Wildlife rehabilitation calls for city to ban toxins that poison Saskatoon pigeons “Basically if you can imagine a bird having seizures,” said Jan Shadick, Living Sky Wildlife Rehabilitation executive director, describing a pigeon’s painful death after eating poisoned corn.  “It’s an unfortunate way to die and it’s an unfortunate use of pigeon control methods within the city.” The most common poison used is Avitrol. Shadick said she wants to see the city ban its use, or at least require the area it’s scattered around to be labelled, like when spraying pesticides. She said her wildlif ..read more

As for the pigeon, Randle said it was let go, without its luggage this time. Lost pigeon flew the coop, finding her way from France to Calgary  Homing pigeons are a remarkable species with internal compasses that are able to memorize landmarks to retrace a path home.  But one particular bird ended up so far off its course, it would have been a miracle for her to find her way back. After being found frozen to a front porch, she was taken in by Calgarian Alex Gray who didn’t know what else to do and posted on social media, eventually tracking down Jeanie Palmer, a woman who r ..read more

Prison guards at the Pacific Institution in Abbotsford intercepted a pigeon with a small backpack containing crystal meth  Prison guards in B.C.’s Fraser Valley have to be vigilant against drones trying to drop contraband to waiting inmates or someone trying to throw drugs over the walls, but a recent discovery has also caused some concern. “A pigeon was located at Pacific Institution, inside the walls, and it appeared to have a small package, sort of like a backpack attached to it,” John Randle, president of the Pacific Region for Union of Canadian Correctional Officers told Global ..read more

Pink pigeon possibly dyed for gender reveal party in NYC dies Flamingo, the dyed pink pigeon, has died. The Wild Bird Fund, who rescued the king pigeon and attempted to remove the colouring from its feathers, said the bird died on Feb. 6, likely as a result of inhaling toxins from the dye. “We hope the tale of his too-short life will help prevent more acts of careless cruelty,” the Wild Bird Fund wrote in a statement. “Pigeons come in many different colors and plumages, but pink isn’t one of them,” wrote the Wild Bird Fund. It claimed the pink pigeon has naturally white feathers. In ..read more

Staff at B.C. prison bust another backpack-wearing pigeon Correctional officers say they’ve caught another backpack-wearing pigeon at a B.C. prison. John Randle, regional president for the Union of Canadian Correctional Officers, said the bird was captured inside the Matsqui Institution, a medium-security prison in Abbotsford, on Feb. 27. Unlike a similar pigeon caught on the grounds of the nearby Pacific Institution in December, this pigeon’s backpack was empty. The prior pigeon was carrying a cargo of methamphetamine. “The best guess, or educated guess I could make right now is that it looks ..read more

Rain gutters are among the most heavily exposed parts of your home. Weather, pests, and constant use affect their integrity. In fact, many animals make gutters their home, given the space and debris that enters it. Specifically, birds often nest in rain gutters for these reasons. Fortunately, here are some effective ways to get rid of birds’ nests in your gutters. Gutter Guards The greatest bird deterrent for your yard is a gutter guard. Gutter guards attach to rain gutters to prevent debris and pests from entering. This reduces clogs, cracks, or other issues from constant use. They also prev ..read more

If you have been driven crazy by incessant scrabbling or are fed up of the mess being left behind by birds nestling in your eaves the question at the fore-front of your mind, is going to be how the hell can I get rid of them?! The answer in short is that you pretty much can’t, not unless they are causing a health risk and you’re authorised to remove them! So once a bird has decided to nest, you can’t touch it! Sorry, I know that’s not exactly what you wanted to read! ….. However, let’s not linger on the negative, what you can do is prevent them nesting in the future. This article shares some ..read more

There are several species of birds that choose to build their nests around human habitation such as houses and sheds. Sometimes this can look messy and cause problems such as build up of droppings under the nest. We are often asked how to deal with this problem or whether the nest can be moved to another location. The first thing to do is to find out what species of bird is building the nest. Have a good look at them and see if you can identify the species. Understanding more about the birds themselves may help you accept their presence around your home – you might even find that you hav ..read more

Pigeons like to land, roost, nest, and make a mess of your roof and they’re not easy to get rid of. Persistence, bird deterrents, and bird exclusion is the key. Get rid of pigeons on the roof by removing food and water Remove all food and water sources and never feed the pigeons! In addition, don’t let your neighbors feed the pigeons. The pigeons can eat at your neighbors and nest on your roof! Pigeons mainly like to eat seeds and grains such as oats, wheat, corn, cereal, sorghum, rice, beans, barley, millet, peas, and sunflower. They also like to eat food scraps left behind by people, includi ..read more

Pigeons have a long history with humans. In Europe, pigeons were a common source of meat in the Middle Ages. They were once used to carry messages and have even been used in racing. During WWI and WWII, carrier pigeons were used as part of the communication systems. There’s even a pigeon museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, dedicated to man’s oldest feathered friend. Modern pigeons are considered a nuisance. They don’t seem to be scared of humans, nesting and roosting under eaves, in chimneys, or on roofs where they quickly become problematic. Learn more about how to keep pigeons away  ..read more