by Pigeon Patrol | Feb 16, 2020 | Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Bird Spike, Pigeon Control, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons in the News
The dossier spills over into two drawers of files full of hand-scribbled notes, maps marked with sharp black dots – and snapshots of a shadowy lady figure, scattering pigeon seed.
This is Laura Dodson’s nemesis.
There was a time when Dodson went after the crack dealers in her Hollywood neighborhood with such a vengeance that city officials honored her with a plaque. Now, she has declared war on another urban scourge. For three years, she has enlisted snitches, set up overnight stakeouts, appealed for help from city leaders and the police.
Her quarry? Pigeon lady Susie Kourinian, the furtive form in the photos.
Kourinian is no ordinary bird lover. She earns her seed money as a seamstress to the stars; she appeared in InStyle magazine tweaking Cate Blanchett’s hem and is said to keep actresses such as Megan Mullally in finery.
That glittery occupation gives Kourinian the wherewithal to make a lot of pigeons happy. Kourinian once told police she spends $65,000 a year on bird feed – enough to dump 500 pounds of birdseed every day, a lifeline for the more than 5,000 pigeons who now populate the two square miles of this neighborhood northwest of downtown Los Angeles.
Kourinian is reputedly so crafty that within moments, she can pop the trunk of her black sport utility vehicle, scatter 75 pounds of pigeon feed and disappear into the night.
She has been doing this for a decade, police say, but neither they nor Dodson’s small band of pigeon patrollers – dubbed “Citizen Pigeon” – have been able to stop her.
“When you realize how many hours and manpower it takes to catch the pigeon lady … ,” Dodson said. “She’s got the perfect crime because who else would have the resources to do this?”
Across the nation, a virtual war on pigeons has been waged in many ways: poisonings, electric wires, robotic falcons and even bird relocations to pigeon farms. In some places the mere mention of feeding bans has raised the ire of legions of pigeon fanciers who ridicule efforts to levy fines for tossing birds a handful of bread crumbs.
But pigeons will reproduce based on the amount of food available. In Hollywood, they have.
Stephanie Boyles, a wildlife biologist with the Humane Society who has developed pigeon control programs around the country, said she’s never seen anything like it. To get a sense of how bad the problem was, she once scattered some bread in a Hollywood parking lot.
Within moments, the bread was gone and thousands of eyes were upon her. An eerie cooing suggested they wanted more.
“I’ve traveled in Europe, I’ve been to New York City many, many times, Washington D.C. and Chicago … places that claim to have pigeon problems. They do, but compared to Hollywood, it’s not even a fair comparison,” Boyles said.
Critics maintain that pigeons do millions of dollars in damage a year nationwide. Their guano is caustic, and has been blamed for all sorts of problems, from poor water quality in Pismo Beach to the collapse of the Minneapolis bridge.
In Hollywood, critics say, the pigeons conflict with a beautification program aimed at reviving the famed neighborhood, for years blighted by dingy sex shops along the Hollywood Walk of Fame. When officials took down the marquee of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre to refurbish the building, pigeon guano had completely corroded the metal.
Legions of pigeons sit waiting for food on rooftops, under freeways and telephone lines, prompting business owners to put up canopies and umbrellas to protect customers.
“If I were to feed 5,000 cats a day, you know how many cats we’d see a year from now?” said Thaddeus Smith, who once used a jackhammer to get guano off the roof of his Music Box nightclub. “When we walk to lunch we see bird seed everywhere and thousands of pigeons sitting on wires saying `hmmm.”‘
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.
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Contact us at 1- 877– 4– NO-BIRD, (604) 585-9279 or visit our website at www.pigeonpatrol.ca
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by Pigeon Patrol | Feb 16, 2020 | Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Bird Spikes, Pigeon Control, Pigeon Droppings, Pigeon Spikes, UltraSonic Bird Control
Do pigeons do any harm? – pigeons dropping are not only unsightly but are acidic and in large quantities can cause damage to buildings and machinery. Nesting material, droppings and feathers can also block gutters and air vents.
