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Pigeon problem at parliament – your views online

by Pigeon Patrol | Feb 7, 2022 | MBCA, pet bird, Pigeon Control, Pigeon Droppings, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Predators

Contractors tackling the long-running pigeon problem at the Scottish Parliament have issued a warning about the potential health risks of bird muck on the building

This is not a recent problem. It was obvious from occasional visits years ago.

Maybe if it had been a more conventional design, this bizarre occurrence wouldn’t be happening.

Keep those windows open to ventilate for covid but never mind what untold diseases you might catch from pigeons.

Aberdeen train station has a weird electronic bird of prey which seems to keep pigeons away. The recording of the screeching sound is quite convincing and the silhouette is quite good too. The mechanical wing movement, not so much.

Would imagine they won’t be long in throwing resources at it unlike the damp and infestation in the housing that they turn a blind eye to.

Pigeons have done more for the people of the UK than that place. Flatten it, sack them and plant some trees.

Well that may be the excuse the other parties needed to say the SNP is suffering from mad doo disease!

Has anyone considered what the poor pigeons might catch from those that are already in that place.

Pigeons are more astute than I gave them credit for!

Is this not an issue at the new infirmary building too?

Chuck a loaf or two of bread on the building a day, keep them well fed.

I work in a pharmacy and we (so far) have had supplies coming in daily. We were only without any for a couple of hours and that’s only because people were constantly coming in for them, don’t panic there will be enough.

They were handing them out in Dobbies the other day; don’t know if they do this every day.

Costco were giving them out today.

Testing should only be done when someone feels unwell.

I made a fortune from my mates, isolation over in time for the New Year.

You can get them at testing center’s – got one today.

Yes, always managed to get them online or at the local chemist.

Shambles! Cheese and wine more important!

Yes, I was given some last week when I had my booster.

No, can’t find any. I’m asthmatic and have COPD – it scares me that I can’t find any.

Handing them out in Midlothian Community Hospital.

Yes, got some yesterday at Ainslie Park Leisure Centre.

Piershill has become a battleground of wills between residents and the council over how bins should be serviced

Edinburgh council should give themselves a round of applause. Well done in transforming one of the most beautiful cities in the world into a third world slum.

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.

Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products ten years in a row.

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Three Easy But Important Ways to Keep Your Bird Feeder Disease-Free

by Pigeon Patrol | Feb 2, 2022 | MBCA, pet bird, Pigeon Control, Pigeon Droppings, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Predators

Feeding birds is a wonderful way to help your yard’s avian visitors fuel up for migration and make it through a tough winter. It can also provide great opportunities for wildlife photography and observation. But it’s not enough to set your feeder and forget it. You need to clean it out, or you risk inadvertently causing the birds that visit to get sick. The same goes for birdbaths.

Some of the more common diseases that birds can spread through feeders include house finch eye disease (the colloquial name for mycoplasmal conjunctivitis, which can infect more than just the bird for which it’s named), salmonellosis (caused by salmonella bacteria), aspergillosis (a fungal respiratory disease), and avian pox. If you see a sick bird or one you suspect died from a disease outbreak, don’t pick it up or try to treat it yourself. Instead, follow these tips from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, or call the National Wildlife Health Center for instructions.

To prevent the spread of illness in the birds that frequent your seed buffet, try these three steps:

Clean feeders regularly

The National Wildlife Health Center recommends cleaning bird baths and feeders with a solution of nine parts water to one part bleach. (If there is visible debris, scrub it off before soaking in the bleach solution.) Dry out the feeder before hanging it back up. Project FeederWatch, a joint effort between Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Birds Canada, recommends cleaning seed feeders every two weeks or so. Double the frequency of cleaning if you suspect disease a-lurking.

Tidy below the feeder

This can mean raking or shoveling up feces and hulls (seed casings)—particularly those that are moldy, wet, or spoiled—and throwing them out, Project Feederwatch recommends. That’ll also help prevent scattered food from attracting rodents. On snow-covered lawns, scraping off a few layers of snow should do the trick.

