by johnnymarin | Oct 23, 2018 | Pigeons in the News
Signs put up by the council in West Ealing asking people not to feed pigeons have been spray-painted over in the night less than 24 hours after being put up and again after being cleaned just days later.
A small public space on the corner of Melbourne Avenue has become the centre of a bizarre squabble between local pigeon-lovers and annoyed residents, who are utterly fed up with the droppings the birds leave.
Ealing Council recently rejuvenated the spot in response to resident pressure, turning it from untended grass to a paved area with flowerbeds.
But the vandalism last Friday (October 5) and on Monday (October 8) shows the determination of the bird-feeders.
West Ealing Neighbours chairman David Highton, 67, said: “There’s been a long-running problem here for years with people feeding pigeons.
“It attracts birds to an area where they cause considerable difficulties and people get quite passionate about it on both sides, hence someone taking all the trouble to come out in the dead of night to do this.
“If you get that many pigeons together in one place there can be health risks, what with all the diseases they carry, and their droppings block the gutters.
“Someone spent £3,000 putting spikes on their fence and roof and a young couple had to spend £500 getting their gutters cleaned because otherwise the water spills over.”
But clearly not everyone sees the birds as a pest.
What diseases are carried by pigeons?
People living in areas with a lot of pigeon droppings and feathers could be at risk of the following diseases:
- Yeast infection – widely spread by pigeons and can affect the skin, mouth and lungs. Symptoms include bad breath, bloating and joint pain
- Salmonella and E.coli – both bacteria are carried by pigeons and can cause diarrhea and stomach pains. Salmonella also causes fever, while E.coli causes vomiting
- Parrot fever – caught from inhaling bacteria from dry droppings, a very rare but often fatal disease which can cause bloody coughing and brain swelling
- Histoplasmosis – a fungal disease caught by inhaling spores. It causes flu-like symptoms including chest pains, fever and fatigue. Can be fatal for those with weakened immune systems
- Cryptococcosis – another fungal disease found in droppings at around 80% of nesting sites. It can cause a serious pneumonia-like infection in those with weakened immune systems
- St Louis encephalitis – a virus carried by pigeons and transmitted to humans via mosquito bites. It causes fever, dizziness, nausea and headaches and can lead to infection of the nervous system
Mr Highton added: “[Some] people feel it is their right to feed the birds and they come round on a regular basis. Residents have tried to ask them not to do this but some people can get quite abusive.
“West Ealing Neighbours will look after the flower beds and we are keen to make the place look as attractive as possible but given the chance the pigeons will walk all over it as they have in the past and wreck it.
“I’m not personally one who would say that we should get rid of all the pigeons but there’s some places that are not appropriate to feed them because of the health risks and the damage to people’s homes.”
At some point during last Friday night (October 5), after 7.30pm, signs instructing people not to feed pigeons were completely painted over with black spray paint, having only just been installed.
The signs were cleaned on Monday (October 8) morning but again defaced during the night.
A resident who wishes to remain nameless for fear of retribution said: “I have basically got an infestation of pigeons on my house that I cannot do anything about.
“It makes the area look really unsightly to have a massive horde of pigeons defecating everywhere and it’s causing me and my neighbours a massive amount of stress.”
‘The bane of my existence’
“At times there have been up to 30 pigeons defecating all over my property, it means I have to pay people to clean my gutters and have to clean droppings off the front of my house every few weeks.
“The noise they make is also really loud, I struggle to even watch TV. It’s honestly the bane of my existence and really soul-destroying to see people keep feeding them and encouraging them to congregate here.
“I have seen people drive up and tip huge bags of birdseed there on a couple of occasions and every morning a few people drop bread.
“I can appreciate different cultures have different relationships with pigeons than mine does and I try to speak to them nicely but some of them just seem unhinged. One told me that pigeons were the reason we won World War Two so he was going to keep looking after them.
Religions that encourage the feeding of pigeons
Some religious groups encourage the feeding of pigeons.
Sikh high priest and warrior Guru Gobind Singh is often associated with pigeons and many Sikhs believe that, when they are reincarnated, they will never go hungry if they have fed the birds in a previous life.
Some religious groups also believe that when a person dies his or her soul assumes the form of a bird, very often a pigeon, and that by feeding birds they are caring for the souls of their departed ancestors.
