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Dozens of birds die after pigeon poison left on roof

humane pigeon control Dozens of birds die after pigeon poison left on roof. Efforts to get rid of nuisance pigeons landing on a Quebec City building might have led to the deaths of dozens of birds over the weekend, officials say.

The remains of about 40 small birds were found scattered on the street, sidewalks and lawns on a side street in the city’s Limoilou neighbourhood Sunday morning.

Residents in the area described it as a scene out of a Hitchcock movie and were concerned the birds were infected with a virus. “Were they infected? Was there something in the air?” asked Danielle McNeil, a local resident, who talked to reporters at the scene. “Is there a risk for us and our animals?”

But public safety officials called to investigate the scene determined the culprit was overzealous pest control.

The pigeon poison are laced with aminopyridine 4, a product used to repel pigeons, said fire department spokesman Jacques Rochon.

Officials found a bird feeder on the roof stuffed with the laced corn.

Aminopyridine 4, known as Avitrol, is not usually fatal to birds except at high doses.

The compound causes disorientation and seizures, and bird that ingest it emit a distress signal to others in the flock.

The product, which is legal in Canada, has stirred up controversy among animal rights activists, who say it is a cruel way to control birds.

CBC

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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.

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nuisance birds and how to deal with them

Pigeon Patrol Dealing with nuisance birds

Some species of birds can create a nuisance, including noise, fouling and even causing property damage. All wild birds in Northern Ireland are protected by law. Find out about the options open to you when dealing with a problem involving birds.

Protection

Choosing the right course of action is essential as it is illegal to intentionally harm or kill any wild bird species. You are not allowed to take wild birds’ eggs. It is against the law to disturb, damage or destroy nests.

Identifying a bird

If you have a bird problem, it’s worth identifying what sort of bird is causing it as it may affect what you can do about it. For example, disturbing certain specially protected birds when they are on or near their nest is illegal.

You can research a bird in a bird book or an encyclopaedia. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) has information about birds

Solving the problem without harming the bird

A broad range of techniques is available to deal with nuisance caused by birds. These include:

noise deterrents, like recordings of the bird’s own alarm calls or loud bangs
using a scarecrow
using netting or bird-spikes (‘proofing’) to prevent birds landing or accessing areas where they’re known to cause problems
restricting access to food – for example, by cleaning up food spills immediately and keeping rubbish in secure bins

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How to Scare Away Pigeons

You can also scare pigeons by inflating several balloons and painting large eyes on them. Pigeons will see the eyes and think that there is a large predator on your balcony or porch.

Pigeons are the bane of many city dwellers’ lives. They leave their dropping on balconies and porches and can even transmit fleas to your pets. It is possible to scare away pigeons humanely and even cheaply, if you know what kinds of things strike terror into the heart of a pigeon. Here’s how to scare away pigeons.

Don’t just ignore your pigeon problem. Those baby pigeons nesting on your balcony may be cute, and maybe you’d hate to evict them from their home, but invariably pigeons mean pigeon droppings, which can compromise your health. The elderly, the young and people with compromised immune systems can contract fungal and bacterial diseases, such as histoplasmosis, from pigeon droppings. While only a small number of people are infected yearly, it is a concern if you have a young child or elderly person living with you.

Place plastic owls and rubber snakes strategically around your balcony or porch. This may scare the pigeons. You will need to continually move the owls and snakes, or the pigeons will learn that they are harmless and ignore them.

Things You Will Need

Plastic owl
Rubber snake
Flash tape
Old CDs
String
Bird netting
Duct tape
Bird gel
Caulking gun
Bird spikes
Chicken wire
Ultrasonic device

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Pigeons inhabit; biology and behavior

Pigeon Patrol netting Pigeons inhabit lofts, church steeples, attics, caves and ornate architectural features of buildings where openings and flat surfaces allow roosting, loafing and nest building. Pigeon nest consist of sticks, twigs and grasses clumped together to form a crude platform.

The birds subsist on spilled or improperly stored grain, garbage or other food materials people provide for them intentionally or unintentionally. In some urban areas, feeding pigeons is a form of recreation.