Source

Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products ten years in a row.

Are we overestimating risk of enteric pathogen spillover from wild birds to humans?

by Pigeon Patrol | Feb 2, 2022 | MBCA, pet bird, Pigeon Control, Pigeon Droppings, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Predators

Enteric illnesses remain the second largest source of communicable diseases worldwide, and wild birds are suspected sources for human infection. This has led to efforts to reduce pathogen spillover through deterrence of wildlife and removal of wildlife habitat, particularly within farming systems, which can compromise conservation efforts and the ecosystem services wild birds provide. Further, Salmonella spp. are a significant cause of avian mortality, leading to additional conservation concerns. Despite numerous studies of enteric bacteria in wild birds and policies to discourage birds from food systems, we lack a comprehensive understanding of wild bird involvement in transmission of enteric bacteria to humans. Here, we propose a framework for understanding spillover of enteric pathogens from wild birds to humans, which includes pathogen acquisition, reservoir competence and bacterial shedding, contact with people and food, and pathogen survival in the environment. We place the literature into this framework to identify important knowledge gaps. Second, we conduct a meta-analysis of prevalence data for three human enteric pathogens, Campylobacter spp., E. coli, and Salmonella spp., in 431 North American breeding bird species. Our literature review revealed that only 3% of studies addressed the complete system of pathogen transmission. In our meta-analysis, we found a Campylobacter spp. prevalence of 27% across wild birds, while prevalence estimates of pathogenic E. coli (20%) and Salmonella spp. (6.4%) were lower. There was significant bias in which bird species have been tested, with most studies focusing on a small number of taxa that are common near people (e.g. European starlings Sturnus vulgaris and rock pigeons Columba livia) or commonly in contact with human waste (e.g. gulls). No pathogen prevalence data were available for 65% of North American breeding bird species, including many commonly in contact with humans (e.g. black-billed magpie Pica hudsonia and great blue heron Ardea herodias), and our metadata suggest that some under-studied species, taxonomic groups, and guilds may represent equivalent or greater risk to human infection than heavily studied species. We conclude that current data do not provide sufficient information to determine the likelihood of enteric pathogen spillover from wild birds to humans and thus preclude management solutions. The primary focus in the literature on pathogen prevalence likely overestimates the probability of enteric pathogen spillover from wild birds to humans because a pathogen must survive long enough at an infectious dose and be a strain that is able to colonize humans to cause infection. We propose that future research should focus on the large number of under-studied species commonly in contact with people and food production and demonstrate shedding of bacterial strains pathogenic to humans into the environment where people may contact them. Finally, studies assessing the duration and intensity of bacterial shedding and survival of bacteria in the environment in bird faeces will help provide crucial missing information necessary to calculate spillover probability. Addressing these essential knowledge gaps will support policy to reduce enteric pathogen spillover to humans and enhance bird conservation efforts that are currently undermined by unsupported fears of pathogen spillover from wild birds.

a pigeon bird standing by guano manure

Source

Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products ten years in a row.

Work with bird and bat droppings

by Pigeon Patrol | Feb 2, 2022 | MBCA, pet bird, Pigeon Control, Pigeon Droppings, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Predators

Work with bird or bat droppings can expose workers to some serious, infectious diseases.

Bird and bat droppings

The risk from disturbing small amounts of fresh droppings is very low but grows higher from disturbing large accumulations of concentrated, dried droppings.

Histoplasmosis

Histoplasmosis is an infection caused by a fungus called Histoplasma capsulatum. It is found in soil contaminated with bird (especially pigeon) or bat droppings. People can be infected by inhaling the fungal spores. Young children, the elderly and people who have a medical condition or are undergoing medical treatment that lowers immunity are most at risk.

Cryptococcosis

Cryptococcosis is an infection caused by a fungus called Cryptococcosis neoformans. It is found in the environment, particularly in soil that is contaminated with bird (especially pigeon) droppings. People can be infected by inhaling the fungal spores. Infection is rare in people who are otherwise healthy but those with low immunity are at increased risk. Cryptococcosis commonly causes meningitis (an infection of the brain) but infection can occur in other parts of the body.

