Nuisance pigeons have ruffled a few feathers among diners at restaurants at Chatham Maritime.
And now site managers have chosen a humane way of getting rid of the pests – they have brought in a flying squad.
Trained falcons have proved successful in deterring the birds at Pier Five where there are a number of al fresco eateries.
The most common is the harris hawk, which are natural predators of pigeons and therefore their regular presence scares them away.
Chatham Maritime is home to several restaurants and with views across the water, is popular with diners wanting to sit outside and soak up the atmosphere.
But the food was also attracting birds looking for scraps.
Chatham Maritime Trustees have hired Rentokil Pest Control experts to eradicate the problem.
Rentokil’s operations manager Paul Catlin said: “The pigeons are a genuine problem for a number of the traders at Pier Five.
“A humane approach was the best way of dealing with them.
“Hawking represents a natural way to deter birds in urban areas without harm, while protecting visitors, residents and traders.”
The pigeons love of food has encouraged them to come into regular human contact, with some brazenly approaching customers around the marina area.
Rentokil has hired falconers to carry out the task.
Falconer Marc Bushell is a regular visitor with his hawk, Oliver.
The birds, which are trained at The Hawking Centre at Doddington, near Sittingbourne, protect landmarks and places of special interest throughout the south, including London.
Katie Kinnes, from Rentokil, said: “Hawking is becoming more and more popular and, with some areas being inaccessible, it is often the only way of resolving the nuisance.”
Liam Merrett, a supervisor at Pier Five and Kitchen, said it had proved quite a novelty see a falconer walking along the quayside with a hawk.
Mr Merrett said: “We are quite sheltered here and we have patio heaters, so our customers like to eat and drink out even in the winter months.
“It’s a nice setting looking out on to the marina.”
The regular presence of raptors alters the behaviour of pigeons and gulls, who learn to avoid areas where the birds of prey are frequently flown, moving on to nest or roost elsewhere.
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.
Among the most famous images of London’s Trafalgar Square is one of people feeding pigeons in its grounds. And closer to home, feeding these birds was a favourite pastime on the weekends around the Vidhana Soudha, when people flocked to it for a bit of relaxation in its gardens. But no more, as the pigeons are now as numerous in most parts of the city as they were once around it.
Far from feeding them, people have now taken to shooing them away as they invade their balconies and kitchens, building nests and dirtying them with their poop and feathers. Their numbers have become their downfall as they are no longer priced as pets either. Instead they are the flying rats of urban Bengaluru.
Observes one fed up Bengalurean, industrialist, Narendra Kumar, “Pigeons have adapted so well to our urban civilisation that they are driving other birds away. Cleaning pigeon droppings has become a huge problem today. People in high- rise buildings are the worst affected and even the plants on the balconies suffer as a result of their invasion.”
But what’s worse, the pigeon droppings are not just an eyesore, but also a health hazard, warn wildlife experts. With the pigeon population growing, they have been spreading diseases like avian influenza and castle fever through their droppings, according to them. “ The pigeon droppings contain bacteria and fungus, which can cause major lung disorders that can be fatal,” they explain.
It is also claimed that those who fall sick as a result of the pigeon droppings, find recovery hard despite downing antibiotics, because of the strong infection they transmit. Bird lovers too admit to being on their guard when it comes to these birds because of the infections and diseases they transmit.
The BBMP , which has received numerous complaints from people about the pigeon menace, is now planning to hold a meeting with wildlife experts, bird lovers , health experts and concerned citizens to deal with it, says Mr Sarfaraz Khan, BBMP joint commissioner (health).
The civic agency is reportedly considering taking a cue from other countries, which have effectively dealt with the growing population of pigeons without harming the ecology and is also planning a study on their impact on humans, animals and other bird species.
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.
One bedazzled pigeon will live to shine another day after getting lost last week.
The pigeon was wearing a flight suit with rhinestones when he was found on a woman’s back porch in Phoenix, Arizona. The bird was then taken to a local rescue called Fallen Feathers, which knew he had to have an owner because of his fancy suit.
