THEY ‘doo’ like to be the seaside – that’s 25,000 enthusiasts who will flock to Blackpool for the Crufts of the pigeon world this weekend.
This major event, The British Homing World Show of the Year, is the highlight of the year for pigeon fanciers and showcases a sport that involves racing and showing homer pigeons and is followed by none other than the Queen.
The top prize has been won four times in recent years by the same Scottish couple – and they hope to lift the prestigious Supreme Champion trophy for a fifth.
John and Alice Bell are up against stiff opposition with more than 3,000 pedigree racing pigeons and 2,000 show pigeons competing at the Winter Gardens, but they are confident their prize pigeon will rule the roost once more.
John, 51, has had pigeons since he was 10 and caught the bug from a neighbour in the Ayrshire village of Catrine who raced pigeons. He started off with two hens and two cocks and now has 60 birds in the ‘loft’ or shed in his back garden.
Despite working full time at a garden centre, he and his wife spend up to seven hours a day feeding, cleaning and tending their pampered pigeons, and they spend most weekends packing the car with boxes of pigeons and taking them to shows all over the country.
“I used to race pigeons but all the races are in the summer months and it was interfering with family holidays,” said John, who has a 23-year-old daughter, Nicole, 23 who is also a pigeon fancier.
“I was also fed up losing pigeons as they don’t always come back, so I went into show pigeons. It’s more sociable and is something you can do with the family. We all get great pleasure from it – the pigeons are affectionate and tame and they’re always happy to see you. Growing up, my daughter came to the shows with us and now she has her own pigeons. I’ll be competing against her this year.”
The Bells won the Supreme Champion trophy in 2007, 2011, 2014 and 2016 and are hopeful the same bird, a nine-year-old cock that won in 2011, will win this year, along with one of its sons.
“He’s the top dog in the loft,” John said “and has bred some winners as well as being the Scottish champion. We’ve won that competition four years in a row.”
Linda Bruce, secretary of the Scottish Homing Union, said: “It’s a really absorbing sport but it’s time-consuming as you have to look after the birds seven days a week. Over the last 30 years the number of members in Scotland has halved from 6,500.
“Racing pigeons was popular in mining communities. If you are down a pit all day, you want to come out into the sunshine and look at your birds flying in the sky. It’s also a sociable sport and most towns in Scotland have pigeon clubs. The age group is mostly middle-aged now but they take the sport very seriously and there’s a lot of competitiveness.”
While racing pigeons are lean, light and can often suffer feather damage, show pigeons are large, plump and glossy with pristine plumage. In the weeks before the show owners keep the lofts spotless, bringing in fresh water in basins so the birds can bathe, carefully wiping off any dirt with a soft cloth and handling the birds after putting talc on their hands or wearing gloves to keep feathers oil-free.
Ian Evans, Secretary of the Royal Pigeon Racing Association and manager of The British Homing World Show of the Year, said: “There are 40,000 pigeon fanciers in the UK. While it’s always been seen as a working man’s sport, it actually covers all levels of society with some really wealthy people and lots of women taking part. The Queen has racing pigeons, and her father and grandfather before her.”
FIVE FASCINATING PIGEON FACTS
•The homing pigeon was the most decorated animal during World War II. A pigeon called Cher Ami was awarded the French Croix de Guerre for heroic service during World War I after it was shot in the chest and leg but continued its flight to get the message home through shrapnel and poison gas.
•Pablo Picasso was such a pigeon fancier that he called his daughter ‘Paloma’, Spanish for pigeon. Other famous pigeon fanciers include tough Scottish footballer Duncan Ferguson, former boxer Mike Tyson, and the Queen, who has 240 birds at the Royal Pigeon Lofts in Sandringham.
•Racing pigeons can be bought for as little as £15 but can fetch much more. Recently a champion racing pigeon was sold in America for a record $1.3m. A British company that breeds racing pigeons bought him as a stud.
•The Rothschild family set up a network of pigeon lofts throughout Europe and used homing pigeons to carry information between its financial houses. The speed of service kept them ahead of the competition and helped them amass a fortune.
•A champion pigeon can be released 400 miles from home and still return the same day. No one knows how pigeons make their way back, although it’s thought they navigate using landmarks in known territory. Another theory is they have an internal compass and use the earth’s magnetic field.
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.
Contact us at 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD, (604) 585-9279 or visit our website at www.pigeonpatrol.ca
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A full and independent review has been ordered into a flagship hospital in Glasgow after it was confirmed that a child patient’s death was linked to a fungal infection caused by exposure to pigeon droppings.
