by Pigeon Patrol | Jun 4, 2014 | 4-S Gel Bird repellent, Animal Deterrent Products, Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes, UltraSonic Bird Control
Ultrasonic pigeon & bird scarers are electronic devices that produce high pitch emissions known as ultrasound. Ultrasonic pigeon & bird scaring systems have been introduced into the pest control marketplace due to the fact that ultrasound is too high-pitched for human hearing but falls within the hearing range of most species of birds. Most sonic bird scaring devices produce a sound that is audible to the human ear and therefore may cause human disturbance if used in an area of human habitation.
Ultrasonic systems can be used in a wide variety of locations without causing human interference making them an ideal choice for areas where noise-related scaring is not an option. The exception to this rule may be where women and young children are concerned. With age, the human ear looses the ability to hear ultrasound but in some women and particularly in the young, ultrasound falls within hearing ranges and can cause considerable discomfort and headaches. This may have the effect of restricting the use of ultrasonic pigeon & bird scarers when used for pigeon control and gull control in urban areas and on industrial sites.
A constant 15-25 KHz setting (15 KHz for external model)
- A variable setting allowing the user to modulate the frequency between 15 and 30 KHz with different speeds or ‘warbles’ (15-25 KHz for external model)
- A high/medium/low frequency setting
- A combination mode which alternates the ‘constant’ frequency and the ‘warble’ output in timed bursts
- Up to 6500 sq feet coverage (3600 sq feet for external model)
- Power consumption: approx 10 watts (depending on brand)
Most ultrasonic pigeon & bird scarers are powered by mains electricity in an effort to provide the user with a maintenance-free option. Some manufacturers offer their range with a mains adaptor giving 12 volts DC as standard but will provide a unit with connections to a wholly DC power source (normally car/leisure battery) on request. Two manufacturers also offer an environmentally friendly solar panel option allowing the battery to be ‘topped up’ when exposed to daylight or direct sunlight.
Due to the fact that ultrasound travels in straight lines and will not pass through solid objects, a system providing multiple speaker options will provide the most comprehensive coverage. Some units also offer the option of installing extension speakers for use in areas that are architecturally complex. Due to the nature of ultra high frequency sound-waves that spread out in circular waves from the source, a multi-speaker unit with 4-speakers ensures that the sound waves overlap, providing total coverage.
The ultrasonic pigeon & bird scarers that combine ultrasound with distress calls,strobe lights and predator calls are undoubtedly an ‘all-singing-all-dancing’ product that may be ideal for certain sites, but the stroboscopic and sonic elements may result in the unit being considerably less versatile in an urban application. As a roost inhibitor, for areas rarely frequented by humans (for example the underside of a railway or river bridge), the multi-faceted device would be entirely appropriate and may offer high levels of protection. However, the lack of an AC power supply in this type of environment will inevitably make the product more labour intensive. It is clear that the combo units are species-specific and based on their potential to create human disturbance, these products must also be considered to be highly context-specific.
Also commonly known as:
Bird wailer, sonic scarers, ultrasound bird scarers, quadblaster, wailer, silent bird scarer, electronic bird scarer, maxi wailer, midi wailer
by Pigeon Patrol | Jun 4, 2014 | Animal Deterrent Products, Bird Deterrent Products, Pigeons in the News, UltraSonic Bird Control
Laser technology is now being used more commonly as a bird deterrent and research into effective scaring techniques using low-power lasers is ongoing. The most common type of laser used for bird control is the handheld laser which resembles a small handgun. Other formats exist including a rifle which is designed to produce a narrow spot of light for more precise targeting and a laser ‘stick’ which resembles a conventional torch. The main benefits of a laser is that the product is silent, environmentally safe, simple to use and non-lethal. The main disadvantage of a laser is that the product is considered to be ineffective in daylight, certainly in strong sunlight, and has its main use between dusk and dawn. This restricts its use to the control of those species that are active during darkness or dawn/dusk as well as for the control of roosting birds.
The laser is not commonly associated with pigeon control due to the fact that the pigeon is not active during the hours of darkness or at dusk and therefore the product has been more or less ignored by the pigeon control industry. As the laser is developed and as trials are undertaken to establish a broader application for the product, pigeon control will inevitably be a major consideration. If the laser could be used to effect as a roost inhibitor, or as a scaring device in low-light conditions, the product would undoubtedly be used far more extensively for the purposes of pigeon control.
One serious problem associated with the use of lasers as a bird scaring device is the fact that the product can be indiscriminate when used with a wide beam and in darkness. In low-light conditions, at dusk or dawn for example, the beam can be trained on the target species with ease ensuring that there is no ‘over-spill’ that may disturb non-target species or birds or animals. In darkness, however, the beam from the laser is visible over a large area and may disturb non-target species birds or possibly protected species of birds. For example, if a laser was used in an urban environment to scare pigeons and if protected species such as swallows or house martins were scared sufficiently to abandon their nests, there would be serious legal consequences for the property owner.