The pigeon is a revered animal in India and flocks numbering in the thousands are fed daily outside Hindu temples throughout the country.
“We spent a long time complaining to the council and they eventually paid a significant sum to have the area redeveloped. At the time I thought it would make people change their behaviour but the signs were painted over instantly.
“If this person’s prepared to spray public signs, which is a criminal act, it seems like they would do whatever is necessary to keep feeding the birds.”
In response to the vandalism Ealing councillor Mik Sabiers said: “Pigeons are pests and it’s been an offence to feed them since the 1981 Environment Act.
Should people feed pigeons?
“They impact on residents’ enjoyment of our parks and open spaces and there is a cost to cleaning up after these birds.
“If someone is seen feeding pigeons, a fixed penalty notice will be issued in line with the council’s policy on fining those caught dropping litter on the borough’s streets.”
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 johnnymarin | Oct 22, 2018 | Pigeons in the News
Many different kinds of activities fly here in Las Vegas, but soon, one might not: feeding the pigeons.
It’s currently banned in Henderson and in Clark County, and come a week from Wednesday, Oct. 10, it could become that way in the City of Las Vegas.
Ward One Councilwoman Lois Tarkanian says the ordinance was drafted for health reasons, stemming from numerous complaints.
Tarkanian said, “The ordinance was developed because of complaints we had from city residents about the dirtying of the environment by the pigeons,.Their droppings contain germs which carry diseases and can be very toxic. We are doing this for health purposes.”
While to some it might not seem like a big deal, pest control professional Kevin Rast says it’s not something to joke around about.
“Pigeons aren’t the problem. It’s their waste. The waste itself is actually toxic. It is considered a hazardous substance,” says Rast.
Rast confirmed Tarkanian’s assertion that pigeon waste can carry serious diseases, and that if the wrong person is exposed to high quantities of it, there could be deadly consequences.
Often times, the waste is sucked into air conditioning units and is pumped into buildings, according to Rast.
If a person who suffers from Asthma or another breathing ailment, Rast says, then this poses a serious problem.
“To see 200 or 300 birds on a roof of a building is not unusual at all,” he says.
When people feed the pigeons, Rast says it’s not good for the people.
More pigeons will show up to the area, hoping there will be a new food source. They’ll reproduce, and create even more waste.
When that unnatural food source disappears, it poses a problem for the pigeons.
“There won’t be a food supply there. Then you’re going to cause all kinds of problems for the population itself,” Rast says.
The proposed ordinance defines wild pigeons as “any common pigeon of the species columba livia, also known as a city pigeon, rock dove, rock pigeon or flying rat.”
If the ordinance passes and becomes law, convicted violators could face a fine of up to $1,000 and up to six months imprisonment.
Rast says that it’s best to let the pigeons find their food naturally, so people don’t add more waste to the problem.
“Pigeons are going to find food no matter where they are at,” he said.
The City Council may be voting on this matter on Wednesday, October 17th.
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 johnnymarin | Oct 21, 2018 | Pigeons in the News
BOGOTA, Colombia — On a bright Sunday afternoon, a group of government workers walked around Bogota’s most famous square dressed as pigeons, with cardboard beaks covering their noses, as thousands of real birds swarmed overhead and left their droppings on stately monuments.
Flapping their plastic wings and performing brief skits, they urged curious pedestrians not to feed the large flocks that descend each day onto Plaza Bolivar, a grand colonial era square flanked by a Roman Catholic cathedral and Colombia’s elegant congressional building.
“There are too many pigeons here,” said Mauricio Cano, a biologist who led the group of bird impersonators. “Feeding them is bad for people, and for the birds.”
While London has tried to scare unruly pigeons away from train stations by deploying menacing hawks, and Paris has employed contraceptive methods to limit flock sizes, Bogota’s government is trying to fight pigeon overpopulation through educational campaigns that urge people not to feed them.
Officials believe that if people stop nourishing the birds, they will stop concentrating in public squares where their droppings sully historical buildings and put people’s health at risk. If the birds, which aren’t native to Colombia, don’t gather in large numbers, their rate of reproduction is also likely to decrease.
“We do not want to annihilate these pigeons,” says Clara Sandoval, director of Bogota’s animal protection department. “But we need people to give them a chance to return to their natural behavior.”