Pigeons are monogamous, having only one mate at a time, and pigeon populations usually have an equal number of males and females. The male cares for and guards the female and the nest. Eight to 12 days after mating, the female lays one or two eggs. About 18 days later, the eggs hatch. The young pigeons, or squabs, are fed a secreted substance called pigeon milk and leave the nest at 4 to 6 weeks of age. More eggs are usually laid before the first young have left the nest. Breeding occurs throughout the year, but peak reproduction is in the spring and fall.

Domesticated pigeons can live 15 or more years. However, in urban populations, few pigeons live for more than three or four years.

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Pigeons inhabit Bird Gone, Pigeon Gone, Seagull Gone, Pigeon problems, pigeon spikes, 1-877-4NO-BIRD, 4-S Gel, Bird Control, Pigeon Control, bird repellent, Bird Spikes, sonic bird repellent, stainless steel bird spikes, bird spikes Vancouver, Ultra Sonic Bird Control, Bird Netting, Plastic Bird Spikes, Canada bird spike deterrents, Pigeon Pests, B Gone Pigeon, Pigeon Patrol, pest controller, pest control operator, pest control technician, Pigeon Control Products, humane pigeon spikes, pigeon deterrents, pigeon traps, Pigeon repellents, Sound & Laser Deterrents, wildlife control, raccoon, skunk, squirrel deterrent, De-Fence Spikes, Dragons Den, Canada bird spikes, Canada pigeon, pigeon control, pidgon patrol, pidgon. Kill pigeons, crow, starling

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Problems caused by pigeons and their droppings?

Pigeon Patrol

Pigeons droppings on park benches, cars and buildings are not only unsightly and smelly but also corrosive, particularly to buildings (Figure 3).

Bird droppings on building window

Large amounts of droppings also can kill vegetation.

Around farms, grain elevators and feed mills, pigeons consume and contaminate large quantities of grain.

Pigeons have been implicated in the transmission of diseases such as pigeon ornithosis, encephalitis and salmonella food poisoning. However, the actual incidence of transmission of diseases from pigeons to people is difficult to assess. Disease outbreaks that are directly attributed to pigeon flocks are rare.

Pigeons droppings, if allowed to accumulate for several years, can harbor the causal agent of histoplasmosis, a systemic fungus disease that affects the human respiratory tract. In severe cases, histoplasmosis can be fatal. The external parasites of pigeons include various species of mites, fleas, ticks and bugs.

In addition to being a threat to human health, pigeons can be a threat to human safety, particularly around airports, where pigeon flocks have collided with aircraft, causing human fatalities.

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Tired of the sticky problem of pigeon poop?

Tired of the sticky problem of pigeon poop? The icky-sticky problem of pigeon poop on sidewalks and even in people’s hair seems to be more widespread than we figured.

Our Saturday column about hundreds of pigeons that gather at Lawrence Ave. and Markham Rd. to gobble up food spread for them, then perch on overhead wires and rain down droppings on everything below, prompted plenty of indignation from readers.

City bylaws prohibit the feeding of wildlife — including pigeons and seagulls — in city parks and public spaces, but do not ban people from feeding them in other places, like a privately-owned parking lot.

That seems to be a sore point for readers, who directed us to other locations where pigeons are no less a problem, due to people who feed them regularly and are indifferent to the mess created by the overstuffed birds.

Jim Barrett sent us photos taken last year of a man spreading bird feed from a bucket in a parking lot at the Colony Plaza, on Lawrence, near Warden Ave., surrounded by hundreds of hovering pigeons.

One of his photos showed a flock of birds on the sidewalk in front of one of the plaza storefronts, which must be a source of frustration for shopkeepers whose customers don’t want to wade through them, or their droppings.

Francesca Vivenza said she contacted the TTC many years ago about “the many pigeons” that sit on utility wires outside Broadview station, where they bombard pedestrians beneath them.

“An old lady regularly brought bread to feed them,” she said. “One day I stopped and talked kindly to her, explaining that the pigeons are dirty, unhealthy … I got plenty of insults and left.”

Don Fairbairn said food is spread for birds at a strip mall at Markham and Eglinton Ave., which draws thousands of pigeons, and also at Bluffer’s Park, at the foot of Brimley Rd., despite rules which disallow it.

