by Pigeon Patrol | May 4, 2014 | Bird Deterrent Products, Pigeons in the News, UltraSonic Bird Control
The lethal control of birds is prohibited under the The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 unless the species concerned is listed under the relevant section of the Act. Although specific licences are required for some methods of lethal control, such as the use of stupefying baits, the most commonly controlled species of pest birds (such as the feral pigeon) are allowed to be killed under a General Licence. This means that providing an ‘authorised person’ undertakes the culling and providing that the culling is undertaken in accordance with the guidelines laid down by the General Licence, a specific application to kill is not required. All licences are issued and overseen by The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) including the General Licence.
Lethal control has been used as a ‘quick-fix’ means of reducing pigeon numbers for as long as there has been a need to control the species. The pest control industry has historically recommended lethal controls alongside the provision of anti-perching and bird exclusion products in an effort to maximise relief for those experiencing pigeon-related problems. Although the installation of anti-perching products (and some bird exclusion products) will resolve a vast majority of pigeon-related problems without the need for additional controls, many pest control companies still recommend lethal control either as a complementary service or as a stand-alone control.
Based on the evidence that culled birds are replaced within a matter of weeks following a cull, culling cannot be used, under any circumstances, to reduce flock size in anything other than the short-term. If a property owner is expected to undertake a cull every few weeks in order to protect his/her property, the cost of the service would be prohibitive. Even in light of these facts, culling is still widely recommended and used by the pest control industry as a method of control. The following methods are commonly used to cull pigeons:
Cage Trap for Killing Pigeons
A suitable area is identified in which to site the trap that is easy to access for the pest control contractor and which is considered to be in an area of high pigeon activity. Other criteria, such as finding a site that is not overlooked, is equally important as the general public find the sight of trapped birds extremely distressing. The cage trap is then baited with pigeon corn for approximately 7 days, allowing pigeons’ free access to enter the trap, feed and then exit the trap. This process is designed to make the birds feel safe whilst feeding within the trap so that after 7 days when the trap is set, the maximum number of birds will be caught. The trap has a two-way door which, when set, allows the pigeon to enter the trap but not to exit it. The trap is then visited once a day and any birds within the trap are removed and either killed on the site or removed live, normally in a sack and taken away to be gassed.
Cage trapping is also highly labour intensive, resulting in higher costs to the client due to the fact that the law states that as a minimum, cage traps must be inspected once every 24 hours. Although the law is quite clear on this point, not all contractors comply with this legislation and empty their traps every 24 hours. If the contractor fails to inspect and empty their traps every 24 hours they run the risk of prosecution, as does the client upon whose site the traps are located. There is also a legal requirement to provide food and water in cage traps but again, not all contractors comply with this aspect of the legislation. 
Rifle Used for Killing Pigeons
Shooting operations are normally undertaken at night with daytime shoots only being used in agricultural applications or for specialised urban applications. In urban applications, pigeons are usually shot at night and in their roosting sites because the birds are unable to fly away when the shooting starts, as they would if shoots were undertaken in daylight hours. The major problem inherent with shooting operations is the inability of the shooter to recover and dispatch injured birds. It is virtually impossible to kill a pigeon outright with an air weapon and therefore a majority of birds are simply shot and injured. Because pigeons normally roost at height and because when shot, a pigeon will be pushed backwards with the impact of the pellet entering the body, very few injured pigeons actually fall to the ground. This means that injured birds cannot be dispatched humanely, as is required by law, to prevent suffering taking place, rendering this method of lethal control inhumane. A pigeon can survive for weeks with a pellet lodged in its body and will suffer a slow and lingering death as a result. Also, in situations where a majority of the seriously injured birds cannot be humanely dispatched, the property owner upon who’s site the shooting has taken place will inevitably experience unpleasant smells and maggot infestations as birds die in their roosting places.
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 | Apr 20, 2014 | 4-S Gel Bird repellent, Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons in the News, UltraSonic Bird Control
How old are pigeons?
Pigeons have lived alongside man for thousands of years with the first images of pigeons being found by archaeologists in Mesopotamia (modern Iraq) and dating back to 3000BC.
Pigeon guano – foul or fantastic?
Although pigeon guano is seen as a major problem for property owners in the 21st century, it was considered to be an invaluable resource in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries in Europe. Pigeon guano was a highly prized fertiliser and considered to be far more potent than farmyard manure. So prized, in fact, that armed guards were stationed at the entrances to dovecotes (pigeon houses) to stop thieves stealing it! Not only this, but in England in the 16th century pigeon guano was the only known source of saltpetre, an essential ingredient of gunpowder and considered to be a highly valued commodity as a result. In Iran, where eating pigeon flesh was forbidden, dovecotes were set up and used simply as a source of fertilizer for melon crops. In France and Italy it was used to fertilize vineyards and hemp crops.
Why do pigeons bob their heads?
The pigeon has side-mounted eyes, unlike humans and owls which have forward facing eyes. As pigeons have monocular vision rather than binocular vision they bob their heads for depth of perception. The pigeon’s eyes function much better with stationary images and therefore as the pigeon takes a step forward the head is temporarily left behind. The next step jerks the head forward again and so on. This allows the bird to correctly orient itself.
Champion Racing ?
We normally think of the pigeon as being an unwelcome guest in our towns and cities, but most of us are unaware that racing pigeons can be worth huge sums of money. One racing pigeon recently sold for a staggering $132,517.00! The 3-year old bird was a champion racer, beating 21,000 other pigeons in one long distance race. For this reason he was bought by a British company that breeds racing pigeons for ‘stud’. One very happy pigeon! The previous record price for a racing pigeon was $73, 800.00.
How do pigeons navigate?
