by Pigeon Patrol | May 10, 2021 | Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Law, Bird Netting, Bird Spikes, Columbidae, Pigeon Predators, Pigeon Spikes
Most of us love having backyard birds to watch and to feed. The music of songbirds is a sure sign of spring. On the other hand, bird damage to lawns can be extensive. If you’re finding small holes in your grass and you see a lot of birds around, the damage is probably caused by birds foraging for food. There are some ways you can keep birds from digging up lawn and grass. Read on to learn more.
Why are Birds Digging up my Lawn?
It’s not hard to identify bird damage to lawns. If you see a lot of birds in your yard and you find small, about one-inch (2.5-cm.) holes in the turf, it’s most likely bird-related damage. What are birds digging for in your lawn? The phenomenon of birds digging holes in lawns has an easy explanation: food. They’re looking for tasty snacks, so if you’re seeing a lot of bird damage, it means you have an insect problem. Basically, your lawn is the best restaurant around because it has so many bugs. Birds are simply foraging for grubs, worms, and insects. The good news about this is that the grubs and insects will actually do more damage to your lawn than the birds will, and the birds are helping you control the population.
How to Keep Birds from Digging up Lawn
If you want to avoid the bird damage of small holes all over your lawn, you have to get rid of the insect pests. To get rid of your bug problem, invest in a pesticide, preferably something natural. You can either have it applied by a professional lawn company or you can do it yourself. It is important to time the application. If you have grubs, for instance, you need to apply in late spring or early summer. It’s also important to time application to avoid harming the birds. Apply the pesticide in late afternoon so it will be dry by the next morning when the birds reappear to search for breakfast. If you prefer not to have birds at all around your property, there is little you can do but you can try using a few scare tactics that may keep the birds away.
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.
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
by Pigeon Patrol | May 3, 2021 | Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Law, pet bird, Pigeon Droppings, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons
Many types of birds are attracted to swimming pools. As a result, swimmers might come in contact with bird droppings (poop) while in the pool. If you find bird droppings in the pool, there are a few simple steps you can take to disinfect the water and keep birds away from the pool.
Can bird droppings in the pool spread germs to swimmers?
Many germs that might be found in bird droppings can infect humans. Duck and goose droppings, in particular, might contain germs such as E. coli, Salmonella, Campylobacter, or Cryptosporidium (“Crypto” for short).
Most germs in bird droppings are killed by chlorine within minutes in a well-maintained pool.
The germ Crypto, however, has a tough outer shell that allows it to survive for a long time in the environment. Crypto can survive for days even in properly chlorinated pools. Currently, CDC is not aware of any evidence of Crypto being spread directly from birds to humans.
What should I do if I find bird droppings in the pool?
Pool operators and owners should respond to finding bird droppings in the pool the same way they would respond to finding formed human feces (poop) in the pool. The Healthy Swimming Program’s Fecal Incident Response Recommendations Cdc-pdf[PDF – 4 pages] provide step-by-step guidance on how to properly decontaminate the water in these situations.
Follow these steps to remove bird droppings and disinfect the water:
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Close the pool to swimmers.
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Put on disposable gloves.
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Remove the bird droppings using a net or bucket. Do not vacuum the droppings from the pool.
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Clean off any debris or dirt from the item used to remove the bird droppings.
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Disinfect the item used to remove the droppings by immersing it in the pool during the 30-minute disinfection time described below.
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Remove and dispose of gloves.
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Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water immediately.
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Raise the free chlorine concentration to, or maintain it at, 2 parts per million (ppm); maintain the pH level at 7.5 or less; keep the temperature at 77°F (25°C) or higher. The free chlorine and pH should remain at these levels for 30 minutes.
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Confirm that the filtration system is operating properly.
How can I keep birds away from the pool area?
The following steps can help encourage birds, other than ducks and geese (more information on ducks and geese is provided below), to leave the swimming pool area:
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Remove plants that produce edible nuts, fruits, and berries.