“There are signs there not to feed the wildlife, but they are ignored,” he said, adding that he has never seen evidence that the bylaw is enforced.

The best note came from Francis van Dorsser, who is also familiar with the pigeons at Markham and Lawrence and observed what could be an excellent method to keep them in check.

“This past spring I was waiting in my car for a person in the medical clinic,” in the plaza where the pigeons are fed. “All of a sudden pigeons were flying in every direction. I though of the movie, ‘The Birds.’

“A few minutes later, all was calm. Directly in front of me on a rooftop was this hawk, enjoying a pigeon feast. He had swooped in, picked up his meal and started dining.

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PETA wants to ban pigeon racing

PETA wants Iowa to ban pigeon racing to help prevent the spread of bird flu. But the state says it already has.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals said Friday it sent a letter to Bill Northey, Iowa’s secretary of agriculture, calling on him to “take preventative action by immediately suspending pigeon racing in the state.”

“The races — which pit thousands of small birds against the elements and predators — often leave more than 60 percent of the animals lost or dead, and could contribute to an already devastating epidemic when exhausted or lost birds land on contaminated farms in search of food and water,” the group wrote.

Avian influenza has caused about 31.5 million turkeys, chickens and ducks to be killed or destroyed in Iowa. Nationally, the number is about 48.1 million birds.

Scientists believe the virus initially spread by droppings from migratory waterfowl, and there are concerns the virus could return this fall when migrating birds fly south for the winter.

PETA says adding to the numbers with pigeon racing “can only exacerbate the problem.”

But the state says pigeon racing was banned in May along with other poultry activities. A state order prevents any live bird exhibits at county or state fairs or any other gathering as well as the sale of birds at auctions or swap meets.

That order would include pigeon racing, says Dustin Vande Hoef, a spokesman for the Iowa Department of Agriculture.

Full Story of the PETA to ban pigeon racing HERE

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St Mark’s Square pigeons refuses…

St Mark’s Square pigeons refuses to budge. VENICE, Italy-Ten years after the ban was placed on public feeding, the ‘holy pigeons’ at the St Mark’s Square in this Italian city are not ready to migrate.

They are still as friendly – in fact annoyingly friendly – as they were when the authorities banned the common practice of feeding the pigeons to stop them from ruining their UNESCO city status. close up of a wild pigeon

There are still many visitors who in the blink of an eye throw something for the pigeons who firstly fight for the food and then “chase” the donor for more.

Security officials are on the look for the tourists who attract pigeons – with the baits – and could come up with anything from a verbal warning to a €700 fine, for the violator. The huge fines have been effective in discouraging the people from feeding the birds. The ban on feeding the pigeons was forced in 2008.

In ‘Venice: A Literary Companion’ Ian Littlewood explained the origins of the Piazza San Marco’s pigeon colony: “According to tradition, it was from the gallery (of the Basilica) where we are standing that the original pigeons were released on Palm Sunday, weighted by pieces of paper tied to their legs. Most of them ended up on the dinner table as part of the Doge’s Easter largesse to the populace, but the rugged survivors were felt to have earned St Mark’s protection. So year by year, a few more pigeons found refuge among the domes on the basilica. They have since grown more numerous, and the enthusiasm of most tourists for the birds is short-lived, but as the average visitor now spends less than twenty-four hours in the city they still have plenty of friends.”

Pigeons perching on seed-throwing tourists used to be the square’s trademark. Today, the pigeons have formed colonies throughout the city, and the estimated 100,000 birds far outnumber Venice’s 60,000 human residents.

It can be disconcerting to walk down a street and encounter several dozen pigeons flying toward you at head height. They usually miss pedestrians, but sometimes may hit.

The sellers of pigeon food were legally banned from the Piazza San Marco in January 2008, which means nobody is able to feed pigeons unless he or she is a violator of the rules.

Those trying to please the pigeons have to sometimes pay for the love. In some cases, the whole budget to spend vacations in Italy is paid in fines.

Laura Smith, a tourist from the US said that she did not agree with the ban. “I would love to feed the pigeons here but the Italian authorities have the right to force their rules. In principle, I am against it (the ban). When the places are linked with saints, pigeons are frequent visitors,” she maintained.