Announcing the probe, Scottish Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said that both the child and an elderly patient at the £842m Queen Elizabeth Hospital had died after contracting the infection, reports The Scotsman.
Freeman told the Scottish Parliament that the adult patient had died from an unrelated cause, but that the bacteria had been a “contributing factor” in the death of the child, in December.
A 12th-floor room that is not used by the public “was identified as a likely source and the droppings were removed”, says The Independent. Control measures have been put in place, although it is still unclear how the bacteria entered the ventilation system.
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said medication to prevent potential infection had been administered to a small number of vulnerable patients at the hospital, which opened less than four years ago.
How dangerous are pigeon droppings?
Pigeon droppings contain a fungus called Cryptococcus that can cause infections in vulnerable people if inhaled.
The child who died at the Glasgow hospital had been exposed to the fungus. Most people will not become unwell as a result, but vulnerable people with already weakened immunity “can get very ill with a chest infection or meningitis”, reports the BBC.
Infectious diseases expert Professor Hugh Pennington told the broadcaster it is very unusual to see cases in the UK.
“It is common in other parts of the world, particularly tropical parts, in the US and countries like that where they have more problems with this particular kind of fungus. But in the UK, very uncommon,” he said.
“There are cases in people who have problems with their immune systems. They’re the people who are at risk with this kind of bug.”
Are there any other risks?
Breathing dust or water droplets containing contaminated bird droppings can lead to several other diseases including psittacosis and salmonella.
Psittacosis is a rare infectious disease caused by a bacterium called Chlamydia psittaci. Symptoms “are commonly a flu-like illness and pneumonia, usually appearing five to 19 days after exposure”, says the Health and Safety Executive. Salmonella – a bacterial infection that can cause diarrhoea – may also be present in some bird droppings.
Washing your hands after cleaning up bird droppings is strongly advised, and “if you have a compromised immune system, including from HIV/Aids or cancer, you should not clean up droppings”, adds the BBC.
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.
Contact us at 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD, (604) 585-9279 or visit our website at www.pigeonpatrol.ca
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An infection linked to pigeon droppings was a “contributing factor” in the death of a child at a Glasgow hospital, it has been confirmed.
The child was being treated at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital when he or she appears to have caught the infection – a fungus called cryptococcus.
The child has not been named. The fungus did not contribute to the death in December of a second patient infected with the same pathogen, say experts.
What is it?
Cryptococcus is a yeast-like fungus that lives in the environment.
It can be found in soil contaminated by pigeon droppings.
How can you catch it?
People can become infected if they breathe it in.
The child who died in December at the hospital in Glasgow had been exposed to the fungus.
Experts say the probable source has been traced to a room on the rooftop of the hospital. Pigeon droppings appeared in the room via a small break in the wall which was “invisible to the naked eye”, Scottish Health Secretary Jeane Freeman confirmed.
The hospital says it has put infection control measures in place and no further cases have been reported.
How risky is it?
Most won’t get sick, but vulnerable people with already weakened immunity can get very ill with a chest infection or meningitis.
Expert Prof Hugh Pennington says it is very unusual to see cases in the UK.
“It is common in other parts of the world, particularly tropical parts, in the US and countries like that where they have more problems with this particular kind of fungus. But in the UK, very uncommon.
“There are cases in people who have problems with their immune systems. They’re the people who are at risk with this kind of bug.”
Cryptococcus infection cannot spread from person to person.
How dangerous is pigeon poo?
Breathing dust or water droplets containing contaminated bird droppings can lead to several diseases, including a flu-like illness called psittacosis.
Salmonella – a bacterial infection that can cause diarrhoea – may also be present in some bird droppings.
If you are cleaning up or come into contact with droppings, you should take precautions. Wash your hands and clean any exposed skin before eating, drinking or putting your hands near your mouth.
Likewise, if you are feeding or handling birds, wash your hands afterwards.
If you have a compromised immune system, including from HIV/AIDS or cancer, you should not clean up droppings.
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.
Contact us at 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD, (604) 585-9279 or visit our website at www.pigeonpatrol.ca
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Two Portland-area pigeon hobbyists pleaded guilty Thursday to trying to capture and kill protected hawks that bothered their expensive pigeons, but were sentenced to lighter penalties than federal prosecutors had asked for.