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Remove bird feeders.
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Trim or remove trees and shrubs to limit branches hanging around or over the pool that can be used by roosting birds.
How can I keep ducks and geese away from the pool area?
Do not feed ducks or geese; providing food attracts them and encourages them to return. Many types of ducks and geese eat grass, so reducing the area of grass lawns around the swimming pool or putting up barriers that prohibit movement between swimming pools and grass lawns, such as fences and hedges, might also help. Removing domestic ducks and geese from the pool area can also help decrease the likelihood that wild ducks and geese will be attracted to the area.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has additional information on how to manage ducks and geese (also known as waterfowl) in their document Assistance with Waterfowl Damage. Cdc-pdf[PDF – 3 pages]External
What can I do to get rid of ducks and geese already in the pool area?
In the United States, most birds, including ducks and geese, are protected by the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act and state laws. Local laws might also apply. Therefore, legal options for dealing with birds are limited and may require a permit. Consult the U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServicesExternal and your state wildlife agencyExternal for more information.
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
by Pigeon Patrol | May 3, 2021 | Animal Deterrent Products, Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Bird Spikes, history of pigeons, Pigeon Control, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes
Need pigeon removal in your hometown?
Pigeons are a determined bird, doggedly living near humans because of the ample food supply. These birds are indiscriminate eliminators of waste, leaving liquid splatters of dropping anywhere they travel. Their lack of concern for cleanliness extends into their everyday activities, and water contamination has been traced back to pigeon carcasses and feces in water towers near roosting sites. The waste from these birds, which are most commonly seen in urban areas, is very corrosive. Concrete, limestone and metal all suffer from the ill-effects of pigeon droppings. In cities, constant cleanup alone costs thousands of dollars.
Because of the homing ability of pigeons, there are difficulties with relocation. This species of bird was once used as a messenger between civilizations, finding their way over hundreds and thousands of miles. The only way to get rid of pigeons is to discourage them and prevent them from frequenting undesired locations. There are a number of ways to accomplish this, some proven to show more success than others. Information about pigeon trapping – analysis and methods for how to trap.
Unsuccessful methods of pigeon control deal mostly with predator fear. Plastic owls are a favorite of the public when, in reality, the fake predator appears as just that—fake. A pigeon will not be any more leery of an unmoving owl than it would an unmoving human. Pigeons are largely unaffected by unpleasant smells, though it has recently been proven that their homing ability is based on scent mapping and not electromagnetic fields. Sounds are another flop when it comes to pigeon control. Ultrasonic sound emitters may very well produce noises humans can’t hear, but rarely are those sounds ‘annoying’ to birds. If a pigeon can put up with all the noise congestion in a busy city, some random sounds from an ultrasonic radio aren’t going to bother it.
The most practical ways to get rid of pigeons is to convince them that they do not or cannot stay near your home or business. Any ledge can be a roosting site. By installing pigeon nets, bird spikes or electric shockers, pigeons will be less inclined to settle on those surfaces. Nets and spikes prevent roosting all together. Electric strips may be difficult to install at higher locations, but many brands offer solar power and require little maintenance. Electric strips do require more attention than netting and are often more expensive. If your building has smaller sections of roof, bird “spiders” are useful instruments. The wire device resembles a sprinkler in design with thin lines of arced metal extending outward from a central location. These wires are loose and are not strong enough to support the weight of a bird.
Information about how to keep pigeons away – prevention techniques.
There is something to be said for determination, too. Even though most scare tactics do not work on pigeons, harassment techniques can prove beneficial if done frequently and without fail. If pigeons have taken over your yard, letting your dog out will chase them away. Yes, they will come back when the dog is gone, but if this scenario is repeated often enough the pigeons will learn that your yard is not the easiest place to visit. When it comes to opportunistic birds, life is all about easy.