The laser would appear to have limited applications as a bird scaring device due to the fact that the product is considerably less effective when used in daylight. Although the ‘Avian Dissuader’ was found to be extremely effective when used to control pigeons, in daylight hours, whilst roosting and perching on a food processing plant in New Zealand, the consensus suggests that the product is less than effective when used as a daytime scaring device.
As with most scaring products there are also concerns in respect of habituation and therefore the product will almost certainly need to be used in conjunction with other scaring devices and anti-perching products where appropriate. The laser is clearly species-specific and will be completely ineffective with some species but surprisingly effective with others. The laser has been particularly effective when used to control Canada Geese and other waterfowl such as cormorants but the product clearly has limitations when used in an urban application. The laser is also context-specific confirming that the product will not necessarily offer the same degree of scaring on each site where it is used. Weather conditions and the availability of alternative sources of food and roosts will both impact on the success of the laser.
The laser is recommended for use as a roost inhibitor but it is clear that the product can only be effective with nocturnal species if used in darkness, thus reducing the versatility of the product. There are also concerns voiced byDEFRA that the laser can cause non-selective disturbance when used in darkness due to the fact that the light beam is visible over a large area. This could cause serious issues should the product be used in the vicinity of rare or protected species of breeding birds. It should also be pointed out that the light beam could also cause human disturbance when used in darkness.
The laser has its main application in rural environments, on water and on airfields but not in urban environments. Although the laser appears to have been successful in moving pigeons from their perches on a food processing plant, it is unlikely that the product could be used to effect in a town or city centre or in residential areas.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
The information on this blog is for personal use only. Content for this blog obtained from other websites is not being used for any commercial reasons whatsoever as per the copyright statement on the Pigeon Control Resource Centre’s website. http://www.pigeoncontrolresourcecentre.org/ Special thanks for the people and companies that helped gather this information. This information is to be used for reference only.
by Pigeon Patrol | Jun 4, 2014 | 4-S Gel Bird repellent, Animal Deterrent Products, Bird Deterrent Products, Pigeons in the News, UltraSonic Bird Control
‘Irri-tape pigeon scarer’ is a bird and pigeon control product that visually scares pigeons and birds by the use of holographic images imprinted onto a polyester film. The images resemble owl’s eyes in an interlocking pattern and the 3-dimensional holographic surface reflects the colours of the spectrum as the tape moves. Irri-tape comes in the form of a tape, normally sold in 100 foot or 500 foot rolls, that is ready for use by simply cutting to size. The tape measures 2” wide and .0001” thick. Irri-tape has a considerable number of applications and will scare a variety of bird species including waterfowl and predatory birds.
Irri-tape pigeon scarer is effective, according to the distributor, because it flashes as it moves in the wind with constantly changing colours and patterns. The flashing ‘ripple’ effect unsettles the target species and is perceived as a danger signal. Viewed from a distance, Irri-tape has a reptilian sheen and as a result may be perceived as a predator by other birds, thereby scaring them. The perceived movement of Irri-tape, courtesy of the holographic images, may even be seen by the target species as a rival for food or territory.
Irri-tape not only scares pest species of birds visually but also by making a metallic rattling sound when caught in the wind. The combination of audio and visual scarers in one product makes Irri-tape pigeon scarer an interesting bird control option.
Irri-tape’s applications include protecting ponds, lakes and lawns from waterfowl such as ducks and geese as well as protecting facilities such as fish farms from predation by hawks and other raptors. Irri-tape pigeon scarer can also be wrapped around tree trunks and grape vines to stop bird damage as well as commercial fruit crops and fruit and vegetable plots in domestic gardens. Irri-tape can be applied to flat surfaces such as narrow fences or ledges on buildings to stop birds such as pigeons landing and perching. The product can also be suspended above perching or roosting areas by specially designed wire supports and the main ribbon can be made even more effective by attaching 5 foot long ‘streamers’. Irri-tape can also be used to scare birds from pleasure craft moored in marinas and on roof tops to stop birds landing. The distributor even suggests that whole areas can be protected by providing a line of upright posts and ‘maypoling’ 6-10 foot strips of Irri-tape pigeon scarer to them, allowing the Irri-tape to blow freely in the wind.
Irri-tape pigeon scarer appears to be simple and straightforward to install in virtually every application and the product can be installed by a property ownerrather than having to instruct a specialist contractor. The product is relatively inexpensive to buy and is also lightweight, durable and maintenance-free.
Where urban installations are concerned, access to maintain and repair damaged tape must also be taken into consideration. Birds such as pigeons will often choose inaccessible areas to perch and roost and therefore access to these areas to both install and maintain the product may be difficult and potentially expensive. There are also many more areas on buildings where reflective tape may become ‘snagged’ on architectural features, for example, than in open-space environments such as gardens and fields. Based on the fact that most urban applications will require the product to be installed at height, the question of how the product will stand up to strong winds and gales must also be considered. If Irri-tape pigeon scarer is installed as a linear application, along a parapet wall for example, the likelihood of the product being damaged as a result of high winds is lessened, but cannot be ruled out.
