by johnnymarin | Jul 3, 2018 | Bird Deterrent Products
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – A pigeon problem in southwest Albuquerque has neighbors frustrated and worried.
Andrea Sutphin says the problem is the result of a vacant house.
“All I can hear when I’m sleeping is ‘boogedy-boo, boogedy-boo,’ which is really annoying,” said Sutphin.
But the noise isn’t the only problem.
“When it’s windy, all the fecal material and the debris fly out into my yard,” said Sutphin.
She says pigeons are nesting under the solar panels and she’s concerned about her health. Sutphin has been a registered nurse for more than 30 years. She says she knows pigeons can carry dangerous diseases. She says she’s already noticed the health impacts on her and her daughter.
“I do feel like both of us get up in the morning, we’re hoarse. She’s always telling me I’m trying to cough that thing that lives in my throat,” said Sutphin.
KOB contacted the Albuquerque Environmental Health Department. They said a crew will be out to investigate the problem. If they determine the pigeons are a nuisance, the owner of the vacant home will be responsible for fixing the issue.
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 | Jun 26, 2018 | Bird Deterrent Products
Breeding high nutritional varieties of chickpea and pigeon pea just got easier. Genomic processes which used to take years are being completed in just a few months with the help of new technology.
This was found by scientists from the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) here, in collaboration with NRGene, Israel who helped create multiple assembly lines of pigeon pea and chickpea genomes. This means scientists can not only understand crop traits, they can also significantly speed up work on improved varieties.
With this technology from NRGene, ICRISAT has chickpea and pigeon pea genomes to a reference level quality that researchers can use. This would help maximise favorable nutritional properties of these high-protein legumes.
“The developing world has long faced the pressures of food security with limited farmland,” says Dr Rajeev K Varshney, Research Program director, Genetic Gains and director of Center of Excellence in Genomics & Systems Biology, ICRISAT.
“For effective use of genomics-assisted breeding, we need reference genomes of several varieties of a given crop. Therefore, new assemblies of chickpea and pigeon pea lines by NRGene and ICRISAT will allow our scientists and partners to better understand plant traits to breed more nutritional varieties.” ICRISAT in partnership with other institutions, has already decoded and documented genomes of pigeon pea and chickpea (Nature Biotechnology 2013, Nature Biotechnology 2012)
Traditional methods would have required years to complete each individual assembly. NRGene’s DeNovoMAGIC 3.0 delivered multiple assemblies in a matter of months. “While DeNovoMAGIC has been successfully deployed by the world’s leading seed companies and academic institutions, implementing this for organisations like ICRISAT enhances our mission of making an impact on the world food supply,” says Dr. Gil Ronen, CEO of NRGene.
“Chickpea, pigeon pea, and other protein-rich legumes will be even more critical crops in the future and we are glad that our technology can be used to improve the nutritional status of the world.”
Chickpea and pigeon pea have 15-22 grams of protein per 100 grams and are a critical food and nutrition source in India, Africa, and the Caribbean. India produces 64% of the world’s total chickpeas and 63% of the world’s pigeon pea. However, protein hunger, an important aspect of malnutrition continues to be a major concern in Asia.
The drylands, covering 55 countries in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa inhabited by 2 billion people, 644 million of whom are poor, is most vulnerable to climate change with very little rainfall, degraded soils and poor social infrastructure. ICRISAT through scientific research aims to find solutions for the nutrition security of people in these regions.
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 | Jun 24, 2018 | Bird Deterrent Products
Virtually every morning, shortly after the sun comes up, I know they’re awake.
Their high pitched ee-ee-ee-ee-ee calls out and, like a stereophonic headphone test, zooms across the sky from one side of my auditory spectrum to the other. And I lie in bed listening.
Often when I stumble out to my car to head off to work, they call from a neighbour’s treetop. And I stop to watch them. One or the other will launch from that dizzying height and voice its stuttering screech across the sky as it heads to the top of another nearby fir tree. One of the tall trees still remaining in my neighbourhood houses their nest.