It turned out the pigeon, named Olive, had flown out of Marlette Fernando’s car window a few days earlier.
The rescue started posting photos of the bird, while local news reporters tried to help locate his owner.
“I had a friend on Instagram send me a link to one of the news channels,” Fernando told KPHO. “He was freaking out. He was like, ‘You’re not going to believe this.’ Then I click on the link, I saw that Olive was pretty much everywhere online on [the] news.”
The bird is now back home.
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.
Birds of a feather were brought back together in Peoria Tuesday afternoon.
Olive, a pet pigeon, flew the coop from its home in north Phoenix on Nov. 7, its owners say. It spent several days on its own until it was found in Glendale in its rhinestone-studded vest and turned in to Fallen Feathers rescue center in Peoria on Nov. 11.
A Fallen Feathers Facebook post and a Reddit thread aimed to help return the bedazzled bird to its nest — the owner had about a month until Olive would be put up for adoption.
Luckily, the reunion wasn’t a wild goose chase: On Tuesday, owners Marlette Fernando and her husband, Norman, recovered their bedazzled companion after one of Marlette’s friends notified her through Instagram of Olive’s whereabouts.
Yes, Olive also has an Instagram account.
With Olive nestling into her shirt, Marlette said it’s been a long couple of weeks without a member of the family around.
“I love this bird, and I’m so happy to have her back home,” Marlette said. “I never thought I’d see her again.”
Norman said receiving the good news brought Marlette to the ground out of pure relief.
“We thought we won the billion-dollar lottery,” he said.
They thanked Jody Kieran, director of Fallen Feathers, who tended to Olive while it was away from its nest.
“We are so ecstatic because, unfortunately, we do get birds in sometimes that we can’t find the owner for,” Kieran said. “So whenever we do, this is, like, a big celebration.”
Decided to ‘go explore’
The Fernandos said they originally didn’t think Olive would fly away. She got along with their four dogs, one cat and a snail; they’ve also taken her outside on multiple occasions.
But one day, Marlette said, Olive decided to “go explore” after Marlette took her along to drop her son off at school.
Olive flew around the house several times and just decided to leave, Marlette said.
Norman remembers the exact time she left: 7:17 p.m.
“We felt comfortable that she was never going to fly away, but we are told, now that she’s a teenager,” Norman said.
Kieran, with her decades of experience with birds, said teenage pigeons have a tendency to rebel.
Norman, a poet, knew Marlette was having a hard time without Olive around, so he wrote a poem about Olive to make the days fly by a little smoother.
A part of the family
Olive, like most pigeons, has more character than one might think.
“People need to love pigeons. We love all of our pets, but (Olive) has more character than any of them,” Norman said.
Marlette said Olive is a big part of the family — so much so that her diamond-studded vest comes from her owner’s affinity for shiny things.
“She takes my earrings, she loves the bling as much as I do … she’ll go up to my shoes and stand next to the shoes and peck at them and it’s really cute.”
The vest was originally supposed to look like a tuxedo, Marlette said. But Olive didn’t approve — thus came the iconic rhinestone vest.
“But she didn’t like the bow or the flower on the tuxedo, so she pecked them all off,” Marlette said. “And I replaced it with bling.”
A bedazzled male pigeon was picked up near 61st Avenue on Sunday. It is currently being cared for at Fallen Feathers in Peoria. The Republic
Olive isn’t Marlette’s first pigeon — she once cared for and raised one when she was 9.
Although they’ve only known each other since September, Marlette’s still not yet sure of Olive’s gender. She loves Olive — or Olivia, or Oliver — just the same, she said.
“I don’t see her as just a pigeon, she’s definitely a family member,” Marlette said. “She gets along with our dogs, our cats — we all love her.”
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.