Irri-tape pigeon scarer is clearly a product that deserves consideration whether it is used for the protection of gardens, crops or buildings. As with a vast majority of bird scarers, however, the product will be considerably more effective when provided as part of an overall control system rather than as a stand-alone device. There are very few products within the pest control marketplace, with the possible exception of anti-roosting spikes, that are 100% effective as a stand-alone deterrent/scarer or anti-perching device.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
The information on this blog is for personal use only. Content for this blog obtained from other websites is not being used for any commercial reasons whatsoever as per the copyright statement on the Pigeon Control Resource Centre’s website. http://www.pigeoncontrolresourcecentre.org/ Special thanks for the people and companies that helped gather this information. This information is to be used for reference only.
by Pigeon Patrol | Jun 4, 2014 | Animal Deterrent Products, Bird Deterrent Products, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons in the News
A legal settlement in January between Caltrans and wildlife protection groups over a highway construction project in Sonoma County may have protected local nesting birds in the short term, but the alternative measures used may be affecting wildlife populations in the long term, according to an environmental attorney who works with the Golden Gate Audubon Society.
At issue are cliff swallows, which had long built their mud nests on a pair of concrete bridges near Highway 101 in the Sonoma County community of Petaluma. When Caltrans decided it was time to rebuild those bridges during a highway widening project, contractors installed bird netting to keep the swallows away from the construction area. But that netting ended up snaring the small birds, and more than a hundred of them died.
Cliff swallows are so-named for their habit of building mud nests in cavities on cliffs and protected rock outcroppings. They’re one of the wildlife species that has adjusted well to human influence, mainly because of our habit of building thousands of vertical “cliff faces” everywhere we go. Concrete bridges and similar structures are especially attractive to the swallows because they tend to have concrete sills that overhang the vertical faces, which allow the birds to build their nests more efficiently.
When Caltrans agreed to end the use of netting during the construction project, its contractor C.C. Myers deployed a slick material called “Bird Slide” over the concrete. When the swallows learn after a few tries that they can’t get their carefully gathered beaks full of mud to stick to the Bird Slide, they give up and build their nests somewhere else.
That’s undeniably a better alternative than the netting: rather than getting injured or killed through entanglement, the birds shrug their shoulders and go off to build a nest somewhere else. And they may not have to travel far: C.C. Myers has left some of the concrete on the bridges bare, where swallow nests won’t get in the way of construction.
But according to Sommers, those patches of open concrete are more exposed to the elements than is ideal for the longevity of the nests, which are, after all, made of mud and spit. Swallows have nested on the bridges this season, with about 80 nests total. But that’s well under the historic 500-800 nests the bridge colonies built before construction.
Where did the remaining swallows go? They may well have dispersed throughout the nearby community looking for more suitable nesting sites. And that’s a problem: the highly gregarious birds fare better in huge colonies with up to 6,000 nests. Breaking up a colony may well mean a population decline in the long run.
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
by Pigeon Patrol | Jun 4, 2014 | 4-S Gel Bird repellent, Bird Netting, Pigeons in the News, UltraSonic Bird Control
Sometimes good wine happens by accident or luck. Sometimes it’s inspiration. John Forrest of New Zealand’s Forrest wines has had both.First, the luck. Back in 1996, Forrest noticed that a few rows of grapes were showing signs of bird damage earlier than usual, so he directed his crews to string bird netting along the vines. Not long afterward, the grape clusters developed signs of rot. Forrest realized that the netting had been used the previous year to protect grapes harvested late for his dessert wine, an unctuously sweet Riesling made from grapes shriveled by botrytis — the “noble rot” that, when properly controlled, can concentrate the fruit’s juices and flavors.
Forrest says he could see this technique being useful in hot years when sugar levels could spike in chardonnay or pinot noir. The New Zealand government has funded research on the technique by other growers.
In addition to meeting a perceived market demand for wines with moderate alcohol levels, Forrest says, the technique has the potential to help other wine regions where climate change is affecting vintages.
“You know where this could really make a difference?” he asked me, his eyes wide as grape clusters. “Napa!”
About Pigeon Patrol:
Pigeon Patrol Products & Services is the leading manufacturer and distributor of bird deterrent (control) products in Canada. Pigeon Patrol products have solved pest bird problems in industrial, commercial, and residential settings since 2000, by using safe and humane bird deterrents with only bird and animal friendly solutions. At Pigeon Patrol, we manufacture and offer a variety of bird deterrents, ranging from Ultra-flex Bird Spikes with UV protection, Bird Netting, 4-S Gel and the best Ultrasonic and audible sound devices on the market today.
Voted Best Canadian wholesaler for Bird Deterrent products four years in a row.
Contact Info: 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD (www.pigeonpatrol.ca)
