Beware of pigeon droppings!

Beware of pigeon droppings!

pigeon patrolPANAJI: Pigeon population is growing in the city without any growth in awareness among the people that pigeon droppings can cause a lung-related disease.
According to a Mumbai-based news report, dried droppings of pigeons contain spores, which if inhaled may lead to respiratory illness. Their faecal matter is highly acidic and can destroy buildings and monuments.
The report has further adds that daily exposure to pigeons can lead to progressive symptoms like irreversible lung fibrosis and even death.
People feed pigeons as charity, for religious reasons or fun or just because others are doing so, but contact with their droppings could pose a health risk.
Hypersensitivity pneumonitis, a human disease, is known to be caused by repetitive inhalation of antigenic agents found in pigeon droppings.
A lack of awareness on how pigeon droppings can be a health hazard can become a hurdle in diagnosis for doctors.
A well-fed pigeon on an average dispenses up to 11.5 kg of droppings a year. The pigeons are often found sitting on TV antennas, atop AC units, window sills, housetops, eaves, power lines, and in ducts and vents.
They often make nests in buildings and rapidly reproduce. Pigeon droppings are often found deposited on park benches, statues, and cars, and are an aesthetic problem.
To bird lovers, pigeons are hardy survivors in a concrete city; many feel that caring for pigeons is a humane thing to do. But, to households, corporations housed in gleaming high rises and health experts, these birds are pests that test ‘our commitment to cleanliness and disease control.’
There is no NGO taking care of the birds like pigeons, like some NGOs care for dogs, and surprisingly none of the government authorities – forest department and animal husbandry department have woken up to the pigeon menace.
The forest department claimed of not receiving a single complaint of pigeon menace in the city, but urged the residents to avoid feeding pigeons that can backfire, resulting in a serious menace.
An official said that residents need to take long-term measures by blocking their nesting sites and installing ultra sonic sound system to frighten them up.
The CCP said that they do not have any measures to put curbs on unregulated bird feeding that increases pest menace as such food meant for pigeons invariably attracts rats.
Pigeon-feeding stations are slowly mushrooming in the city. It gets started with feeding the birds with grains and leftover food; and while the flock grows larger, another station emerges a little away on the other side of the road. Often we find pavements and roads with mounds of uneaten grains, bread and rice, which attract other animals too.
In the city, one see some major pigeon-feeding stations near Rameshwar Lodge, Hotel Nova Goa, Hotel Kamat, municipal garden, behind Rebello building, new CCP market area and Tonca near Thomas Garage.
These birds are known to return to the place where they are fed and, according to some studies, organise their day around feeding.
Bird experts feel that unregulated practice of feeding and enough spots for nesting are the main reasons for the pigeon population explosion. The other reason being the absence of natural predators.
“The issue of their population has arose as people started leaving grains and food for them. They no longer have to make an effort to find food and a good nesting area, which has made them prolific breeders,” said president of Goa Bird Conservation Network, Parag Rangnekar, who is involved in bird conservation efforts.
“Unless there is a study done to prove that pigeon droppings cause incidences of respiratory problem then it is wrong to blame pigeons for that,” he added.
A resident of Tonca, Ismail Nawar, called for a plan to control the pigeon population.
“People should also be discouraged from feeding pigeons in public places,” Nawar said, adding that it is the only way to prevent overfeeding.
Sanjay Sarmalkar, from St Inez, said that not only are the bird droppings are health hazard, they also do some serious damage to vehicle paint.
“I have to daily wash my car which remains covered with droppings, otherwise, these acidic and grainy droppings can stain and take the gloss off the paint if left for too long,” Sarmalkar added.

 

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)

BMC mulls contraceptives for pigeons

BMC mulls contraceptives for pigeons

pigeon patrolTo prevent diseases caused due to pigeons, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has been contemplating controlling their population with the help of contraceptives called Ovistop.