Some towns and cities have experimented with employing the use of falcons to control pigeon populations. The benefit to using birds of prey is that they often keep the pigeons moving, preventing any one roosting area to become long-term. Unfortunately, falcons cannot eliminate a large enough number of the nuisance birds to make a noticeable difference without becoming a nuisance bird themselves.
Pigeons are products of their environment. If they were not deliberately fed in parks and on streets a decline in their nuisance behaviors would be seen. These birds can live on naturally occurring food sources. Unfortunately, it is the poor sanitation habits of people that keep these animals desiring our leftovers. If pigeons have overrun your home, be sure that all garbage and compost is carefully disposed of. You may not be able to control the habits of the neighbors on your block, but you can make your house that much more uninviting by following good hygiene habits.
Pigeon Information & Facts
Pigeon Appearance: Pigeons are robust birds with short necks, usually gray in color with a faint iridescence to their feathers. They have a characteristic back and forth rhythm to their head. This bobbing is a mechanism that allows the birds to focus their vision and perceive depth. Pigeons have duplicate black bands on each wing, but the coloration on the main part of the body can vary. Their feet are suited for perching on ledges and high peaks. The beak of the pigeon is medium in both length and width, ideal for pulling apart bread, picking up small food pieces, or fishing spiders out of cracks.
Pigeon Habitat and Behavior: Pigeons are most often seen in cities. This habitat preference is largely due to the surplus of food available and the high roosting opportunities. Pigeons are fond of the water towers on tall buildings, often building messy nests on the rim. For this reason, most cities require water towers be completely sealed to prevent the birds or their waste from contaminating the water supply. A pigeon will nest almost anywhere and will often do so with many others of its kind. A roost can be made atop any vertical surface. Pigeons are known in invade gutters, ducts, air conditioners, attics, warehouses, and drains. They are not overly concerned with sanitary conditions and will utilize any vertical object in any location for their purposes.
Pigeons are also very food-driven. This problem has been made serious by the continued, deliberate feeding of the birds in urban areas. The birds have little fear of humans and will often converge around people in parks and near restaurants. Pigeon feeding is a common hobby of many city-goers, yet another reason for the lack of caution around humans.
Egg laying can take place as often as every other month. Courtship between the male and the female is brief, and the resulting egg clutch usually only contains two eggs. An abundance of pigeons will result in quick overpopulation, regardless of how many eggs are laid per pair. Some cites have sought population control by replacing viable eggs with fake or unfertilized eggs. This tactic may be effective short-term, but pigeons will lay another clutch once the original appears unproductive.
Pigeon Diet: Pigeons will scavenge for almost any type of grain-based food source. The habit of city restaurants discarding stale bread into parks increases the role this type of food plays in the pigeon diet. In nature, the birds eat insects, berries, seeds, grains, and spiders.
Pigeon Nuisance Concerns: Pigeons are not as bold as some species of birds adapted to living off human leftovers. The major concern when it comes to this species centers on its roosting habits. Pigeons most often roost in number. They are not a sanitary bird, often eliminating waste in their own nests, and living on top of the bodies of their own kind. Pigeon waste is caustic and will do permanent damage to stone and concrete. In many cities, water contamination due to pigeons and their droppings has been a major concern. Because these birds pool around areas with a high opportunity for food (such as restaurants), there is a logical concern for public health.
Pigeon Diseases: The most common zoonotic disease associated with pigeons is called histoplasmosis. This disease is caused by a fungal infection facilitated by the dried powder of pigeon feces. People with compromised immune systems should also be wary of cryptococcosis, another fungal infection affecting only those without healthy defenses. Psittacosis, more commonly transmitted by exotic birds, has been reported in larger cities. These illnesses present with flu-like symptoms, making diagnosis and treatment difficult unless the disease is well underway.
This site is intended to provide pigeon education and information, so that you can make an informed decision if you need to deal with a pigeon problem. This site provides many pigeon control articles and strategies, if you wish to attempt to solve the problem yourself. If you are unable to do so, which is likely with many cases of pigeon removal, please go to the home page and click the USA map, where I have wildlife removal experts listed in over 500 cites and towns, who can properly help you with your nuisance pigeon.