A study conducted by city biologists found that the square’s pigeon population doubles on weekends to 3,400 birds as the number of tourists who visit the square’s iconic sites also swells.
“In some areas (of the plaza) you can find up to 33 pigeons per square meter,” Cano said.
But convincing people not to give the birds food has proven tricky.
Feeding pigeons corn and taking a photo with them in Bolivar Square has been something of a local tradition for decades.
It also sustains a dozen or so street vendors who sell small bags of pigeon feed for about $1 each.
“I’ve raised four children with this job,” said Lilly Portilla, who has been plying the trade in the plaza for 25 years.
Bogota’s government is offering vendors like Portilla stalls in public buildings, so that they can sell snacks to office workers, instead of pigeon feed to tourists. It’s also offering job skills training children of vendors so that they have options other than following their parents into the business.
But some vendors say they haven’t been included in the job placement program. And others are not convinced that selling snacks to humans will be as profitable as their current job.
Officials said they will eventually ban pigeon feed vendors from the square if they don’t go voluntarily.
“We have to give these birds their dignity,” said Cano, the biologist. “These pigeons should return to green spaces, where they can feed on their own.”
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 johnnymarin | Oct 20, 2018 | Bird Deterrent Products
Poisoning pigeons as a way to control their population is cruel and sickening, and should be stopped at once.
Usually, pest controllers feed the birds bread laced with poison. A short while later, these birds will be found writhing on the ground in agony. While struggling and still alive, they are picked up and thrown into garbage bags to be disposed off.
However, a few days ago, I realised that a new type of poison is being used.
This white powdery substance is left near rubbish chutes or on pavements where the birds can be found. The birds ingest this powder and die a slow and painful death.
I have seen three dead pigeons, as well as a cockerel.
Town councils should not be given the right to poison at will. Neither should the word “cull” be used to make it sound acceptable, because it is not.
Similar cases have been reported in Paya Lebar and Ang Mo Kio.
Just how many birds are poisoned each year?
As overpopulation is due to human feeding or the improper clearance of food, the best way to tackle this in the long run is through education, though it may take longer to see results.
Children should be taught from a young age not to feed wild birds and animals.
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 johnnymarin | Oct 19, 2018 | Pigeon Patrol's Services
We humans are like the pigeon, which sits on a high-tension wire, thinking it is safe. It believes it is the lucky one and no harm will come to it. In how we perceive the environment, its use, conservation and preservation, we are like that pigeon. We build houses on mountains, cutting them to build resorts and roads, and expect landslides and flash floods to never occur. We do illegal sand mining, change the course of rivers and expect them to never die, or the ecology to never wither. We build infrastructure in floodplains, and pray there are no floods. We build cement cities, and then, rue the effects of global warming. We dump plastic waste in nullahs, khads and rivers, and expect fish meat to be nutritious.
Our un-ecological actions go on and on. We shirk our responsibilities towards nature and expect it to bless us with abundant resources.
Several international conventions like Bonn, Rotterdam, CITES and CMS have been working for the conservation of environment, but it has not percolated down to the grassroots. Else why would developed countries continue with coal emissions? Why is the green action climate fund empty? Or, here in India, why swachhta has to be an abhiyan? It should be a part of life.
Perhaps the concept of a welfare state has made us totally dependent on the government for providing and provisioning everything. We do not want to stop using plastic, but we want the administration to take care of all garbage, whether flung across a valley or littered in nullahs. We do not want to pay our taxes fully (India’s tax to GDP ratio is about 4 per cent), which can be used to fund the expensive R&D to build cleaner technologies. But we want low-cost technological solutions to green problems. We strive less to keep public transport and public facilities clean, and then, make that an excuse to use private transport and seek private facilities everywhere, taking the carbon footprint a thousand notches higher!
Why, even after so much research and awareness about ecology and need to be environmentally conscious, our greed knows no bounds? Why do we exploit our resources like we are the last generation? Why do we hoard land and water to become rich while communities out there are languishing in inhuman ghettos? If epidemics originate from such ghettos, they will reach us too!
Population is out of control. The earth’s carrying capacity has remained a topic for books and examinations. Campaigns regarding this are many in the social dimension, but is the urgency of the issue understood? The pigeon in us is not only resting on dangerous ground, but also has its eyes closed, thinking the cat is away. It is time to open the eyes and see: disasters await if we do not change our way of life.
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)