There are kabutarkhanas at various places across the city, where people feed jawar, millet, and gram to pigeons. There are several complaints of people getting diseases like asthma and TB due to the droppings and feathers of the birds.
According to the civic officials, one pair of birds can produce 48 pigeons a year, which has led to overpopulation of the species in the city.

Shiv Sena corporator Abhishek Ghosalkar had proposed that the BMC should put the pigeons on birth control with the help of Ovistop. According to this method, each pigeon is fed Ovistop, a product made of corn seeds covered in Nicarbazin, which acts as a contraceptive for birds. The pill is touted as being highly effective.
In a reply given to him, the civic administration has said that the matter does not come under the jurisdiction of the BMC’s health department and belongs to the director, food and drugs administration (FDA) of the state government. “However, we have asked the FDA about implementing this method of providing food mixed with Ovistop to pigeons in the city,” said a civic official.

 

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)

Beverley Minster’s Peregrine Falcons ‘preying on song birds’

Beverley Minster’s Peregrine Falcons ‘preying on song birds’

pigeon patrolFEATHERS have been ruffled after peregrine falcons were encouraged to nest at Beverley Minster.

Garden bird lovers and pigeon fanciers have criticised the church for allowing the RSPB to install a bird box on top of the minster.

The box was installed this month after a pair of peregrines were spotted in residence at the minster.

But Beverley resident Annie Cox, 69, who lives near Beverley Minster, claimed the falcons are preying on song birds.

She said: “When we moved to Minster View we were delighted to wake to the dawn chorus.

“It was wonderful until summer, when falcons were introduced to control feral pigeons around the minster, we had blackbirds raising their young and variety of small birds – even the endangered sparrow.

“I’m disabled with severe osteoarthritis and had great pleasure watching birds at the feeder in the front garden. Now there are no birds to eat the seed.”

Mrs Cox said she has put up net curtains so she cannot see piles of feathers in the garden.

She said: “All that is left are piles of feathers and one pair of blackbirds and wood pigeons in our garden.”

Mrs Cox said she was distressed when she found out peregrine falcons were being encouraged to nest at the minster.

She said: “Falcons and other raptors have no place in towns and should be returned to their natural environment in the countryside where they can live on rabbits and rodents rather than decimating the small bird population, which is already at risk.”

Local pigeon fanciers are also upset about the peregrine falcons preying on other birds.

John Baker, who keeps racing pigeons, said: “It is very nice to see peregrine falcons flying, but they eat pigeons and song birds.

“They pluck them alive and pull them apart.

“Churches are not their normal habitat and I personally think the vicar is out of order letting this happen. Is he not supposed to love all creatures?”

Minster Vicar Reverend Jeremy Fletcher said: “I am not an expert, but I think sparrowhawks have much more impact on garden birds.

“The peregrines adopted the minster towers last year as a place to roost and hunt from. They came of their own accord.

“It appears peregrines are protected so if you have them you can’t do anything about that, you are required by law not to affect them.

“One of the reasons it is good for us is having peregrines at the building scares off feral pigeons, which cause damage to the stonework.”

 

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)

Activists argue about how to kill pigeons, instead of arguing not to kill pigeons

Activists argue about how to kill pigeons, instead of arguing not to kill pigeons

pigeon patrolApparently, it’s completely legal to gun down live birds released from boxes at the Philadelphia Gun Club, but hiring this teenager to end the lives of birds that were missed is downright cruel. What activists from SHARK seem to be forgetting, is that regardless of this kid’s actions, those birds were set to die.

When the group filmed the kid chasing down the birds and using beach side objects like sticks and rocks to kill them, they brought focus to the treatment of animals instead of the use. “The shoots are legal in Pennsylvania, so there’s nothing we can do about that. Our concern is the treatment of the animal once it is shot, to make sure it’s (euthanasia) done as humanely and swiftly as possible,” Police Lt. William McVey told the news outlet. “In this case, it crossed the line.” The argument here is that death is fine, as long as it’s swift. But why isn’t the argument that we shouldn’t be killing these pigeons at all?