Antonio Russo, an Italian visitor of the site defended the decision against feeding the pigeons saying it would help keep the square clean. “(Before 2008), it was common that the tourists complained about being pooed on the head or shirt by the pigeons. All rules are meant at facilitating the people,” he remarked. Initially, there were protests by the grain sellers against the anti-feeding decision in 2098 but they have slowly opted for other businesses. The pigeons, however, remain undecided.

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Halifax bans bird poison to control pigeons

Halifax bans bird poison to control pigeons. The bird poison Avitrol will no longer be used on municipal property, said a spokeswoman for Halifax Regional Municipality on Thursday afternoon. Pigeon m

Tiffany Chase said the product is “not consistent with our corporate values or our environmental management practice and it will not be used going forward.”

The statement comes less than a day after CBC News asked city officials about a document showing Avitrol had been used at the Keshen Goodman Library to control the pigeon population.

Once ingested, the chemical causes the birds to endure violent spasms which last more than four hours. Avitrol’s manufacturer claims other birds are scared away from the area when they see the uncontrolled flapping.

A pest control contractor hired by the city had been using Avitrol at the library, primarily in warmer months. The last time the product had been used was in the summer of 2014.

When CBC News broke this story, many wildlife conversationalists spoke out against the poison’s use.

Hope Swinimer, founder of Hope for Wildlife, says she’s seen a number of poisoned birds brought to her shelter.

“It looks like they are struggling, just like mini seizures,” she said. “They look really confused and there’s sometimes vomiting too.”

Avitrol is banned in New York City, San Francisco, the United Kingdom and Red Deer, Alta.

Halifax officials are renewing the contract for pest control services for municipal facilities across the city.

The contract will be awarded soon, but for whichever company is chosen, seizure-inducing Avitrol will no longer be an option for controlling Halifax’s birds.

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Pigeon fancier lifetime ban for cheating

Pigeon fancier lifetime ban for cheating. A pigeon-racing champion has received a lifetime ban from the sport after allegations that he cheated to win one of the most prestigious competitions in the sport’s calendar.

A Pigeon fancier, Eamon Kelly, from Didcot, was accused of cheating by registering 14 birds for the Tarbes Grand National race but keeping them at home and sending decoys instead.

The National Flying Club, where he was an official race controller, said in a statement that the ban “follows the falsification of [Kelly’s] race entry for Tarbes Grand National race dated 19 July 2016”.

It added that Kelly “admitted [cheating] in telephone conversations with the president, chairman and secretary of the National Flying Club after the falsification was confirmed by members” who spotted discrepancies in the registered times.

Pigeon racing is a sport in which specially bred and trained by Pigeon fancier that are released from specific locations to race back to their home lofts. Each bird wears a ring which can be removed and registered on a clock or computer, and the bird with the highest average speed wins the competition.

The Tarbes Grand National is one of the most prestigious events in the sport, and features up to 4,000 birds who can travel between 500 and 800 miles. Pigeons are taken to the French town and are released to fly back to the UK.

Kelly won the competition in 2015 and was due to receive £1,500 in prize money and a £10,000 Ford Fiesta for defending the title. But it was revealed that while his decoy pigeons flew home, Kelly would lodge arrivals using microchip tags on the birds he was keeping in his loft.

Kelly, who started pigeon racing at the age of nine, apologised to the National Flying Club and resigned from his post, the Sun reported. In a statement, he said: “I, Eamon Kelly, sincerely apologise to all my friends and fanciers over my stupid actions relating to the recent Tarbes race. I was tempted and fell, a decision I will regret for the rest of my life. A sport that I love so much, that has given me untold pleasure and above all friendship, I have thrown all away.”

Philip Curtis, chairman of the National Flying Club, wrote on the website prior to the ban: “The committee is very saddened by the events that took place over the Tarbes weekend and that such an occurrence put a huge cloud over the whole race. Compounded by national coverage of the event, this is a very sad day for the sport of pigeon racing that is enjoyed by so many. We wish to inform members that the National Flying Club is satisfied that no other members of the organisation are involved in this occurrence.”