Citing public outrage over the crimes, prosecutors sought penalties of $10,000 each against Peter Kaufman and Ivan Hanchett. Each of the men pleaded guilty to one count of violating the federal Migratory Bird Protection Act. But U.S. District Judge Ancer Hagerty sentenced each to pay $4,000 — a $2,000 fine and another $2,000 to the Endangered Species Justice Fund at the Oregon Zoo, which helps pay for wildlife projects.
Hagerty went along with a request from prosecutors to sentence Kaufman and Hanchett each to one year of probation. During that year they’re prohibited from hunting and fishing, must complete 120 hours of community service and may not participate in any activities of clubs that raise birds known as roller pigeons.
Kaufman and Hanchett were leaders of the Northwest Roller Jockeys, a local club that promoted the pigeons. Roller pigeons carry a genetic trait that causes them to suddenly stop flying and tumble through the air before righting themselves. That attracts hawks and othe raptors to prey on the pigeons.
Undercover agents investigating the men and visiting their homes saw traps designed to catch and kill hawks and other migratory birds. When Hanchett introduced Kaufman to agents, he said Kaufman had killed 30 hawks within 45 days, according to court documents.
Hanchett told agents that hawks are the biggest problem facing those who raise pigeons. He said trapping and killing hawks was a common practice, the documents said. Hanchett said he tries to trap hawks and suffocate them in garbage bags. He also admitted shooting hawks numerous times, documents said.
Prosecutors told the judge in sentencing memos that though the men were charged with misdemeanors, the actions “resulted in a public outcry because of the loss of valued wildlife in Portland and the surrounding areas.”
The government received many letters and e-mails asking for serious sanctions, the prosecutors said.
Although the judge did not levy the penalties prosectors sought, Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Potter said the sentence was still substantial for a misdemeanor crime. “I think they’re going to have a real impact, not only for these defendants, but also for others who would consider taking this type of action”
A third man, Mitchell Reed of Mount Angel, has also pleaded guilty but has yet to be sentenced. Two other men have been charged with similar crimes.
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.
Contact us at 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD, (604) 585-9279 or visit our website at www.pigeonpatrol.ca
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Almost everyone is familiar with pigeons because they can be found in nearly all the parts of the world and share the places with humans as well. Numerous people are fond of keeping and feeding them. However, not everyone is comfortable with the damages caused by them.
These city pigeons like to live in open places as well as landscapes. They do not only cause harm to crops and grains but can be a pain in the neck for the owners of houses and apartment dwellers as well. The droppings of these birds are acidic which can destroy the machinery or metal and can be harmful to the buildings.
Furthermore, there is another reason to get rid of them is the infectious diseases they can cause due to their acidic droppings and dusty feathers. Their fallen feathers and the nesting stuff become the reason of blocked gutters and rainwater pipes. Humans, as well as other birds, can suffer because of pigeons.
Nests, feathers, and droppings of these birds carry harmful fungal materials which lead to the serious health hazards for humans as well as for other birds. The common diseases caused by them are:
Histoplasmosis
This is a respiratory illness caused by the aerial fungal spores when they are inhaled. Pigeon’s nests carry this type of fungus in the nest material which can escalate the human condition by severe illness leading to even death.
Cryptococcosis
The accumulated and dried droppings of pigeon everywhere are not only the wastes but also a significant source of infection caused by the fungus these droppings are occupied by. The illness starts with the lungs and skin infection which can further spread to the other parts of the body. It becomes fatal if left uncured.
Candidiasis
This is another form of fungal infection the pigeons spread which can make the humans suffer badly.
Psittacosis
This disease caused by a harmful virus, is mild and shows no symptoms. However, sometimes, it can become serious if it is not taken seriously.
Pigeons may be attractive for some people to keep them and feed them but the circumstances they can create cannot be avoided. They should be kept away to avoid the health hazards. There are several humane ways to get rid of them.
Sonic repellent devices are widely used to make the pigeon proofing homes, and these are eco-friendly repellents. Some people use oversized nets to cover the place where the pigeon rest so that they don’t cause further damage.
1. Make Roosting Spaces Less Appealing
Make the spaces uncomfortable on which they land. That can be done by installing spike strips because pigeons would certainly like to find another place to land if they see these strips. You can also make the nest areas difficult for them to stay by fastening the waterproof strings in the particular area so that they fail to balance themselves on the string. These newly installed barriers will bring peace at your place.
