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Lost pigeon flew the coop, finding her way from France to Calgary

by Pigeon Patrol | Mar 16, 2023 | Bird Spike, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons, Pigeons in the News, Raccoons, Sparrows, UltraSonic Bird Control

Homing pigeons are a remarkable species with internal compasses that are able to memorize landmarks to retrace a path home. But one particular bird ended up so far off its course, it would have been a miracle for her to find her way back.

After being found frozen to a front porch, she was taken in by Calgarian Alex Gray who didn’t know what else to do and posted on social media, eventually tracking down Jeanie Palmer, a woman who raises and rescues pigeons.

“There were a lot of people who wanted the bird but couldn’t prove it was theirs, so I reached out to Jeanie and I said: ‘Alright, we don’t have traction and she doesn’t seem happy by herself, so by all means, come and get her,’” Gray said.

Once Palmer got her home she did some digging and, being a member of the Canadian Pigeon Fancier’s Association, she reached out to her fellow fanciers who helped her identify the tag.

She’s from the Netherlands and belonged to Henk Bax, a man who races pigeons.

“He said, this bird went missing from a race in Vervins, France on April 25, 2021. She was 200 kilometres from the coop and a year-and-a-half later she winds up on the sidewalk in Calgary, Alberta,” Palmer said.

The Dutch owner gave his blessing to keep the pigeon.

“How would you fly from France all the way here? How would she make that? I don’t think she could have made it that far, kudos to her if she did,” Palmer said.

“There’s a reason we named her Amelia Earhart, maybe she did fly here,” Palmer said.

“My jaw dropped,” Gray said.

Both could hardly believe it.

“This could be a book. The bird who flew across the world, or the pigeon who got lost. You could make up any adventures you wanted her to be on. The fact I have her is crazy to me, pretty lucky,” Palmer said.

She’s retiring from racing and will officially become a Canadian. It isn’t legal to ship a bird from Canada to the Netherlands.

“She’s going to join my coop and be a spoiled lazy pigeon. Hopefully she will pick one of my handsome boys and have a happy little family of her own,” Palmer said.

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Pigeons turn into ‘zombie birds’ with twisted necks, trembling wings in UK. Know why and how

by Pigeon Patrol | Mar 16, 2023 | Bird Spike, Pigeon Droppings, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Predators, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons, Pigeons in the News

Pigeons in the United Kingdom have become a target of a terrible disease called the Pigeon Paramyxovirus (PPMV) or Newcastle’s Disease. It results in neurological symptoms, including trembling wings and a violently twisted neck. The affected pigeons become reluctant to move and can’t fly. They also have green feces. The disease is fatal.

A JSPCA Animal Shelter spokesperson reported that the shelter had increased the number of grounded pigeons in the last few weeks. Many affected birds had neurological symptoms, such as a twisted neck, circling, or inability to stand. The spokesperson added that these symptoms are signs of pigeon paramyxovirus that affects poultry, doves and pigeons and is invariably fatal.

PPMV is a notifiable disease in captive birds. It does not apply to wild birds. The affected birds die within a few days, and there is no treatment for the disease. PPMV is highly infectious and can spread through feces and other excretions of the affected birds. Surviving birds will shed the virus, becoming a risk to other birds. So, at JSPCA, the infected birds are humanely euthanised. Since the PPMV virus survives better in cold and wet months, the disease’s clusters are usually found at this ..

Is PPMV highly infectious?
PPMV is highly infectious, spreading through the affected bird’s feces and other secretions.

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Caught on camera: 45 pigeons stolen from a yard in Edmonton

by Pigeon Patrol | Mar 16, 2023 | Bird Spike, Pigeon Predators, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons, Pigeons in the News, Raccoons, Sparrows, UltraSonic Bird Control

Police in Edmonton are looking for help to solve an unusual crime involving dozens of pigeons.

Video captured on Tuesday night shows a man carrying a large bin and snooping around a pigeon enclosure in the backyard of a home on Checknita Way SW around 9:25 p.m.

Someone noticed the man, wearing a white tank top and shoulder holster, and called in a “suspicious person” complaint.

Feral Rock Pigeon (Columba livia) perched with a blue sky background

Before officers arrived, the man made off with 45 of the homeowners’ 60 competition pigeons, Edmonton Police Service said.

The birds are worth about $300 each, making it a loss of $13,500.

“What’s interesting about the video is that the suspect is wearing fairly distinctive clothing and it looks like some sort of fashion item or wallet that he’s wearing and that may help people recognize who he is,” said Cheryl Voordenhout with EPS.

City of Edmonton bylaws permit homeowners to have up to 75 pigeons.

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Pigeon droppings health risk – should you worry?

by Pigeon Patrol | Mar 6, 2023 | Bird Spike, Pigeon Droppings, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Predators, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons, Pigeons in the News, Raccoons

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.