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Bangkok bans feeding pigeons

Bangkok bans feeding wild pigeons. Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha has ordered the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and other agencies to bans the feeding of wild pigeons, government spokesman Lt Gen Sansern Kaewkamnerd said on Wednesday.

Sansern said the ban is a measure to control wild pigeon numbers and prevent disease.

He said residents filed complaints about that the growing number of the wild birds causing a nuisance.

“The prime minister instructed all agencies to find measures to clean the areas but the birds must not be harmed,” Sansern said.

“But the people will not be allowed to feed the birds to reduce their number at each spot. The provincial administrations may set aside areas for feeding the birds.”

Sansern cited the pier of Wat Rakang Kositaram in Bangkok as an example of feeding of wild pigeons that caused trouble to passers-by.

He said bird lovers ignored signs and fed the birds, which caused disturbances.

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Did THEY Really Banned Pigeons?

Rumor claims the Islamic State (ISIS) banned pigeons because the visibility of their genitals as they fly overhead “offends Islam.” pigeon standing proudly with a wanted stencil overtop

Claim: ISIS has banned pigeons because their visible genitals in flight “offends Islam.”

I’m seeing reports that ISIS clerics have banned pigeon breeding because the sight of pigeon genitals is offensive to Muslim sensibilities. Since pigeon genitalia is something I’ve never in my 60+ yrs seen I doubt the truth of this story.

Origins: On 2 June 2015, the British Daily Mail newspaper published an article titled “ISIS bans pigeon breeding — punishable by public flogging — because seeing birds’ genitals overhead offends Islam.” In short order, the newspaper’s claim was widely aggregated to other outlets, with its multiple iterations lending it an air of credibility:

When rumours of an ISIS ban on pigeons began to circulate earlier this year, it was widely assumed that it was related to the birds being used to either smuggle anti-ISIS messages or cigarettes.

However the new document clears up that misunderstanding, clearly stating that the ban is intended ‘to put a stop to the greater criminal act of harming one’s Muslim and Muslim women neighbours, revealing the [pigeon’s] genitals and wasting time.’

On 5 June 2015, the claim received additional attention when HBO host Bill Maher discussed it at length during a segment of his show Real Time with Bill Maher. Maher pointed to ISIS’s purported pigeon genitalia ban as an example of how Islam’s core ideology was incongruent with that of the Western world

Full story here

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Fate of pigeon ban to be decided

The fate of Abbotsford’s urban pigeon prohibition is still unclear after council received a report last week that noted the bird ban aligns with the city’s current zoning bylaw, but that those regulations are currently under review.

The issue was raised last fall by Gurbir Brar, who raises pigeons and says the bylaw banning them is irrational and unnecessary.

Brar told council in October that other jurisdictions, including Calgary and Surrey, allow the keeping of hobby pigeons in residential areas, without a problem. He compared pigeons to cats, and said the birds – when properly trained – are much less disruptive than felines to the surrounding community. He was accompanied by more than a dozen fellow pigeon fanciers.

Staff were directed to prepare a report, which was presented to council last week.

In it, assistant planner Nick Crosman notes that pigeons are currently defined as poultry, rather than pets, and thereby are an agriculture use. Currently, residential zones don’t permit such uses.

But the city’s zoning bylaw is currently undergoing a revision to align it with the 2016 Official Community Plan. That document would seem to be more friendlier to pigeon-rearing, and includes a statement that suggests council consider allowing “urban agriculture activities that encourage self-sufficiency.” Pigeons and backyard fowl aren’t mentioned in the OCP.

The updated zoning bylaw will come to council for approval or revision. Any changes would require a public hearing. The fate of pigeon ban to be decided

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A man had pigeons in Vancouver.

Earlier this year, she had at least three conversations with fellow Councillor Lisa Muri regarding pigeons, according to emails. In July, she asked Muri to pass a bylaw to outlaw them, according to an email obtained by CBC.“I have a pool that pigeons fly over and poop as well as flying and roosting on the rest of my property,” she wrote July 6. A few days later, Muri requested staff ban pigeons from the district.