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
by Pigeon Patrol | Apr 26, 2021 | Columbidae, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons in the News, UltraSonic Bird Control
Many of us have heard of the Lost Battalion, and know some of the story. What is not commonly known is the role of a remarkable pigeon, named Cher Ami. That little bird became one of the greatest heroes of World War I.
Cher Ami at the Smithsonian Institution. (Photo by Armed Forces History, Division of History of Technology, National Museum of American History)
Cher Ami was one of almost 600 carrier pigeons employed by the US Army Signal Corps during the First World War. Carrier pigeons were invaluable , in spite of the advances in communications technology during the war. Radios were not as reliable since they were large and still bound by delicate wires. It also was not always possible to lay new wires quickly, and often could be extremely dangerous. While not necessarily a popular form of communication, pigeons did prove a reliable one. The average homing pigeon can fly approximately fifty miles per hour, making them a quick method of communication. Still, these pigeons often proved popular targets to enemy gunfire despite their speed. In fact, German machine gunners trained diligently to both spot and kill these birds with their deadly MG 08s, which could fire over 500 rounds per minute. Pigeons could also be a very risky way to communicate, because if a pigeon was shot down, the message could easily be intercepted by enemy forces.
The US Army Signal Corps used some 600 pigeons in WW1.
It was during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive of 1918 where the carrier pigeon was finally recognized for its valiant efforts. On October 2nd, 1918, American soldiers from the 77th Division pushed too far into the Argonne Forest and became trapped behind German lines on the slopes of a hill. Cut off from reinforcements and supplies, roughly 550 men from the 306th, 307th, and 308th regiments under Major Charles Whittlesey held their ground against a far larger German force for several days. Far beyond radio range, the only way the Americans could communicate with their own lines was via carrier pigeon. However, it did not take long to realize that the skies were as dangerous as the ground. Trapped in a horrible meatgrinder of machine guns and rain, the Lost Battalion held their ground against vicious German attacks.
On October 4th, American heavy artillery started to bombard the Lost Battalion’s position on accident, killing thirty men as they held the line. Major Whittlesey and his men watched as bird after bird fell out of a sky torn apart by German fire. With supplies running out and casualties mounting rapidly, Major Whittlesey desperately sent out his last pigeon, Cher Ami, to the American lines with a note that simply read, “We are along the road parallel to 276.4. Our own artillery is dropping a barrage directly on us. For heaven’s sake, stop it.” With fire raining down on them from all sides, Cher Ami was now the last chance for the Lost Battalion to walk off that hill alive.
Capt John Carney, Cher Ami’s trainer, holds the feathered hero.
The brave bird flew straight into the German fire, dodging bullets as he went. However, his luck did not last for long. Cher Ami was hit in the chest soon after takeoff, as American soldiers watched in horror as their last hope hit the ground. Against all odds though, Cher Ami got up again! Wounded but still alive, the little bird took flight again, charging head-on into wave after wave of gunfire. By the end of the trip, he covered 25 miles in roughly half an hour. He arrived at base heavily wounded, but alive.
The Croix de Guerre with Palm military decoration of France, awarded to Cher Ami.
Army medics were able to save Cher Ami’s life, but his right leg was barely attached to his body and he was blind in one eye. However, because of Cher Ami’s delivery, the artillery stopped and took up new firing coordinates away from American lines. The next day, shells started to fall on German positions, relieving pressure on the bloodied 77th and the battle turned in America’s favor. On October 8th, one hundred and ninety-four men made it back to the American lines thanks to Cher Ami’s sacrifice.
For his part in saving the 77th Division, Cher Ami was awarded the Croix de Guerre, one of France’s highest military honors for his gallantry in the field. General John Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Force, said “There isn’t anything the United States can do too much for this bird.”