Furthermore, pigeons avoid settling in the slippery areas, and you can easily create one by setting up sloped covering. Another important thing is not to make the mistake of feeding a pigeon. In fact, limit available food and remove the other food sources, your lawn is offering to these birds. They can create an alarming situation for you if you keep on feeding them.
2. Sealing Off Entrances
Seal all the places that can provide pigeons a way to make their nests and create the hindrance. Mostly, the places pigeons uses are attic and chimneys. Close their ways by fitting the steel mesh caps on these holes. Window air conditioning units cannot be ignored. They find it a very good place to make their nests, cover them with a net.
3. Scare Off The Pigeons
Birds afraid of several things. You can scare them to keep them away is another useful method. Don’t let them settle in place by applying the water pressure with a garden hose. They would undeniably not like to be pushed away and would prefer to dwell somewhere else.
Hang the wind chimes, a mirror of other reflecting stuff in your garden. Their eyes get irritated with the reflection. Owl deterrents are also used to scare the pigeons. Install the muted bird having distinguished owl feature at the roosting spaces.
How To Catch Pigeon By Hand
You can catch these birds even with bare hands but, for that reason, you have to create the situation where you can get your hands on them.
If you intend to catch the pigeon, the very first thing to do is identify the places where they mostly land. After that, put the pigeon baits to attract them. Avoid using the chemical baits. Put their favorite seeds or fruit at a particular location. Once they land in this location, don’t let them go.
2. Position The Ladder If The Pigeons At High Places
It is not necessary that all the nesting sites of the pigeons are near the ground. They also settle at high places where it is not easy to reach. In that case, bring the ladder in use. Place it near that location with a proper position where it is easy to access the area. Make sure that catching this way is safe for you because you can fall if the situation messes up.
3. Place And Set The Trap
The Trap is one of the practical solutions to pigeon problem. There are various models easily available in the market. Grab a live Pigeon trap from the marketplace. Once you found the nesting and roosting places, now it’s time to make those places a source to catch the pigeons.
Bait the traps with the seeds or some other pigeon attractant, and set the trap in the nesting areas. Keep the check on the traps on a daily basis. If you find trapped pigeons, release them at some other location.
4. Keep Some Pigeons In The Trap
Pigeon is an intelligent animal. It may not be easy to catch them. You have to make all the possible ways to tempt them. One of the best tricks is, you can set a trap with pigeons already in it and provide them with food such as cracked seeds. These trapped pigeons will invite the other pigeons in the trap as well. That way, they won’t hesitate to enter the trap and will be easily caught.
If you have found the other ways ineffective, time consuming or expensive, try the household items to keep this creature away. You can find numerous things at your house that can help you solve this problem.
1. Honey To Remove Pigeons
Honey is an all-time-available item in any house. Bring it to use for your pigeon problem. Spread it at the place where pigeons roost or near the places of their nests. The sticky nature of honey will create a problem for pigeons to rest at a place. That is a natural way to get rid of this nauseating creature.
2. Pepper Powder
Homemade deterrents are always helpful. Discourage the pigeons to dwell and mess around at your place by using these natural remedies. Make all the expected ways of nesting of pigeon uncomfortable for them by spreading some spices or pepper powder around. Stop the pigeons before they make the situation uncontrollable for you. These deterrents will help you to keep these birds off.
3. Chilli Solution
Chilli solution works the same as pepper powder. That spicy solution is used in the way that is sprinkling near dwelling places. That is another way to avoid the destruction and health hazards.
4. Water Hose
Don’t let them settle in place by applying the water pressure with a standard water hose in your garden. It gets difficult for them to stay in that water spray. Do it the very first day you see a pigeon in you balcony before the whole flock decides to take your place.
Conclusion
Pigeons can create a mess that may not be seen as serious but can be destructive. One thing that cannot be compromised is your health. They are not only harmful to your garden but also a reason to spread fungal diseases. These diseases can be fatal and lead you to death.
Get rid of them even if you don’t find any disturbance initially. You can use the natural treatments to this problem or trap them to relocate them. Moreover, Eco-friendly alternative repellents are also available that can lessen your worries. Keep them away by removing everything that can attract them as soon as you see them. You can also get the pigeon control services from professionals if the situation becomes out of control.
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.