Staff would later tell council they knew of only one person in the district who had pigeons, Dulay, and only one person had filed a recent complaint, Forbes.

That didn’t stop council voting 4-2 for the ban in November. Forbes recused herself, declaring a conflict of interest, but she still might’ve breached B.C.’s Community Charter that prohibits councillors from influencing council votes, recommendations or decisions.

At a Nov. 2018 council meeting, Forbes made her first public statement regarding the controversy. man with pigeons

“It has always been my intention to act with integrity in the best interest of the district both as a private citizen and as a councillor,” she said. “If I have erred in anyway, I assure council and the community that it was done inadvertently and in good faith with my understanding, as a new councillor, of the conflict of interest rules.”

We feel this is a corrupt way of passing bylaws. Givo Hasko, pigeon breeder

She called for more conflict of interest training for councillors. Droves of concerned citizens also spoke.

“I am passionate about transparency and trying to work things out as neighbours,” said Dulay’s neighbour Krista Page, who came out in support of the family. “I just feel this is very much a misuse of power.” Givo Hasko has been breeding, showing and rescuing pigeons for a decade. He told council “We are here for a love of pigeons. We feel this is a corrupt way of passing bylaws.”

Others were concerned about pigeons causing damage with their frequent acidic poops, and the possibility they could spread disease. Corrie Kost said his parents final years in their lake-side apartment would’ve been more pleasant if it weren’t for the pigeons pestering them.

Huffingtonpost

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Shadick doesn’t much care for pigeons, but she doesn’t want them to suffer.

When the wildlife rehabilitation organization she operates began receiving more and more calls about apparently-poisoned pigeons, Shadick decided to act. She wants the city to ban pest control products that affect the birds’ nervous systems.

“Pigeons are coming in suffer from seizures,” Shadick said, adding that 34 of the 54 bird-related cases Living Sky Wildlife Rehabilitation has dealt with this year involved pigeons with such symptoms. Around half did not survive, she said.

“These are only the pigeons that survive long enough to be found,” she noted, wondering what happens to birds and animals that decide to dine on a pigeons that has suffer ingested the product and died somewhere accessible.

While Shadick admitted that she does not have direct evidence linking pigeons showing seizure symptoms with any specific pest control product, she nevertheless made her case for a ban in a letter to the city’s environment committee.

“While I understand that many people consider pigeons to be a pest and want to get rid of them, the use of neurotoxins is not a humane process, nor is it acceptable to risk putting that poison into our environment,” Shadick wrote.

She said she is especially concerned about a product called Avitrol, which, according to its manufacturer, uses the compound 4-aminopyridine to induce “behaviours similar to an epileptic seizure” that are intended to frighten away flocks of birds.

The symptoms “may include flying erratically, vocalizing, trembling, dilation of the pupils and other symptoms,” according to Avitrol Corp. The Tulsa, Oklahoma-based company did not immediately provide a comment on Thursday.

Pigeons are known pests that can cause damage to private property as well as municipal infrastructure. However, Saskatoon’s electrical utility said Thursday it has not used “chemical repellents” for pigeon control at its facilities since 2017.

In 2016, the federal government granted “continued registration” of products containing 4-aminopyridine for use on birds, including “feral pigeons.” At the time, the only such products available were all manufactured and sold under the name Avitrol.

Health Canada said the products do “not present unacceptable risks to human health or the environment” if used properly.

While Avitrol is legal to use in Canada, some municipalities in the country have opted to cease using it. The cities of Red Deer and Halifax have both committed to no longer using Avitrol. It is also banned in New York and San Francisco.

“I don’t think it’s very nice for the pigeons at all. It’s not a pleasant way to live — or to die. I don’t think any animal deserves that, even if we don’t like it,” Shadick said, noting that there are viable alternatives that stop the birds from reproducing.

This is not the first time Shadick has advocated against poisoning pests. Late last fall, a dead great-horned owl with blood around its beak led her to warn people about the dangers of using anti-clotting agents to poison rodents. [email protected] twitter.com/macphersona

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Pigeon build-up cited in bridge collapse

Pigeon build-up cited in bridge collapse. St. PAUL, Minn.–Pounded and strained by heavy traffic and weakened by missing bolts and cracking steel, the failed interstate bridge over the Mississippi River also faced a less obvious enemy: Birds, specifically pigeons.