Cher Ami made it back to the United States in the care of its trainer, Capt John Carney. On June 13th, 1919, Cher Ami died at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey. However, Cher Ami’s body was preserved and presented to the American Government with honor. It is difficult to say how many families owe their existence to the sheer courage and self-sacrifice of one brave bird. Today, Cher Ami is on display at the Smithsonian Museum of American History to preserve his memory. Since then, his story has lived on in the hearts and minds of Americans across the decades, and his bravery will never be forgotten.
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
by Pigeon Patrol | Apr 26, 2021 | Bird Law, Pigeon Control, Pigeon Predators, Pigeon Spikes
Probably the second-worst thing that ever happened to pigeons was Woody Allen calling them “rats with wings” in 1980, prompting a bad reputation that the birds just haven’t been able to get rid of. (The worst thing that ever happened to pigeons was the extinction of the carrier pigeon in the late 1800s/early 1900s. These pigeons once existed in such multitudes, they would darken the sky for hours as they flew overhead; sadly, their sheer numbers led to a carefree attitude in hunting them, and they went from a population of millions to zero in a short time span.)
Contrary to popular belief, pigeons are quite interesting, useful animals. They were domesticated thousands of years ago (Darwin, in fact, was a little obsessed with pigeons), can be trained as athletes (called “racing pigeons”), mate for life (aww!), and have evolved to be able to digest a much wider variety of food than their ancestors. More recently, scientists in the U.S. and England have utilized pigeons to help collect data on air quality by strapping tiny, pigeon-sized backpacks onto the pigeons’ backs and tracking the data as the birds fly around.
They’re more reliable than your car’s GPS
Probably one of the most famous cool things about pigeons is their ability to always find their way home. You’ve probably heard of “homing pigeons” before, right? But how do they do it? Past studies have investigated the roles of olfactory cues, sun and magnetic compasses, and the use of long, linear landmarks such as roads, railway lines, and rivers. Interestingly enough, despite hundreds of years of research on the matter, there still doesn’t appear to be a consensus on how exactly pigeons have such an uncanny sense of direction.
In 2013, a study in the Journal of Experimental Biology found that homing pigeons use low-frequency sound waves, called infrasound waves, to make an acoustic mental map of their location. The researcher examined 14 years’ worth of data from 45,000 pigeons to determine that the only times the birds got lost were when these infrasound waves, due to wind or difficult terrain, were unable to reach the pigeons’ home loft. This sound block appears to have inhibited the birds’ ability to figure out their orientation relative to home, indicating that sound plays an important role in their ability to find their way home.
But in a 2015 study in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, scientists found that vision, too, plays a major role in homing pigeons’ abilities. The left and right halves of bird brains are thought to act more autonomously than ours, because they don’t have a corpus callosum, the part of the brain that passes information between brain hemispheres. So for this study, the researchers placed eye patches on first one, then the other, of the birds’ eyes to see how limited vision might affect their sense of direction. Two groups of birds were trained to return home, first with the left eye covered or first with the right eye covered. The pigeons formed new routes after switching eyes, meaning that their brain hemispheres do indeed learn and act independently.
It’s worth nothing that, despite having full use of both eyes and ears, plus the ability to read a map, I can recount multiple instances wherein I panicked because I was “lost,” only to find out I was within two or three blocks of home. Multiple instances, you guys. I would be a terrible pigeon.
They can detect cancer
So, pigeons have built-in GPSs. You still seem unimpressed. Well, did you know that pigeons can also detect cancer? Aha, now I’ve got your attention!
It’s true: a 2015 study in PLOS ONE found that pigeons, with a little training, can distinguish breast tissue from tumors on biopsy slides. The researchers showed 16 pigeons touchscreen images of microscope slides of either benign or malignant breast tissue, and within two weeks, the pigeons had achieved 85% accuracy in identifying malignancies. Interestingly, if the assessments of multiple pigeons on each slide were added together (the researchers called this “flock-sourcing,” which may be the cutest adaption of crowdsourcing I’ve ever seen), accuracy reached 99%. The pigeons had a harder time identifying suspicious masses in mammogram images, which, to be fair, is something doctors have trouble with too, even after of years of training.