I’m surrounded by people who root for underdogs. Iran winning the World Cup? My cousins can dream. A career in engineering? I’d bet money that my mother still holds out hope I’ll have one. Deciding 2016 is the time for a protest vote? We need to have a talk, buddy.
But just about no one is with me on pigeons.
When I look at them, I see curious birds that choose to bumble around with missing toes instead of fly and yet, still manage to survive almost exclusively on the vast human waste we brought them to. When others spot them, they’re shooed away with a fierce glare or avoided altogether with a longer route.
The more I’ve observed this attitude in a city setting, the more I find myself as the Resident Pigeon Defender. Almost no one agrees. (To my simultaneous appreciation and horror, Mike Tyson — whose first fight reportedly began over a pigeon — is one of the few.) Because ultimately, these birds are misunderstood, resilient creatures who elicit a tellingly similar reaction as people facing street homelessness — and we should really think hard about why.
To be fair, it’s likely that I don’t instantly recoil at the sight of pigeons because, well, they were my pets at some point in elementary school. Along with a handful of chickens, my family had four show pigeons that we fed, kept in good health, let fly around the suburbs of Orange County, and watched as the respective alphas got into compulsory fights on the daily.
City pigeons, on the other hand, are a bit rough around the edges. They get flak for being dirty, leaving feces everywhere, clustering in open spaces, and just generally being a nuisance.
As Nathanael Johnson concluded in a chapter dedicated to “the majesty of pigeons” in Unseen City, what he first saw as filth and pestilence was really societal failings that produce poverty and waste. That obviously applies first and foremost to humans, who sometimes develop a connection to birds out of emotional survival.
“Perhaps we’d feel differently about pigeons if we were better at dealing with our own species,” Johnson wrote. “It is our own filth that has created the conditions that enable pigeon populations to swell to slum densities.”
A flock of pigeons gathers near some people sitting in a corner at the 16th and Mission Street BART plaza on Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2018. Benches were removed during a recent remodel of the plaza. (Kevin N. Hume)
In fact, we can draw a pretty direct line from human actions to the pigeons we know today. Pigeons were even once signs of wealth and touted around by aristocrats, Johnson wrote. After Samuel de Champlain, the French colonial governor of Quebec, brought them to North America, the New World’s increasing density proved to be a successful habitat for once-wild pigeons who became commonplace.
When food became abundant after agriculture boomed, pigeons picked up the crumbs and multiplied in numbers to a fault. We now see them aggressively fight for those crumbs, sometimes thrown by well-meaning or lonely folks, while diseases spread in crowded nests.
To dispel some of that disgust, we ought to at least know a little more about them before we write them off. If pigeons seem like they’re in their own world, it’s probably because they can see in ultraviolet, sense the Earth’s magnetic field, and pick up atmospheric changes far beyond humans in elevators.
Pigeons are also quite skilled at hiding their young — if you’ve ever seen a baby pigeon, consider it a deep honor. Squabs, as they’re known, stick their heads in their parents’ throats and thrust around for nutritious milk for the first two months of their lives. You can recognize a juvenile pigeon if you look for an oversized beak and brown eyes, rather than the gleaming, reddish-orange eyes seen in adults.
Better yet, take a moment to notice the green and purple on their necks. Though most pigeons are gray and black, others are white. This begs the question: What makes them so different from doves, that symbol of peace that people release at weddings? Not much besides color and location, as they’re all in the same Columbidae family of birds.
As I repeat these unsolicited points to friends and family, this pigeon advocacy of mine has had some small victories. My years-long housemate — who absolutely hated all birds when I first met her — began to feel wistful about no longer hearing the coos of pigeons that took refuge in the backyard stairway of our former Parkside home.
Another listened in horror as our landlord casually told us he crushed a bunch of their eggs, as if they were parasites. But many people remain unable to see the same majesty I do, and that’s their loss.
At the very least, it’s one less thing to spend energy hating in a stressful world. At most, it’s a chance to observe another species in all its glory while we’re occupied with fear and disgust for the downtrodden.
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.