Contact us at 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD, (604) 585-9279 or visit our website at www.pigeonpatrol.ca
Pigeon/Pigeon Patrol / Pigeons Roosting / Vancouver Pigeon Control /Bird Spikes / Bird Control / Bird Deterrent / Pigeon Deterrent? Surrey Pigeon Control / Pest /Seagull deterrent / Vancouver Pigeon Blog / Birds Inside Home / Pigeons in the cities / Ice Pigeons/ What to do about pigeons/ sparrows , Damage by Sparrows, How To Keep Raccoons Away, Why Are Raccoons Considered Pests/ De-fence / Pigeon Nesting/ Bird Droppings / Pigeon Dropping/ woodpecker control/ Professional Bird Control Company/ Keep The Birds Away/ Birds/rats/ seagull/pigeon/woodpecker/ dove/sparrow/pidgeon control/pidgeon problem/ pidgeon control/flying rats/ pigeon Problems/ bird netting/bird gel/bird spray/bird nails/ bird guard
Pigeons, crows, sparrows, and other birds welcoming you on your porch isn’t a warm greeting. Instead, it will give you headaches due to the smelly droppings and pecking that your porch has endured. And for sure, this situation of your porch isn’t inviting for your future guests. You have to do something and find ways to get rid of birds on the porch before it affects your household and social interaction.
This might sound a bit too much, but birds flocking to your porch sets the image to what your house is from the inside. Remember the trite saying, “first impression lasts”? This is true to some extent because your porch is the first part of your house that people will step into. If it reeks of droppings, it would be an unsightly (and unsanitary) welcome.
But fret not if you’re one of the victims of the notorious bird nesting, dropping, and pecking. There are easy hacks that you can do to send the fowls away. Here are some that you can try at the soonest possible time:
1. REMOVE ANY MATERIALS THAT CAN BE USED AS A NEST
One reason why birds keep flocking on your porch is the presence of materials they use for nest building. Remove dried leaves, twigs, and anything that can be possibly used as a building block of a nesting place. The birds may not intentionally plan to poo on your porch, but it happened otherwise. Try keeping your porch clean of the dried leaves and see if it will have a difference.
Another thing you should check is if your yard tree branches extend near your house’s structure. If yes, chances are this is the reason why the birds keep hanging out on your porch and leaving some unsightly souvenirs. Trim these parts and let the direct light shine into your porch if possible. This will remove the dropping smell after some days as ways to get rid of birds on the porch.
If there’s already a nest on your porch, try calling a wildlife remover to expertly relocate the birds.
2. PLACE A BIRD FEEDER AWAY FROM YOUR PORCH
For once, stop feeding the birds and then complain about the droppings they leave on your porch. Feeding the fowls don’t just make them poop, they also keep them coming back. If the birds still haven’t stopped landing on your doorstep, place a feeder somewhere in your backyard where they can be less invasive. However, this will still leave some bird droppings you’ll have to clean later on.
Some homeowners aren’t worried about getting the hidden parts their yard get dirty as long as the porch stays pristine. To add another diversion to the perching birds, add a birdbath near the feeder so the fowls would be isolated within one area.
Don’t forget to remove any food sources on your porch, otherwise, the birds will also peck on it even in the presence of a separate feeder. That’s one of the crucial ways to get rid of birds on the porch.
3. INSTALL A REPELLENT DEVICE
If all else fails and you don’t have the patience to perform some diversion tactics, go straight to business by installing a bird repellent device. This gadget can either be battery or electricity powered and will emit high-frequency sounds that the birds will find annoying. Upon turning on the device, the birds will fly away due to the unbearable sound only animals can hear.
The only downside here is if you have a roaming cat, the high-frequency sound can also annoy them. Nevertheless, the sound is short-waved and cannot pass through thick walls. Your furball is safe when it’s on another room.
4. SHOW THE SHINY THINGS
In case you have multiple dogs and cats, the ultrasonic device is out of the window. You can explore other means of driving the fowls away. Start by hanging some reflective and shiny stuff on your doorway and the porch itself. You can purchase some of these products online that are all tailored for bird proofing.
When the rods are hit with light, it will sparkle and the reflection will disorient the birds. It will frighten them especially if the rods are moving in a spiraling motion. You can pair it with an owl bird repellent from the same brand for maximum ways to get rid of birds on the porch.
5. MAKE YOUR LIGHT FIXTURES IRRITATING
So there’s no food source on your porch, no trees to extend to your house, and no feeding. What’s the culprit? Your porch light fixture. This part of your porch gives birds enough warmth and a place to nest. It’s actually a perfect place to leave their eggs for hatching because of the heat it emits when in use. But this doesn’t mean you have to remove the light fixture. You just have to make the top part irritating or impossible to land at.