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Can you get sick from pigeons?

by Pigeon Patrol | Mar 6, 2023 | Bird Spike, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Predators, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons, Pigeons in the News, Raccoons

Pigeons in general do carry a lot of disease but most are not transferrable to humans. The one way humans can contract diseases from pigeons is by exposure to their droppings. You do not need to be in direct contact with pigeon droppings to contract the diseases it carries; these diseases can become airborne and enter your system unknowingly. With enough exposure you may begin to experience flu like symptoms or lung disease.

For those who have had minimal exposure and are in good health, it is unlikely to experience any symptoms at all from these diseases. The majority of people who have contracted diseases from pigeon droppings have recovered with no medical intervention, and if needed there are medications that can combat these diseases. If you have concerns that you have contracted one of these diseases and are experiencing severe symptoms you should go to your nearest emergency room. If your symptoms seem quite mild, you will likely recover on your own.

Can pigeon diseases kill you?

Yes pigeon diseases can kill you, while it is unlikely. Pigeon dropping related diseases can cause problems like pneumonia and even meningitis in the most extreme cases. That being said, the best way to avoid contracting pigeon-related diseases is to stay away from their droppings.

In big cities like Toronto, there are pigeons everywhere, and their droppings are also everywhere. But keep in mind that these small amounts are unlikely to make you ill if you are just walking by. On the other hand, if you see areas with large amounts of pigeon droppings in public, you should avoid these areas altogether. If you are a property owner and have large amounts of pigeon droppings on your property, you may require professional intervention including pigeon trapping and pigeon poop clean up which hawkeye can provide.

Why are pigeons harmful?

Pigeons themselves are not harmful in the sense that it is unlikely to get attacked by a pigeon, but their poop can be harmful both to your health and property. Pigeon poop contains diseases that can become airborne and infect humans unknowingly. Although the symptoms from these diseases are mostly quite mild, they can become severe and require medical intervention.

Pigeons are also harmful to your property. Pigeon droppings contain uric acid which can deteriorate roofing materials and other surfaces over time as they are highly corrosive. Many commercial and residential properties in Toronto suffer from property damage from pigeon droppings.

There are many solutions available when it comes to dealing with pigeons. Hawkeye offers cleaning, exclusion, and trapping of pigeons. Solutions are unique to each property and depend on many factors including accessibility, the number of pigeons, and their activities (perching or nesting).

Is pigeon poop harmful to humans?

Yes pigeon poop can be harmful to humans. Pigeon poop can cause diseases in humans through the inhalation of airborne particles. Many people who contract these diseases do not experience symptoms, but those that do are usually immunocompromised individuals. It is best to avoid contact with pigeon poop and if you have a large amount of pigeon poop on your property / balcony you should avoid the surrounding area until it can be properly cleaned.

Cleaning pigeon poop is not a fun activity, and many people want to leave the work to the professionals. If you are to clean up pigeon poop on your own there are certain precautions you should take to protect your health. Wearing gloves, a face mask, and safety glasses are the bare minimum in terms of protection from harmful diseases; depending on the extent of the mess you may require a ventilated mask.

Can you get sick from pigeon poop?

The short answer is yes, but here are the facts. The four main diseases to be worried about in terms of pigeons are Salmonellosis, Psittacosis, Histoplasmosis, and Cryptococcosis. All of these diseases are contracted through the inhalation of dried pigeon droppings. Although most cases are mild, it is possible to experience serious illness and it is always advised to take extreme caution and use the proper protective equipment when working with or cleaning up pigeon droppings.

Some are at a higher risk than others for contracting these diseases including individuals who have long term exposure, fail to wear protective equipment while cleaning, and those who have a compromised immune system. Although these people are at a higher risk to contract these diseases, many people who are not immunocompromised do not experience any symptoms at all.

What diseases are caused by pigeon droppings?

There are many different diseases to be worried about in terms of pigeons including Salmonellosis, Psittacosis, Histoplasmosis, and Cryptococcosis. These diseases can pose serious health risks and in rare cases can be fatal although many cases can be solved without medical intervention.

Salmonellosis is caused by Salmonella bacteria. This disease, as with all others listed above, is contracted by the inhalation of airborne particles. This bacteria is usually the cause of food poisoning and causes the same symptoms when contracted through pigeon droppings. Usually the onset of these symptoms is within 24-48 hours and surpasses entirely within 7 days with no medical intervention.

Psittacosis also known as parrot fever is caused by a bacteria, Chlamydia psittaci. Those exposed to this disease will experience symptoms (if any) within a couple weeks that resemble that of the flu. A simple blood test is able to identify the presence of this bacteria so if you are concerned, there is an easy way to see if you have contracted this disease.