Psittacosis

Psittacosis is caused by bacteria called Chlamydia [or Chlamydophilia] psittaci. It is shed in the droppings and respiratory secretions of infected birds, including parrots, pigeons and poultry. People can be infected by inhaling the bacteria. Psittacosis generally causes a mild to moderate respiratory illness with pneumonia, but more severe illness can occur. Young children, the elderly, pregnant women and people who have a medical condition or are undergoing medical treatment that lowers immunity are most at risk.

Gastrointestinal illness

Bird and bat droppings can contain germs that cause gastrointestinal illness with symptoms of nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. People can be infected if they inadvertently swallow the germs, usually via contaminated hands.

Who is at risk?

Workers who disturb accumulations of dried bird or bat droppings are at risk. For example:

workers who clean, renovate or demolish buildings, roofs, bridges and other structures where birds or bats roost
spelunkers (cave explorers) and others who work in caves or other enclosed spaces harbouring birds or bats
pest control and animal removal specialists
facilities maintenance workers
heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems workers
workers who handle poultry manure
workers who work with soil or clear foliage in areas harbouring birds or bats.

Managing exposure

Eliminating exposure is the most effective way to protect workers, however this may not always be possible. Where the risk cannot be eliminated, it must be minimised.

Prevent droppings from accumulating

Deter birds by sealing entry points, modifying roosting or nesting sites and removing food sources. Seek advice from an animal removal or pest control specialist if required.
Regularly inspect for droppings and clean up promptly.

Cleaning large accumulations of bird and bat droppings

Where possible, schedule cleaning activities for when the site is not being used and restrict access. Take special care if vulnerable people such as patients, elderly residents or young children could be in the affected area.
Manage exposure to dust and aerosols from disturbing droppings. For example
- use dust barriers and ventilation controls (e.g. industrial vacuum (PDF, 0.62 MB), HEPA filtration unit)
- seal doors, windows and air vents
- avoid cleaning methods that disperse dust and aerosols (e.g. dry sweeping, high-pressure washer, household vacuum and compressed air)
- wet the droppings by applying a light mist of plain or soapy water and keep wetting the material during its removal to prevent it from drying out.
Once the droppings are removed, clean the area thoroughly using water and detergent and then apply a disinfectant. Disinfectants require a minimum contact time to be effective. They may not work properly in the presence of organic matter such as droppings, so it is important to clean surfaces before applying disinfectant. Alternatively, use a product that is both a detergent and a disinfectant.
Place waste in a container that can be securely sealed during storage, transport and disposal.
Clean contaminated equipment and tools after use.
Do not reuse contaminated building materials and debris.
It is unnecessary to test surfaces before or after cleaning because the types of germs found in droppings are widespread in the environment.
Consider using a professional cleaning service that specializes in removing this type of waste.

Personal hygiene practices

Workers should adopt personal hygiene practices.

Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water before eating, drinking and smoking, after contact with droppings and after removing personal protective equipment (PPE).
If using a waterless hand sanitiser make sure it contains an alcohol content of at least 60 per cent, use only on visibly clean hands and wash your hands with soap and water at the first opportunity.
Check your skin before starting work and cover any cuts and other broken skin with a clean, dry dressing. If you sustain a wound at work, clean and cover it straight away.
Avoid touching your face and do not eat, drink or smoke when working with droppings.
Wash or shower after finishing work.

Workers must be provided with washing facilities (PDF, 0.57 MB). This should include clean running water, soap and paper towel or an air hand dryer. Field workers should be provided with portable hand washing facilities. Use handwashing signage to remind workers to wash their hands.

Workers must also be provided with first aid facilities, clean eating facilities and drinking water.

Information, training, instruction and supervision

Provide workers with information about:

health risks from work with bird and bat droppings
safe work procedures
selection and use of PPE
hand washing practices.