One way to do this is to install appropriate bird spikes to that fixture. Use the excess spikes to bird proof your fence or roof ledge.
6. WIND CHIMES ARE THERE FOR A REASON
Wind chimes are also excellent ways to get rid of birds on the porch. It’s a bird scare due to the sound it produces when it’s hit by a breeze. You can also choose one with shiny chimes to reflect light and discourage birds from landing on your porch.
Wind chimes are good options aside from distress signals since it produces sounds that are pleasant to the ear. The higher the sound produced, the better. You can also come up with a DIY chime using old CDs and other sparkly material.
This method of sending birds away from your porch works on pigeons, brown grass birds, and other smaller fowls.
7. BRING OUT THE OWL
Larger birds like crows and feral pigeons tend to ignore some scare methods. If this happens, you can get an owl replica with haunting eyes to drive them off. This will simulate the presence of a predator which will scare the birds. The trick here is to consistently change the placement of the owl every day so the scare will work as long as it can. Crows are pretty smart birds and they can detect a decoy scare if it doesn’t change positions.
One of the ways to get rid of birds on the porch is the Visual Scare Horned Owl Deterrent. Unlike other owl models, this has moving wings and floating-like feature when mounted on a bar. It has a 44-inch wingspan complete with a simple mechanical system that will allow it to flap if wind-blown. Place this on your porch and even a human will mistake it for a real owl!
8. LET THE CATS TAKE OVER
Nothing beats the presence of a real predator when it comes to sending the birds away from your porch. Letting your cat/s or dogs roam your doorway is a guaranteed way to reduce the droppings and damage the fowls can incur to your house. It also helps to install catwalks on your porch or place a sleeping rug where the cat can cozy up.
You may see some dead birds on the first days when the fowls are yet to discover the hunting threat of your furball. However, the problem arises when the cats get used to the birds that they no longer chase it anymore. This is the reason why you shouldn’t stop using deterrents aside from letting your line of defense wander on the porch.
9. MIRROR, MIRROR ON THE WALL
In case you wouldn’t want to let your pets stay outside, say it’s a rainy day or it’s too hot for the furball, you can place a mirror on it. If you want, you can add glass elements on your doorway as ways to get rid of birds on the porch. Placing small but multiple mirrors on your porch will serve as a reflective method that will annoy the birds. You can place this small mirrors on the sills, so sunlight will directly hit it during the day.
You can also add this to the wall if the light hits on it directly. It works most of the time, but to be sure, it’s best to pair it with other methods and products I mentioned here. Just experiment and you’ll find what works for your porch.
10. SPRAY SOME CITRUSY REPELLENT
Birds hate citrusy fragrances and spraying it on your porch will be an effortless move to annoy them. You make your doorway smell good and you drive away the pesky birds. A double win for you. You can opt for lemon juice diluted in water or purchase a formula specific for repelling birds. But for a natural and non-toxic method, I’ll choose the lemon option especially if there are protected birds visiting your porch.
Just squeeze a lemon and add a little water. Spray it like an air fresher and you have guaranteed ways to get rid of birds on the porch. You can also place slices of lemon on your porch to make the smell stronger. It will also help in fighting off the smell of bird droppings left on your porch after cleaning.
11. MAKE THE SURFACE STICKY
Annoying the birds isn’t difficult. All you have to do is make it difficult for them to land, perch, or roost on a surface. You can install bird spikes for sure but in case the surface won’t allow, a bird gel repellent will save the day.
If you don’t want the birds to get stuck, just apply it thinly on the sills of your porch. Make sure to use a pair of gloves as the gel is really sticky and it can put you in a washing spree if you’re not careful.
12. REMOVE ATTRACTANTS FROM YOUR PORCH
This point is somewhat a summary of all the discussed ideas above. Birds are attracted to your porch for some reasons and it’s your task to identify it and get rid of it fast. If you keep feeding the birds, you’re fueling your problem. Stop this habit and send the birds away with humane methods that won’t kill or harm them.
Before performing the ways to get rid of birds on the porch, remember that some birds like woodpeckers are protected by federal law. You will be fined due to a wrongful death of a bird on your property. Just the right hacks and a little patience will stop the fowls from throwing a feat on your porch. The droppings will soon be over and your doorway will be quiet and free of poop.
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.
Contact us at 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD, (604) 585-9279 or visit our website at www.pigeonpatrol.ca
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