Inspectors began documenting the build-up of pigeon dung on the span near downtown Minneapolis two decades ago.

Experts say the corrosive guano deposited all over the bridge’s framework helped the steel beams rust faster.

Although investigators have yet to identify the cause of the bridge’s Aug. 1 collapse, which killed at least 13 people and injured about 100, the pigeon problem is one of many factors that dogged the structure.

“There is a coating of pigeon dung on steel with nest and heavy build-up on the inside hollow box sections,” inspectors wrote in a 1987-1989 report.

In 1996, screens were installed over openings in the bridge’s beams to keep pigeons from nesting there, but that didn’t prevent the build-up of droppings elsewhere.

Pigeon droppings contain ammonia and acids, said chemist Neal Langerman, of the American Chemical Society. If the dung isn’t washed away, it dries out and turns into a concentrated salt. When water gets in and combines with the salt and ammonia, it creates small electrochemical reactions that rust the steel underneath.

“Every time you get a little bit of moisture there, you wind up having a little bit of electrochemistry occurring and you wind up with corrosion,” said Langerman. “Over a long term, it might in fact cause structural weaknesses.”

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Repair bill rises as pigeon poo hides rust for Conwy Road Bridge

Conwy Road Bridge repair bill rises as pigeon poo hides rust.

Pigeon with a bread necklace. A new symbol of wealth among pigeon flocks.

Bridge repair costs have more than doubled because pigeon poo disguised rust.

Council officials struck a deal for the work on Conwy Road Bridge in 2016.

Costs shot up by £844,000 to £1.53m after an inspection revealed rust on the structure was hidden by the birds’ droppings.

Conwy council chief executive Iwan Davies said it was not possible to identify the extent of the works but a councillor said it was “disappointing”.

Repairs for the two lane bridge, which takes traffic across the town’s estuary, were sent out to tender in 2016.

A report by the council’s audit committee said the “considerable” extra work needed had not been found originally because of “access” problems.

“The additional works…significantly impacted the total cost of the works,” the report said.

Gele ward councillor Andrew Wood said: “I can’t believe we’ve not made more of an issue about this refurbishment, it’s plus £844,000.

“If the council tendered with all that information in the first place then it would have cost less. But we’re in a situation now where we have to carry on, so I’m disappointed.”

Mr Davies added: “It wasn’t an overspend as such, it was a re-calibration of what needed to be done.”

Source

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Feral pigeons cause damage to property. pigeons roost on ledges and sloping roofs.

Feral pigeons roost cause damage to property. Pigeons roost on ledges and sloping roofs.

They:

destroy insulation
deface surfaces
block pipes and gutters with droppings. Their droppings are acidic and eat away at buildings and machinery, which can lead to secondary damage such as wet rot

Pigeons also carry diseases which can prove fatal for humans and pose serious risks to public health, with the young and the old being especially vulnerable, such as:

psittacosis, a type of pneumonia, which can kill
candida albicans which can be the cause of skin diseases
shigella species causes vomiting and diarrhoea
ornithosis, a flu-like disease borne by birds
chiamdiosis, a virus similar to influenza
campylobacter coli, which may cause food poisoning
pigeons roost with droppings and dead carcasses can contain a variety of mites and insects which can cause allergic reactions in humans

A pigeon’s perspective

Although feeding pigeons might appear to be a kind act, it is not. Food such as bread and cake gives them diarrhoea and induces vitamin B and calcium deficiency. Vitamin B deficiency can cause paralysis in pigeons. Pigeons are scavengers and are well equipped to find their own sources of food.

Food supplied by the public leads to the arrival of more pigeons and increased breeding rates. Feral pigeons deprive other birds of food and spread mites and other parasites throughout their ever-increasing number of breeding sites.

Licensed pest control contractors need to be hired to exterminate and control pigeons. The kindest and most economic way of achieving this is to allow pigeons to continue their natural feeding habits by taking away their dependence on food from people.