Nonetheless, this suggests that pigeons could be used as trained medical image observers and could help researchers figure out better ways to train pathologists and computer systems by determining the impact of color, contrast, brightness, and image compression artifacts on diagnostic performance.
They’re highly intelligent
Which brings me back to my original point: pigeons are actually highly intelligent creatures. A 1995 study in the Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior found that pigeons could distinguish between paintings by Monet and Picasso (though the study didn’t determine which artist the pigeons preferred, so we may never know if they’re more into cubism or impressionism). A 2008 study in Animal Cognition found that pigeons, like large-brained primates, recognize themselves in mirrors and videos.
In a study presented at the 2011 Society for Experimental Biology Annual Conference, researchers determined that feral, untrained pigeons can recognize individual people and are not fooled by a change of clothes. Two researchers, of similar build and skin color, wearing different-colored lab coats that covered most of their bodies, fed pigeons in a park. One of the researchers ignored the pigeons, whereas the other researcher shooed the pigeons away; in subsequent sessions, even when the “hostile” researcher acted neutrally toward the pigeons or switched lab coats with the other researcher, the pigeons recognized and avoided the “hostile” researcher.
Lest you think this is a one-off occurrence, a 2012 study in Avian Biology Research confirmed that pigeons can recognize a person they have encountered before, based strictly on facial characteristics. The researchers trained a group of pigeons to distinguish between photographs of familiar and unfamiliar objects. These pigeons, along with a control group that had not been trained, were then shown photographs of pairs of human faces, one familiar and one the pigeons had not previously seen. The trained birds were able to recognize and classify the familiar people using only their faces, whereas the birds without prior training failed.
So, to recap, pigeons can identify cancer, recognize human faces, and find their way home. Which leaves me with one burning question: do they also play fetch?
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.
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 guardContact us at 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD, (604) 585-9279 or visit our website at www.pigeonpatrol.ca
by Pigeon Patrol | Feb 24, 2021 | Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Bird Spikes, Doves, Pigeon Control, Pigeon Spikes
![Building Product: No Knot Bird Netting - [10203b8] | ARCAT](https://www.arcat.com//photos/birdbgon/132024.jpg)
Why You Should Get Bird Netting
Are you a business owner or property owner that has a bird problem on your premises? Then this is the blog for you!
Here are reasons you should get bird netting!
Bird netting is set up to prevent birds from reaching certain areas, encouraging them to move on to an easier roosting place. Netting can keep birds off windowsills, rooftops, away from your ventilation and roof top air conditioning units. It can take a professional to know just where to place the netting so that it will be the most productive and the least noticeable for customers.
The benefits of using Bird Netting?
- Netting is a great solution against pretty much any type of birds, especially the likes of pigeons and gulls, sparrows and starlings, who are known to cause problems
- Bird netting is highly versatile and can be fitted to pretty much any size that you need to cover
- Bird netting protect structures
- Netting is environmentally safe and can withstand a wide range of environmental conditions
- Netting can last many years
- Netting is virtually invisible when installed correctly
Bird netting or anti-bird netting is a form of bird pest control. It is a net used to prevent birds from reaching certain areas.
Bird protection netting comes in a variety of shapes and forms, The most common is a small mesh (1 or 2 cm squares) either extruded and bi-oriented polypropylene or woven polyethylene.
The color most used is black (as the carbon black UV inhibitor offers the best protection against solar rays), but also bird netting may be available in other colors like white (usually white netting is woven or knitted and has an even smaller mesh size as it will serve as a double purpose anti-hail net for the protection of fruits during summer hail storms or late spring during flowering) or green (usually used in home gardening and mostly sold at retail outlets for the DIY farmers).
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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.
Contact us at 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD, (604) 585-9279 or visit our website at www.pigeonpatrol.ca
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