has a short neck and slender bill. Because pigeons procreate in large numbers, they have come under scrutiny in many cities, and the feeding of wild pigeons has become illegal in many urban settings. Pigeons require a very specific diet in order to maintain their health, so whether you’re feeding pigeons in the wild or in your own coup, you should be careful what you do and do not feed them.

Identification

In order to maintain a healthy diet for a pigeon, you must emulate the grain intake they would get in the wild. Avoiding foods normally reserved for people, like bread, cheese and meats. Wild pigeons eat a diet filled mainly with non-fiber items like grains and seeds. Bread is one of the most common foods that people feed to pigeons, but the complex carbohydrates in bread offer no nutritional value and could even work to starve them. Because pigeons do not have teeth, they require a supply of grit in order to digest their food. Pigeons digest and break down food through the use of the crop, which is a sack at the base of their throat and a gizzard, located at the bottom of the intestinal track. In order for this system to work, pigeons must eat small stones and rocks, along with their food, in order to survive. Wild pigeons will get the right amount of grit naturally when they gather grain and seeds, but domestic pigeons must be fed processed shell grit along with their normal diet.

Considerations

Foods required for a healthy pigeon include dried field peas and corn. They are high in protein and help build strong muscles and maintain a pigeons plumage. Corn, however, can store in a pigeon’s body as fat, so it should only be fed to a pigeon in limited quantities during the winter months. Wheat and sorghum are staple grains for wild pigeons and can also be found in domestic pigeon seed mixes. Some wild pigeons eat small quantities of green plants as well. A full-grown pigeon will eat about 500 g of grain each week.

Misconceptions

A common myth claims that eating uncooked rice will cause a pigeon to explode. The myth claims that pigeons are unable to digest the grain and when it expands in their stomachs, it has nowhere to go. In truth, birds often depend on flooded rice fields for feed while migrating north, and animal biology experts say that uncooked rice is no different than that which birds feed on in the wild.

Warning

Pigeons require much more water than most birds, especially during breeding season, so dehydrating foods should be avoided. Salt can dehydrate pigeons, but pigeons love salt, and will attack salt blocks reserved for pigs and sheep. Human food, especially meats, are very dangerous for a pigeon’s health. Human food can introduce bacteria to pigeons that they are not capable of fighting off. Diseases and health risks aside, feeding pigeons in the wild can make them dependent on human feeding and less likely to seek food on their own.

Potential

Human interaction and improper feeding of domestic and wild pigeons is believed to be one of the reasons for the birds’ decline. While many urban areas claim that pigeon populations are out of control, the truth is that around 59 species are currently threatened by extinction, which is over 20 percent of the pigeon population. Since the 1600s, 10 species of pigeon have become extinct. While habitat loss and over-hunting are partly to blame, bird specialists believe that domestication and improper feeding has weakened the entire species.

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A Pigeon’s Habitat

by Pigeon Patrol | Oct 5, 2021 | Pigeon Predators, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons, Pigeons in the News, Raccoons, Sparrows, UltraSonic Bird Control

Pigeons are a successful and adaptable group of birds that thrive in varied habitats. Most of the pigeons commonly seen in cities in the United States are feral rock doves (Columba livia), descendants of birds first brought to America from Europe in the 1600s. Sometimes also called rock pigeons, these birds make their homes in a variety of habitats throughout the world, but many have adapted to life with humans.

Urban Landscapes

Pigeons thrive in cities where humans create buildings that pigeons are able to adapt for their own use. Tall buildings and window ledges simulate the natural cliffs where wild pigeons live, and the birds use these man-made spots to roost, loaf and build their nests. City birds scavenge from the trash and from pet food dishes left outside, and they will pick up any dropped bits of food that they find. It’s also common for people to feed city pigeons bits of bread, crumbs and birdseed.

Rural and Suburban Pigeons

Cities aren’t the only place that pigeons can thrive. Where in the wild they might have used cliffs and caves, in rural and suburban areas pigeons are quick to move into open barns and abandoned homes, under bridges and around other available human structures. They eat spilled grain, garden waste and animal food, as well as any other foods that present themselves. These birds sometimes make a nuisance of themselves by living and feeding around farms and grain storage elevators.

Rocky Cliffs

In the wild pigeons often live on or near large, rocky cliffs. They typically build their nests on the faces of these cliffs, presenting a challenge to many would-be predators. Pigeons also live inside caves, near the opening, when these are available. In the wild they mostly eat seeds and grains, but will also eat fruit, insects, slugs, snails and even small lizards. Both parents take turns incubating the eggs, and it’s not uncommon for pigeons to return to the same nest year after year, making a new nest on top of the old one.

Other Pigeon Habitats

Pigeons live in almost every part of the world. They inhabit forests such as rainforests, temperate deciduous forests, swamp forests and arboreal forests. Pigeons inhabit desert areas where the get water by eating succulent plants, and they also live on islands, in mangrove forests, in chaparral and in almost every other environment on Earth. The only places where pigeons haven’t settled in are the high Arctic and Antarctic regions. In areas where food is plentiful and the environment is favorable, pigeons may live in groups of hundreds or even thousands of birds.

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Pigeon Poop Causes 60 Diseases

Pigeons carry more diseases than rats

Pigeons carry more diseases than rats

Pigeon Poop – The Facts

What Not To Feed Pigeons

Identification

Considerations

Misconceptions

Warning

Potential

A Pigeon’s Habitat

Urban Landscapes

Rural and Suburban Pigeons

Rocky Cliffs

Other Pigeon Habitats

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