After some early morning cacophony, they disappear until late afternoon when, presumably done with their day’s peregrinations – pun intended – they return to their neighbourhood and where I believe their nest resides.
All-in-all the merlin couple that inhabits our Willow Point neighbourhood are a pretty noisy duo. Their calls cut through all sounds of wind, distant highway and the noises of human habitation. It’s the type of sound that could be considered annoying given it’s pitch, frequency and frequency (i.e., how often it’s made). But its the call of a pair of wild birds and I love it.
These “small fierce falcons,” as the Cornell Lab of Ornithology describes merlins, have inhabited my Campbell River neighbourhood for years now. I don’t know if it’s the same pair or different ones come and go but they’ve been in the area for at least a decade or more. I even had one pair nest in the tall Douglas fir tree in my backyard. That was before we had it topped to diminish the risk of it being blown down, like one strong wind threatened to do a few years back.
I’ve told this story before but one time my family was out in the backyard enjoying a sunny summer’s day on a picnic blanket when one of the nesting merlins returned from its wanderings. You know when it lands on the tree – and its nest, presumably – because the calls stop after jetting across the sky from afar to over our heads.
We were sitting at the foot of the tree in our yard and after a few minutes, feathers started wafting down from the tree. The merlin had obviously made a kill and was now dismembering it above our heads! Awesome.
Anyway, they used to be called pigeon hawks because they kind of look like them somewhat. Supposedly. I don’t think so but anyway, pigeons are relevant to our story in another way though. That’s because the usual prey of the merlin is tiny songbirds. Which I have no problem with. That’s nature. Get used to it.
Merlin is such a cooler name, of course, but it used to be named the pigeon hawk for its appearance and not because that was its preferred prey. Which is too bad because there’s another denizen of our neighbourhood whose calls have begun to impose themselves on our auditory experience.
They’re recent arrivals and they’re not as welcome.
They are, of course, pigeons and they’re an invasive species and they started showing up a few years ago. Some mornings it’s their coo-cooing – or however you want to describe their vocalization – that we hear. And I don’t like it. They come and they go and they’re not a native inhabitant and I wish they’d stay away.
I’d like to make them go away. I have visions of getting a slingshot and firing at them in the same tree that the merlins nested in my backyard that one summer. But I’d be afraid of where the rock would go if I missed them. I’m sure my neighbours from behind wouldn’t appreciate being binked on the head from a wayward stone.
So, I guess a .22 rifle is out the question too. And definitely a shotgun.
Where did they even come from anyway? They just started showing up one year. Do they migrate? Did somebody keep pigeons and these ones escaped and went feral?
I don’t know but what I do know is I wish the merlins would develop a taste for pigeons. I keep hoping one morning I’ll hear “coo-coo, coo-coo” then “ee-ee-ee-ee”…SQUAWK!
And that’d be the end of the pigeons.
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 | Jun 17, 2018 | Bird Deterrent Products
In 2012 and 2013, difficulties were encountered with homing pigeons that were being released for daily exercise directly beneath the approach to runway 11.
There were also problems with removing abandoned planes which had sat on the airfield for more than 15 years.
The changes mean the council can ban people from releasing birds, for example homing or racing pigeons, from properties within three kilometres of the aerodrome, and enable more powers to remove abandoned aircraft.
The law also bans fires and firing guns on or over aerodromes.
The law covers facilities in Toowoomba that are under the control of the local government, also including Millmerran and Pittsworth aerodromes and the emergency helipad at Crows Nest.
Toowoomba Regional Council infrastructure committee leader councillor James O’Shea said the issues with the pigeons and abandoned aircraft were overcome through existing laws, but the new law would provide more clarity when dealing with similar situations in the future.
“In the case of the homing pigeons, proactive management in accordance with the council’s safety management system stopped any pigeons from being harmed or flights delayed,” he said.