Personal protective equipment

Workers should wear a properly fitted (PDF, 0.86 MB) particulate respirator when disturbing dried bird or bat droppings to prevent inhaling dust and aerosols. For major clean-up work, additional PPE including gloves, protective clothing, safety eyewear and boot covers should be worn. Take care to avoid heat stress when wearing multiple items of PPE, especially when working in hot and humid conditions.

Source

Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products ten years in a row.

Objectively identifying landmark use and predicting flight trajectories of the homing pigeon using Gaussian processes

by Pigeon Patrol | Jan 25, 2022 | Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Spikes, Columbidae, Doves, history of pigeons, MBCA, pet bird

Pigeons home along idiosyncratic habitual routes from familiar locations. It has been suggested that memorized visual landmarks underpin this route learning. However, the inability to experimentally alter the landscape on large scales has hindered the discovery of the particular features to which birds attend. Here, we present a method for objectively classifying the most informative regions of animal paths. We apply this method to flight trajectories from homing pigeons to identify probable locations of salient visual landmarks. We construct and apply a Gaussian process model of flight trajectory generation for pigeons trained to home from specific release sites. The model shows increasing predictive power as the birds become familiar with the sites, mirroring the animal’s learning process. We subsequently find that the most informative elements of the flight trajectories coincide with landscape features that have previously been suggested as important components of the homing task.

Source

Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products ten years in a row.

Pigeons steer like helicopters and generate down- and upstroke lift during low speed turns

by Pigeon Patrol | Jan 25, 2022 | Columbidae, Doves, history of pigeons, MBCA, pet bird

Turning is crucial for animals, particularly during predator–prey interactions and to avoid obstacles. For flying animals, turning consists of changes in (i) flight trajectory, or path of travel, and (ii) body orientation, or 3D angular position. Changes in flight trajectory can only be achieved by modulating aerodynamic forces relative to gravity. How birds coordinate aerodynamic force production relative to changes in body orientation during turns is key to understanding the control strategies used in avian maneuvering flight. We hypothesized that pigeons produce aerodynamic forces in a uniform direction relative to their bodies, requiring changes in body orientation to redirect those forces to turn. Using detailed 3D kinematics and body mass distributions, we examined net aerodynamic forces and body orientations in slowly flying pigeons (Columba livia) executing level 90° turns. The net aerodynamic force averaged over the downstroke was maintained in a fixed direction relative to the body throughout the turn, even though the body orientation of the birds varied substantially. Early in the turn, changes in body orientation primarily redirected the downstroke aerodynamic force, affecting the bird’s flight trajectory. Subsequently, the pigeon mainly reacquired the body orientation used in forward flight without affecting its flight trajectory. Surprisingly, the pigeon’s upstroke generated aerodynamic forces that were approximately 50% of those generated during the downstroke, nearly matching the relative upstroke forces produced by hummingbirds. Thus, pigeons achieve low speed turns much like helicopters, by using whole-body rotations to alter the direction of aerodynamic force production to change their flight trajectory.

Source

Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products ten years in a row.

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Pigeon problem at parliament – your views online

Contractors tackling the long-running pigeon problem at the Scottish Parliament have issued a warning about the potential health risks of bird muck on the building

Three Easy But Important Ways to Keep Your Bird Feeder Disease-Free

Clean feeders regularly

Tidy below the feeder

Are we overestimating risk of enteric pathogen spillover from wild birds to humans?

Work with bird and bat droppings

Bird and bat droppings

Histoplasmosis

Cryptococcosis

Psittacosis

Gastrointestinal illness

Who is at risk?

Managing exposure

Prevent droppings from accumulating

Cleaning large accumulations of bird and bat droppings

Personal hygiene practices

Information, training, instruction and supervision

Personal protective equipment

Objectively identifying landmark use and predicting flight trajectories of the homing pigeon using Gaussian processes

Pigeons steer like helicopters and generate down- and upstroke lift during low speed turns

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