God dammit – those birds were property of the hunting club, and people expect them to be taken care of! An attorney for SHARK said, ”It shows that whatever steps the gun club has taken up until now to keep its promise have been inadequate, so the Bensalem Police Department’s decision to file charges doesn’t satisfy SHARK’s concern that future shoots held at the gun club also won’t comply with the agreement. Right now, SHARK is exploring their options in pursuing an appropriate remedy, including returning to court.” How can we ever trust these hunters again?

Really, attorneys should be working on getting rid of the entire club, their hosting of these semiannual shoots, and the unnecessary use of these pigeons for sport. And when it comes to educating a seventeen year old on animal rights, we ought the talk veganism and not “nice” ways to put an animal down.

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)

Local Council Bans People From Hanging Out in Pairs

Local Council Bans People From Hanging Out in Pairs

pigeon patrol

Local councils have been accused of using public space protection orders (PSPOs) to introduce ludicrous new laws, the breaking of which could result in on-the-spot fines of up to £100. Want to see a few examples? Of course you do. Hillingdon council has been particularly busy:

  • People are banned from gathering in groups of two or more in parts of Hayes town centre, Pinkwell, Kingshill Avenue, Kingsash Drive, and Cedars and Grainges car parks, unless waiting for a bus or moving to or from a parked vehicle
  • People aren’t allowed to feed pigeons in parks if they could cause a nuisance
  • People mustn’t use remote controlled model vehicles and aircraft in parks if they could cause a nuisance
  • People aren’t allowed to leaving their engine running in the Heathrow villages areas,when they’ve already parked their car

Better still, Havering is clamping down on parents dropping their kids off at school and Hackney tried (but failed) to enforce a ban on rough sleepers.

It all sounds very bitty and over-the-top, but Simon Blackburn, the chairman of the Local Government Association’s Safer and Stronger Communities Board, disagrees, saying, “Clearly in the majority of cases, no action will be taken against people because they will be behaving in an innocent way. What these powers do is give councils and police the ability to enforce against people who are causing anti-social behaviour.”

 

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)

 

Man who suspended bird from flat gets AVA warning

Man who suspended bird from flat gets AVA warning

pigeon patrolSINGAPORE — The Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority (AVA) has issued a warning letter to a home owner who had suspended a live mynah from a string from his window to scare the bird after it defecated in his Yishun home.

The AVA investigated the incident after it was flagged by the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (ACRES), which had responded to a call reporting the incident in November last year. ACRES had also shared a video on its Facebook page showing the hung mynah.

Responding to queries, the AVA said the mynah had flown into a flat and defecated inside.

“The home owner caught the mynah and suspended it outside a window by its tied legs, in an attempt to scare the mynah,” said an AVA spokesperson. “The home owner had intended to release the mynah.”

According to ACRES, the father of the caller who reported the case to ACRES’s Animal Crime Investigation Unit had approached the home owner asking him to release the mynah, but was told to “get lost”. The bird was released after the police were called in.

In its response, the AVA said the public can deter birds from entering homes by ensuring that food and refuse are properly handled and not left out in the open or by installing bird-proofing equipment such as screens or netting on windows.

When contacted, ACRES founder Louis Ng expressed disappointment at the AVA’s “light” response.

“Obviously we had hoped for stronger enforcement (beyond) just letting him off with a warning, especially considering the abuse was intentional,” said Mr Ng, pointing out that the Animals and Birds Act had been amended to take into account incidents of intentional animal cruelty.

Mr Ng, who is also a Member of Parliament for Nee Soon Group Representation Constituency, added that the incident might have psychological repercussions for the bird, and a stronger penalty could have acted as a deterrence to potential animal abusers.

In a Facebook post last Saturday (March 5) sharing that the AVA had taken action against the home owner, ACRES also suggested humane ways of scaring birds off, such as by hanging wind chimes, placing scarecrow or predator visuals, and applying non-toxic bird-repellent spray.

“We hope that, through education, people can learn to live in greater harmony with our native birds,” it said in the post.

 

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)