Histoplasmosis is caused by a fungus named Histoplasma. This fungus lives in pigeon droppings and soil and when inhaled can pose health risks. Most cases show no signs or symptoms when infected, but those with existing conditions like emphysema can develop a chronic disease which exhibits symptoms similar to tuberculosis.

Cryptococcosis is also caused by a fungus, except this particular fungus is called Cryptococcosis neoformans. This is the most dangerous of all the diseases listed as this infection has the capacity to move from your lungs to your brain, and throughout your entire body. It is not isolated to your respiratory or digestive systems. In the majority of cases, this disease only causes infection in the lungs leaving patients with little to no symptoms, but when left untreated can lead to meningitis. The onset of this disease will happen within two weeks of exposure.

What are the signs and symptoms of Histoplasmosis?

Histoplasmosis is a fungal disease that has a wide range of symptoms ranging from no symptoms at all to chronic histoplasmosis (similar to tuberculosis) or even death in extreme cases. Signs to look out for include dry cough, chest pain, fever, chills, headache, fatigue, and joint pain.

Most cases of Histoplasmosis leave those infected experiencing little to no symptoms. Although unfortunately, those with existing lung conditions are at higher risk for developing chronic histoplasmosis. This chronic condition causes bloody cough and symptoms of tuberculosis including chest pain, weakness, chills, fever, weight loss, and fatigue.

Although unlikely, it is possible for this disease to remain dormant in your body for years producing no symptoms until far down the road from the point of exposure so always ensure you protect yourself with the proper protective equipment when dealing around pigeon droppings.

What are the signs and symptoms of Psittacosis?

Psittacosis is a bacterial disease that has a range of symptoms that are mostly mild but can become severe if prolonged symptoms are left untreated. Mild symptoms include muscle pains, cough, chills, headache, and fever. More severe symptoms include chest pain, pneumonia, and difficulty breathing.

Although this disease is very rare in humans, it can become quite serious once infected so be sure to use the proper precautions when you are cleaning or in the presence of pigeon poop. Proper protective equipment including gloves, mask, and googles should be warn whenever in contact or in the vicinity of large amounts of pigeon droppings.

How do you clean pigeon droppings?

When cleaning pigeon droppings the most important thing is protection from potential diseases. Wearing a mask, gloves, and googles / safety glasses is recommended at all times. This personal protective equipment with protect you from breathing in airborne particles and will keep your hands clean to avoid spreading germs to other locations.

To start, the bulk of the pigeon droppings should be swept or shovelled into double bags and disposed of. If possible, steam cleaning is the most effective solution to clean and sanitize areas affected by pigeon poop. In some cases pressure washing may be used instead. If there is no access to a water attachment or you are on a balcony with no drainage, this solution is not feasible and hand tools must be used instead. Hand tools include brushes and scrapers and will require the use of a diluted bleach or disinfectant to properly clean and sanitize the area. Using hand tools on porous materials can be difficult and may require using boiling water to properly disinfect the area.

How do I get rid of pigeon poop on my balcony?

Balconies are the perfect place for pigeons to perch, nest, and poop. The mess that these birds make can render your balcony unusable. Luckily there are solutions available to solve these problems. Hawkeye offers balcony netting and clean up to keep the pigeons off your balcony for good.

Balcony netting is designed to keep pigeons from perching on your balcony and accessing your balcony all together. This netting is made of a black 2 inch heavy duty, polyethylene, 4 strand, knotted twine. This netting comes with a 10 year warranty on materials and workmanship and is the perfect way to keep pigeons off your balcony permanently.

In terms of clean up, different tools can be used depending on accessibility and practicality. Most balconies do not provide access to use a pressure washer or steam cleaner, which leaves only hand tools to perform clean up. Cleaning up the bulk of poop and nesting material is done using brooms and shovels. Deep cleaning is done using brushes and scrapers. Most surfaces will allow us to use a diluted bleach solution which will help to sanitize and clean the surfaces contaminated with droppings. When only hand tools are used, if available, we may require the customer to provide us with some boiling water to assist in stubborn clean ups.

How much does it cost to remove a pigeon?

Pigeon trapping includes the live trapping of pigeons and humane euthanizing of caught pigeons as to permanently remove the nuisance birds from your property. Depending on the amount of pigeons frequently seen on your property a decision will be made between the customer and the technician as to how many traps should be installed on site.

Pigeon poop cleaning is quoted based on two different things; types of tools used (power vs hand tools) and how long it will take for us to clean.

Balcony netting is the main form of exclusion used for residential customers in condo or apartment buildings dealing with pigeon problems.

We also offer other exclusion services including bird spikes, flex track, bird slide, bird wire, and netting for areas other than balconies. All of these exclusion methods can be used to prevent pigeons from perching or nesting in problem areas around your property. These products range greatly in price and the prices are determined based on the size of project, equipment required, man power required, and materials required.