“Council also negotiated with the owner of the pigeons to avoid any safety issues for aircraft or pigeons.”
Cr O’Shea said the new local law was released for public consultation, including the Toowoomba and District Pigeon Federation.
Toowoomba City Aerodrome is home to more than 25,000 aircraft movements a year.
An aerodrome is a location where flights take place, regardless of whether they involve cargo, passengers or military, with an airport a type of aerodrome.
Local Law No.6 (Aerodromes) 2017 was officially gazetted on Friday, repealing Local Law No.39 (Public Aerodromes).
Local Law No.39 was in effect prior to council amalgamations, with a continuing local law made in September 2011 to include coverage of aerodromes falling under the Toowoomba Regional Council umbrella.
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 | Jun 13, 2018 | Bird Deterrent Products
They’ve been called “flying rats” and are often the unwelcome guests to a beautiful stroll in the city. Needless to say, pigeons are one bird with a bad rep.
But for photographer Andrew Garn, pigeons are creatures of dazzling beauty who conquer tremendous odds each day by surviving in often hostile urban environments. His new book,The New York Pigeon: Behind the Feathers, offers a fascinating look at the history, anatomy, and unexpected beauty of these ubiquitous birdies.
Here, Garn shares with BuzzFeed News a selection of pictures and words from his new book as well as his thoughts on why people have misconceptions of pigeons.
I’ve always been drawn to underappreciated subject matters. For me, there’s a challenge in revealing the beauty in things that people often overlook. It’s easy to photograph flowers or models, but it’s much harder to photograph things that people don’t consider glamorous.
I didn’t want this to just be a book of beautiful portraits of pigeons — I want people to learn more about them so they can appreciate how amazing these birds truly are.
The New York Pigeon is really a public relations vehicle for the birds: I want this to open people’s eyes to pigeons and be able to show them how beautiful they are.
I think one misconception that people hold about pigeons is that they spread disease. I mean, if someone were to lick their poop, then yes, you would probably get sick. But then again, if you licked to poop of any animal, you’d probably get sick too.
Some people also think that they’re dirty, but that’s also not true. These are birds that are constantly cleaning themselves. In the wintertime, when it’s really hard to get fresh water, they’ll even sit out in the snow to clean their wings and feathers.
The major problem in urban areas is that people think they’re helping pigeons by feeding them bread, but in reality they are really hurting them. Pigeons are so adaptable — they’ve lived alongside humans for over 5,000 years — and with that adaptability they’ve become accustomed to eating any type of food. I’ve even seen them eating chicken wings, which is kind of creepy.
But the problem with bread is that it has no nutritional value and it weakens their immune system. A lot of the times when you see a sickly looking pigeon, it’s because it’s eating bread all the time!
I was born in Manhattan and never really had any feelings toward pigeons. To tell you truth, I was sort of ambivalent. My guess is that 10% of people really hate these birds, 80% of people really don’t care at all, and the other 10% truly love them. These are the people who feed them, care for them, and keep them as pets.
Really, I think that’s a thing about growing up in NYC — I really don’t think I ever even noticed nature, much less the birds of the city. I didn’t see the cycles of nature or notice it that much. The epiphany for me was really focusing in on this project. It just kind of hit me.
Since beginning this project, I became a licensed bird rehabber and have really become caught up in the entire world of pigeons and pigeon people. I actually raised a baby pigeon from an egg, which is no easy feat! For a mother to do it is a tough — much less a human. Since that first day that I spent with them, I was totally hooked.
If you’ve ever touched or held a bird you’ll notice that they seem so fragile. That’s because they’ve evolved to be incredibly lightweight; there’s nothing extraneous on a bird — I mean, most birds evolved to even not have penises since that would just be extra weight!
The really crazy thing about pigeons is their breast muscle. To control their wings, these use the huge muscles that are one-third their body weight, so if a human were to have a similar breast muscle, it would be somewhere around 6 feet deep in relation to our bodies!