There are many theories about how pigeons manage to return ‘home’ when released 100s of miles from their loft. A champion racing pigeon can be released 400-600 miles away from its home and still return within the day. This amazing feat does not just apply to ‘racing’ or ‘homing’ pigeons; all pigeons have the ability to return to their roost. A 10-year study carried out by Oxford University concluded that pigeons use roads and motorways to navigate, in some cases even changing direction at motorway junctions. Other theories include navigation by use of the earth’s magnetic field, visual clues such as landmarks, the sun and even infrasounds (low frequency seismic waves). Whatever the truth, this unique ability makes the pigeon a very special bird.
Are pigeons intelligent?
Pigeons are considered to be one of the most intelligent birds on the planet and able to undertake tasks previously thought to be the sole preserve of humans and primates. The pigeon has also been found to pass the ‘mirror test’ (being able to recognise its reflection in a mirror) and is one of only 6 species, and the only non-mammal, that has this ability. The pigeon can also recognise all 26 letters of the English language as well as being able to conceptualise. In scientific tests pigeons have been found to be able to differentiate between photographs and even differentiate between two different human beings in a photograph when rewarded with food for doing so.
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 | Apr 7, 2014 | Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons in the News, UltraSonic Bird Control
OTTAWA — An Ottawa man will serve five days in jail for bashing a gull to death because it was stealing the seed he meant for pigeons in the ByWard Market last summer.
Keith Watt, 59, was sentenced Thursday in an Ottawa courtroom on a charge of causing distress to an animal.
Watt beat the bird on Aug. 27, 2013. It died of its injuries two days later.
“Violence against animals is not acceptable, no matter what the animal,” Bruce Roney, executive director of the Ottawa Humane Society, said in a statement. “This bird really suffered before dying from its injuries. We’re pleased the justice system has acknowledged that this act of animal cruelty is unacceptable to our community.”
According the Humane Society report of the case, Watt was feeding pigeons in the Market and got mad when gulls arrived and began to eat the food, too. One gull got close enough that Watt was able to grab it. The gull bit him.
Watt “responded by swinging the gull with what appeared to be full force against a brick wall.” He then tossed the badly injured bird over a nearby fence.
A witness reported the incident and the gull was taken to the Wild Bird Care Centre, where it died.
Watt was charged under the Ontario SPCA Act.
He was also put on probation for two years and is banned from owning an animal for five years. He must also pay the Humane Society’s court costs.
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) Now shipping World Wide.
by Pigeon Patrol | Apr 7, 2014 | Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons in the News
Is downtown Glenwood going to the birds?
Not if downtown businesses help pay half of a contract to exterminate the large number of pigeons that have made their homes in downtown buildings.
Glenwood City Commissioners last week reacted to complaints about the growing number of pigeons living downtown and approved a motion to pay half of the cost of a licensed exterminator, if downtown businesses would pay the other half.
The total cost of an exterminator is about $3,000, so downtown businesses will be asked to come up with about $1,500. The commission directed city staff to write a letter seeking donations from downtown businesses.
The birds are becoming more of a nuisance in the area each year and city officials and police officers have been getting numerous complaints about the issue, according to Glenwood Police Chief Dale Danter.
Danter said he has spent a considerable amount of time researching options the city could pursue to reduce the pigeon population. “The only real option is to hire a licensed exterminator,” he told commissioners. He added that he did research the viability of shooting some of the birds or trapping them, but recommended hiring the exterminator.
“Shooting has become very complicated and it really isn’t a viable option for the city at this time,” he added. “And trapping [the birds] is very labor intensive and would require a lot of time by city workers and police officers.
Commissioner Sherri Kazda said she was in favor of paying half the cost, but said the city should not enter any contract until the money is raised.
“It’s unfortunate that we even have to do this,” she said.
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) Now shipping World Wide.
by Pigeon Patrol | Apr 7, 2014 | Animal Deterrent Products, Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons in the News
The low score the restaurant had been given was clearly a nonsense. I’ve been in there and you could eat your dinner off the floor. It also has a legion of fans, who leapt, like a cartoon dog at a plate of sausages, to the defence of said establishment, many of them completely failing to grasp that this newspaper doesn’t carry out inspections. Inspectors do.
And they carry out inspections on everybody, and we print them, because that’s the point of inspections. Surely there’s no point in doing them if they are then kept secret? Indeed, in South Wales it is compulsory for restaurants to stick a sign up stating their rating. But I do have a lot of sympathy for anyone who, in their daily life, has to deal with government inspectors. These are beings who, no doubt overloaded with work, do things literally by the book. Which means that if you have checked your raw meat’s internal temperature every two hours for six months but haven’t written it down somewhere, then they’re going to string you up, but if you haven’t checked it but have made up some numbers, you’re fine.
And if you are having a new extractor fan fitted when the inspector calls, but haven’t shut down your business for a fortnight to do it, then you might as well be serving botulism in a bun, with a side order of salmonella.
Did you know that schools are so petrified of Ofsted marking them down that they now carry out secret “mocksted” examinations? Where former Ofsted inspectors and teachers are employed at considerable expense to descend upon schools to see how unprepared teachers will perform under pressure?
The latest price increase will cost my business around £2,500 over the course of a year
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) Now shipping World Wide.
The lethal control of birds is prohibited under the The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 unless the species concerned is listed under the relevant section of the Act. Although specific licences are required for some methods of lethal control, such as the use of stupefying baits, the most commonly controlled species of pest birds (such as the feral pigeon) are allowed to be killed under a General Licence. This means that providing an ‘authorised person’ undertakes the culling and providing that the culling is undertaken in accordance with the guidelines laid down by the General Licence, a specific application to kill is not required. All licences are issued and overseen by The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) including the General Licence. 