Rats

When food is left out for pigeons it is also left for rats. As with pigeons, the more food rats have access to, the more they will breed. Rats are a major health hazard. They contaminate human food with:

their droppings
urine
hair

They are the carriers of many diseases eg. Weil’s disease and salmonellosis. Rats also cause structural damage. They burrow under the foundations of buildings and damage drains and sewers. They also gnaw through electrical cables which is a fire hazard.

What can you do?

avoid feeding pigeons and allow them to pursue a natural life of foraging for food
food litter should never be left on the ground
ensure that all food waste is contained within enclosed waste bins
if you wish to feed birds, prepare birdseed and place on bird tables where a variety of species can gain access
it is sometimes possible to scare pigeons away letting them know that a location is not a suitable nesting site. Placing a piece of string with silver foil attached in the allotted area has worked in some instances

Professional pest controllers may be able to prevent pigeons landing on roofs, balconies and other areas by utilizing many of the products available in pigeon proofing.

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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deadly Minneapolis bridge collapse, officials are looking at an unlikely culprit: pigeons.

Officials investigating the deadly Minneapolis bridge collapse are looking at an unlikely culprit: pigeons.

Thirteen people were killed and 145 were injured in the August 1, 2007, Minnesota bridge collapse.

Image & Story from CNN

pigeons collapse bridge ?Of all the possible causes of the deadly collapse of Minnesota’s Interstate 35W bridge earlier this month– uneven traffic patterns, de-icing salts, faulty construction–the latest is the most surprising: Pigeons. Or more precisely, the waste the birds leave behind. “Pigeon dung can be a serious issue–it’s acidic and will easily eat away almost any metal,” explains engineer William Schutt, president of Matcor, a corrosion protection firm in Doylestown, Pa. “It can wash into and then rust the bolts and rivets of bridges if they’re not cleaned and checked properly.” The build-up of pigeon excrement on the I-35W bridge was substantial enough to be noted in several Minnesota Department of Transportation inspections over the years, pointing to the steel box sections of the bridge as a popular nesting spot. Those sections are crucial to supporting the structure, and in 1999 bridge workers placed plastic screens over openings in the beams in an effort to repel the birds. But the dung continued to pile up. A 2006 inspection of the bridge still reported “severe pigeon debris” on its steel deck truss. Corrosive pigeon dung also made it hard for bridge inspectors to do their work. Three experts familiar with the I-35W bridge told the Minneapolis Star Tribune that some of the impediments to inspections of the collapsed bridge included piles of pigeon dung, poor lighting, road rage (commuters upset with delays were known to insult inspectors and even occasionally throw objects at them) and spider webs that could resemble metal cracks.

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protection against pigeon poop

Workers need PPE to protect against all kinds of hazards. Of course, your employees probably don’t need protection against pigeon poop. But since you never know…

City employees need to access a confined space in a pedestrian bridge to work on an electrical conduit. Pigeons have gotten into this space, leaving poop and other debris. What PPE should these employees be provided for protection against pigeon poop?

Our high-flying experts informed the questioner that pigeon droppings can expose workers to serious conditions, including histoplasmosis and cryptococcosis. Citing a NIOSH publication, they noted that disposable protective clothing and shoe coverings should be worn whenever regular work clothing and shoes might be contaminated with dust-containing, disease-carrying spores. Wearing such clothing can reduce or eliminate the likelihood of transferring spore-contaminated dust to places away from work, like a car or one’s home.

When spore-contaminated material is likely to fall from overhead, NIOSH recommends that workers wear disposable protecting clothing with hoods. They should also use disposable shoe coverings with ridged soles made of slip-resistant material to reduce the likelihood of slipping on wet or dusty surfaces.

After working in such an environment and before removing respirators, personnel should remove all protective clothing and shoe coverings and seal them in heavy-duty plastic bags for disposal in a landfill.

Using the proper PPE to tackle pigeon poop in a confined space can impede essential sweat evaporation. NIOSH recommends taking precautions to control heat stress in these situations. For example, when protective clothing is needed, wearing a lightweight, cotton coverall would create less of a heat-stress risk than wearing a chemical-resistant suit. Workers should know the symptoms of heat-stress-related conditions and be able to take measures before serious problems develop. pigeon poop

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