Public health – pigeons can carry diseases, some of which may do harm to people, for example if droppings contaminate food stuffs. As such their presence cannot be tolerated in and around food premises. They also carry mites which can cause skin disease and dust from their feathers can cause respiratory problems in confined spaces.
Accidents – pigeon droppings and food left down for pigeons can cause walkways and fire escapes on buildings to become slippery and dangerous. Startled flocks can take flight suddenly, causing hazards to motorists and pedestrians.
Other birds – large numbers of pigeons can force smaller birds away from feeding areas. The pigeons also spread disease to other birds, reducing their numbers.
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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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by Pigeon Patrol | Feb 16, 2020 | Animal Deterrent Products, Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Bird Spike, Pigeon Control, Pigeon Droppings, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons in the News
Why are there so many of pigeons?
Feral pigeons are descended from wild rock doves and their populations have increased, especially in urban areas, in recent years.
Feral pigeons often form large flocks that roost on buildings, ledges and under bridges. They can often be found in loft spaces and empty buildings – anywhere that offers a small amount of shelter. Feral pigeons can breed all year round if food is in good supply and raise between three and six broods of two ‘squabs’ a year. Food is the most important factor determining the size of any pigeon population, and the best known, long term solutions to pigeon problems is to restrict its availability.
What do pigeons eat?
Their preferred diet is grain and seed, but they will scavenge food, take food from bird tables and eat household scraps and discarded takeaway foods.
Pigeons are wild birds capable of finding their own food. In a public area throwing food on to the ground can be considered as littering and will attract rats. Waste human food does not contain the essential vitamins the birds require and can lead to ill health and deformity.
Feeding pigeons in itself is not against the law but it is not necessary. It results in all year breeding that causes overcrowding. If feeding is reduced, their numbers will decline resulting in a smaller healthier flock with less need for drastic control measures.
Please do not feed the pigeons.
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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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by Pigeon Patrol | Feb 16, 2020 | Animal Deterrent Products, Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Netting, Pigeon Droppings, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes, UltraSonic Bird Control
Pigeons problems have devastating effects on the heating and cooling components and indoor air quality of a commercial facility. Pigeon problems affect employees, maintenance personnel and potentially customers through the HVAC system.
HVAC Systems Make Perfect Pigeon Coups
Unfortunately, rooftop heating and cooling units are a perfect place for pigeons to nest. To seek shelter from the elements, pigeons typically enter air handler units through the fresh air intakes and build their nests within the HVAC unit. A single pair of pigeons can generate up to 18 new pigeons per year. Once a nest is established, pigeons are extremely territorial.
Indoor Air Quality
An HVAC system distributes the air throughout a facility. The bacteria, fungi and parasites that live and grow in pigeon droppings can carry and transmit any of 60 known diseases. Exposure to pigeon feces and other organic matter such as feathers carcasses and nesting material from the HVAC system may pose a considerable health threat to people who come in contact with them or inhale the airborne particles from them. Every precaution should be taken to ensure that building occupants and maintenance personnel are protected from pigeon feces.
Damage to HVAC Systems
As pigeons live in the air handler units they peck through filter material allowing unfiltered air and pigeon contaminants to freely enter the ventilation system. There are numerous damaging problems to an HVAC system from pigeon.
- Filter banks: Pigeons peck though filter banks allowing for unfiltered air and pigeon contaminants to be drawn into HVAC components and supply air ducts.
- Fan Blower: Pigeon debris builds within the fan blades decreasing airflow.
- Air conditioner coils: Pigeon debris compacts within air conditioner coils and clogs the drain pan.
- Insulation: Pigeons peck at insulation to create nesting material allowing for raw fiberglass fibers to enter the airstream.
How Do You Correct Pigeon Problems?