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Study identifies virus responsible for high mortality rate among pigeons in São Paulo City

by Pigeon Patrol | Mar 6, 2023 | Bird Spike, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons, Pigeons in the News, Raccoons, Sparrows, UltraSonic Bird Control

In 2019, not long before the unusual weather event that changed day into night in São Paulo City (Brazil), dozens of pigeons mysteriously dropped dead. Birds displaying wounds as well as neurological symptoms were found dead or dying near the municipal animal disease control center.

A multicenter research team discovered that the deaths were unrelated to the pollution blown into the city from forest fires in the Amazon, despite the proximity of the dates, but were in fact due to Newcastle disease virus (NDV), a serotype 1 avian paramyxovirus. The cases in question were caused by subgenotype VI.2.1.2, which is almost always deadly for pigeons. Also known as pigeon paramyxovirus (PPMV), this pathogen only rarely infects humans when transmitted by close contact with infected birds.

“We discovered that this virus has been circulating silently in Brazil since 2014. Our analysis of molecular data showed that it’s the same PPMV that had been identified five years before in Porto Alegre [the capital of Rio Grande do Sul state]. São Paulo and Porto Alegre are 1,100 km apart, which only goes to show how much the disease can spread without being noticed,” said Luciano Matsumiya Thomazelli, first author of an article on the team’s findings published in the journal Viruses. Thomazelli is affiliated with the University of São Paulo’s Biomedical Sciences Institute (ICB-USP), where he works at the Clinical and Molecular Virology Laboratory.

Since 2005, a team from the laboratory has conducted epidemiological surveillance in various parts of Brazil, under the aegis of the Virus Genetic Diversity Network (VGDN), which is funded by FAPESP and coordinated by Professor Edison Luiz Durigon, last author of the article.

The group also works with the Network for Surveillance of Viruses in Wild Animals (PREVIR), funded by the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), an arm of the Brazilian government’s Ministry for Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI).

Deadly to pigeons

NDV normally causes disease in hens and chickens but not in pigeons. According to the researchers, however, the opposite occurs with subgenotype VI.2.1.2.

“It’s endemic in pigeon populations worldwide, causing neurological symptoms and high mortality rates. Cases are frequently reported in Asia, Europe and North America. Although this is the second reported outbreak in Brazil, there are no grounds for alarm because this subgenotype isn’t a significant threat to humans or poultry farmers,” said Helena Ferreira, a professor at the School of Animal Sciences and Food Engineering in Pirassununga (FZEA-USP), a member of PREVIR-MCTI, and principal investigator for the study.

The researchers stressed the importance of active surveillance and monitoring to control outbreaks and epidemics, and to provide early warning of the emergence of new diseases.

“Active surveillance throughout Brazil is vital to control pigeon populations near poultry farms and in urban areas,” Thomazelli said. “Monitoring of NDV is also important from the economic standpoint, as Brazil is the world’s leading exporter of frozen chicken.”

Before the researchers could identify the disease that was killing feral pigeons (Columba livia) in São Paulo, the animal disease control center and official veterinary service collected and organized several specimens of dead birds.

“Initially the cause of death was thought to be a bacterium, but no pathogenic species were identified,” Ferreira said. “They sent samples to ICB-USP and the Federal Agricultural Defense Laboratory [LFDA-SP], where characterization was performed, in line with the standard procedure for notifiable viral diseases affecting poultry. Our lab in Pirassununga then sequenced the viral genome.”

Her team also performed analyses to identify tissue wounds. “We sequenced the whole genome and identified the virus as VI.2.1.2,” she said. “This enables us to conduct an in-depth investigation, compare the outbreak with others elsewhere in the world, track the pathogen’s evolution in Brazil, and predict its behavior from now on, including whether it may adapt to other feral birds, for example.”

The genomic analysis showed that the virus found in São Paulo and Rio Grande do Sul (in 2014) can be grouped with samples from Africa.

“Other cases need to be identified so that we can propose classification of the genotype that has circulated in Brazil. It’s relatively different from the African one,” she said. “This kind of monitoring is most important. In the specific case in question, the genotype can’t infect domestic birds [hens] efficiently. If a hen is infected, it doesn’t transmit the virus to others in the same flock. However, studies have suggested that this genotype can adapt in hens over time and cause disease in other domestic birds. Even so, it isn’t considered very dangerous for commercial poultry.”

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Next Entries »

Lost pigeon flew the coop, finding her way from France to Calgary

Pigeons turn into ‘zombie birds’ with twisted necks, trembling wings in UK. Know why and how

Caught on camera: 45 pigeons stolen from a yard in Edmonton

Pigeon droppings health risk – should you worry?

What is it?

How can you catch it?

How risky is it?

How dangerous is pigeon poo?

Can you get sick from pigeons?

Study identifies virus responsible for high mortality rate among pigeons in São Paulo City

Deadly to pigeons

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