And when they fly, pigeons have maneuverability almost unlike any other birds. Sure, falcons can fly faster and hummingbirds can hover, but pigeons have the ability to move almost like a helicopter. That skill comes from their native habitat, cliffsides, where they have almost no protection from predators, so they have to be able to get out of the way pretty quickly. It’s an evolutionary thing.
Pigeons are also very compliant and smart, which makes them the perfect subjects for studying. They weigh roughly 1 pound; they’re docile and they’re not really the nervous type. In fact, the Journal of Experimental Biology has over 1,100 published studies about pigeons — everything from navigation to motion.
And of course, psychologist B.F. Skinner’s behavior modification series came from working with pigeons. He taught them to guide missiles with a better accuracy than humans and to even find people at sea with better accuracy than humans working with binoculars. Lately, pigeons have even been taught to read X-rays and can spot cancer in patients with a 99% accuracy rate, which is higher than most radiologists.
When I started work on the book, I began photographing on the street using a portable studio box, but that entails grabbing a pigeon and actually placing it in the box — which is not very practical. People on the streets would come up and start yelling at me, saying, “What are you doing?!”
When I finally got very close to the pigeons, I was immediately captivated by their iridescence and feather patterns, not to mention their unique personalities!
Up until that day, I had been looking at them as objects; I had actually forgotten that they are birds! And beautiful birds at that!
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 | Jun 9, 2018 | Bird Deterrent Products
Q. Pigeons are everywhere, but has anyone ever seen a baby pigeon?
A. No. They are mythical creatures born in adult form, like the Greek goddess Athena when she sprang from the head of Zeus.
Just kidding, of course: Pigeons are secretive birds, and as such like to build their nests in hidden locations. What’s more, it takes only a month for a chick — properly called a squab, informally known as a squeaker — to become fully developed and leave the nest, limiting the time you have to come across one.
The feral pigeons that inhabit the city today are the descendants of wild rock pigeons, also known as rock doves, which are native to Europe, northern Africa and southwestern Asia.
Wild pigeons build their nests in places unlikely to be disturbed by other animals, such as on cliff faces. Window ledges, rooftops and scaffolding serve as stand-ins for their cosmopolitan relatives.
When a male pigeon looks for a mate, he finds a good nesting spot before launching into his mating call. If he is successful, the female remains at the site while the male brings twigs and other materials to build the nest.
Both parents take turns incubating the eggs, which typically come in pairs and take 16 to 19 days to hatch. The chicks are born helpless, covered with yellowish-brown fuzz; nourishment comes from a white substance called “pigeon milk,” which their parents regurgitate into their mouths.
One New Yorker who has seen her share of squabs is Rita McMahon, co-founder and director of the Wild Bird Fund, a nonprofit that rehabilitates wildlife of all kinds.
On a recent afternoon, several large birds roamed freely around the organization’s Upper West Side headquarters, including a juvenile swan named Warrior who had found himself frozen in ice in Prospect Park. (“They’re just young and stupid,” Ms. McMahon said. “They don’t know winter yet.”)
There were no baby pigeons, however. Ms. McMahon estimated that squabs account for one-sixth of the 6,000 birds her team treats each year. The flow is fairly consistent, as pigeons, which have an expected life span of two to three years, mate year-round.
Many patients arrive with broken legs. That’s because squabs nearing maturity go through an angst-filled teenage phase, which can result in a desire to leave the nest prematurely.
“If they come out too early and they don’t have the wings, all the flapping in the world isn’t going to keep them from hitting hard,” Ms. McMahon said.
This risky period requires the parents to navigate between protecting the squabs from harming themselves and letting them go free. If their young become overly dependent, for example, they could have a difficult time making it on their own.
Human guardians can be faced with the same challenge, as one Metro reporter for The New York Times discovered last year when he raised a pair of baby pigeons in his bathroom.
“You get very attached to them,” Ms. McMahon said. “They are charming.”
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)