Hire a professional wildlife service or animal control contractor to relocate existing pigeons, and install devices to prevent future intrusions. Have the pigeon debris removed by a professional air duct cleaning contractor. Be sure to have the air duct cleaning contractor inspect the supply air ducts downstream of the HVAC unit.
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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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by Pigeon Patrol | Feb 16, 2020 | Animal Deterrent Products, Bird Deterrent Products, Bird Spike, Pigeon Control, Pigeon Droppings, Pigeon Patrol's Services, Pigeon Spikes, Pigeons in the News
Neighbors said they’ve done everything they can think of to get this pigeon problems to stop in their Rhawnhurst neighborhood.
They’ve signed petitions. They’ve helped the City of Philadelphia take the case to court.
And still, every day, to put it bluntly, they’re pooped on by pigeons that flock there daily. That’s why they called the NBC 10 Investigators.
They wait on the wire.
“It’s disgusting,” said neighbor Eleanor Hennessy.
To neighbors, it feels like a nightmare scene right out of the old Alfred Hitchcock movie, “The Birds”,but Pigeon.
One look at the deposits left on an NBC 10 News car gives an idea what all of the screaming is about.
“It’s a crime against us,” said Hennessy’s husband, Francis.
And it has been going on for years.
“We’re out there every day washing our cars. Our dogs are getting pooped on, literally,” Cinque said.
“We couldn’t eat in our yard all summer. Kids next door couldn’t swim in their pool. You can’t hang laundry,” Francis Hennessy said.
“I’m working on a story about the pigeons,” said NBC 10’s Lu Ann Cahn as she approached.
“Oh, look, leave me alone. Go away,” said Karen Partain.
Partain owns the Rhawnhurst row home that has become the pigeon palace on Hartel Avenue.
Her husband, Joe Mutoli, wouldn’t answer the door. City health officials said despite six citations, Mutoli has continued to illegally put out a virtual bird buffet.
A seventh citation was delivered while NBC 10 was there.
Cahn said she was told there’s nothing wrong with a bird feeder. But the city said Mutoli has been told numerous times that he’s not allowed to throw feed on the ground and in a public school yard behind his home.
“His response has been that this is something he can do, and also there has been a lot of confrontation with our officers,” said Tara Derby, of the Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society.
“This is illegal, yes. There’s no way it’s legal. It’s in violation of the animal ordinance,” Derby said.
Experts said the food has caused the pigeon population to explode and the droppings are a health hazard.
“The droppings contain bacteria and viruses,” said William Ferraro, of the Philadelphia Health Department.
“I usually clean right after nap time,” said a local day care operator. “See, they’re circling now.”
The woman said she is constantly cleaning a small playground where the pigeon poop sometimes comes down like rain.
“If I would miss like one or two areas of droppings, of course the kids would find them, they would touch it and put it in their mouths,” said the daycare operator.
If it’s illegal, why can’t the city stop this?
“It’s the million dollar question,” said Eleanor Hennessy.
Neighbors said it’s hard to catch Mutoli throwing pigeon feed and show the city how serious this is.
So, the NBC 10 investigators sat in an undercover van and waited. It’s difficult to see because it was pitch-black outside, but sure enough at 11 p.m. one night, an NBC 10 crew caught Mutoli grab bird feed out of his garage and throw it through the fence of the neighboring schoolyard.
On video, he’s a shadowy figure. But Cahn said she and other crewmembers saw him clearly with their own eyes.
“You’ve continued to spread bird feed on the ground, and you know that’s illegal, right?” Cahn asked Mutoli over the phone.
Mutoli admitted on the phone that he shouldn’t be doing that and said he will stop. He claims he’s trying to move the birds away from his home and slowly wean them off food.
Neighbors said they’ve heard that before, but it never stops.
City officials told Cahn that you can’t throw a guy in prison for feeding pigeons. But as a result of this story and community pressure, NBC 10 has learned Mutoli is being ordered to appear in municipal court next month where he could be fined thousands of dollars.
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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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