Pigeons are birds of the Columbidaefamily,
In Quebec, there are several species of pigeons: the pigeon, the pigeon pigeon and the biset pigeon which is the most known and widespread species.
This friendly-looking bird is very harmful by the amount of droppings it deposits on our buildings, the bodies of cars. Moreover, since he lives in a colony, we are never victims of a single individual, but rather by a whole group that multiplies very quickly.
You will find professional answers to many of the questions you are entitled to ask yourself: How do you differentiate the beiset pigeon from other urban birds? What is its life cycle? What are the consequences of their droppings on the urban environment? How can we avoid their massive presence? How do we identify a professional who can get rid of them effectively?
| Nom français | Pigeon biset |
| Nom anglais | Rock dove |
| Nom latin | Columba livia |
| Classe | Aves |
| Ordre | Columbiformes |
| Famille | Columbidae |
The pigeon biset: description
The biset pigeon can be recognized by:
- His head and little neck of a dark blue-grey,
- The green, lilac or purple stain on the side of his neck,
- His eyes usually orange, sometimes white-grey, with orange eyelids and surrounded by a grey-white ring,
- Its fleshy beak covered in wax,
- At the 2 black bars on its pale grey wings,
- At the bottom of his white back,
- Its legs, which vary in colour from pink to red,
- Its wings, with a wingspan of 64 to 72 cm,
- Its length is between 32 and 37 cm,
Beware, the colour of the pigeons varies according to their age: grey and white, peach, pure white, blue/pale grey, etc.
Reproduction and life cycle of the pigeon
The female lays 1 to 2 eggs after mating and the gestation period. The pigeons are not even 6 weeks old that the female pigeon lays new eggs, rapidly multiplying theintrusion of these birds.
In the wild, due to predators, diseases, lack of food and other environmental factors, the lifespan of the pigeon is barely 4 years. But in captivity, the pigeon can live 15 years.
Pigeons are social birds. They live in a colony. They have only one partner in their lifetime. The male and the female share the tasks. For example, both feed the pigeon with jabot milk.
Pigeons feed mainly on seeds of all kinds. But when food is scarce, it infests places where food waste is common, i.e. our homes, our restaurants, etc.
Over-occupancy of pigeons: droppings are the problem.
If pigeons are so harmful to us, it is because:
- Their droppings (emitted in large quantities) are very acidic and gnaw at ironwork as well as stone structures.
- Their droppings are vectors of diseases such as histoplasmosis or cryptococcosis. These diseases often lead to fever, fatigue and chest pain.
- These droppings mess up our buildings, making them less attractive.
- Their incessant cooing under the windows annoy when they are persistent
- Their nests clog the gutters, causing overflows and damaging buildings.
Appeler René Gélinas Votre exterminateur local, Expérience et intégrité dans la gestion parasitaire
Tel 514 830 2819
Hantavirus, definition and mode of transmission
Hantavirus is a severe lung syndrome caused by a virus. It is secreted in the urine, feces and saliva of infected animals. Most often these are rodents. When humans come into direct or indirect contact with these secretions, the virus is transmitted to them. Ditto when they are bitten by infected rodents.
However, the virus is not transmitted from human to human, only from animal to human. This type of disease is called zoonoses because they can only be transmitted to humans through an animal. It has been found that domestic animals (apart from the domestic rat) and livestock cannot contract hantavirus so there is every reason to believe that only rodents can carry it.
Symptoms of hantavirus
Being a lung disease, one of the characteristic symptoms of hantavirus is difficulty breathing. At the beginning of the disease, the infected person begins to feel fever, chills, headache and muscle pain.
It is about two weeks after the appearance of the first symptoms that they are usually accompanied by a feeling of shortness of breath. Nevertheless, this last manifestation of the disease can be observed after two days as after six weeks; it depends on the organism of the individual.
Hantavirus can also lead to kidney disease or infection. And although they are rare and very few people are prone to them, there is currently no treatment to combat these ailments. It is therefore better to be careful not to contract them.
8 Tips against pigeon intrusion
Follow the bird tips below, and you’ll prevent the biset pigeons from colonizing your building:
- Eliminate the jouchoirs and seal crevices, large openings and entrances pierced in height,
- Grill all available water sources (e.g. roof air conditioners) to prevent access to them,
- Remove all food sources within reach of pigeons. Keep the trash cans closed. Evacuate garbage regularly.
- To prevent pigeons from frequenting flat roofs or ledges, install erect metal rods or apply sticky substances to them.
- Use pigeon picks: they prevent them from landing on your building.
- Use pigeon repellents: this is a substance that repels pigeons. You can find them in all exterminationstores. The only problem? Its effectiveness is short-lived and decreases when it rains or snows.
- Use pigeon nets: they prevent pigeons from landing.
- Use bird scare devices: windmills, recordings of birdsong in distress, etc. But beware, too used, they end up making the pigeon indifferent.
But if pigeons have already colonized your home, it is better to call an exterminator on the island of Montreal.
The anti-pigeon means used by the professional exterminator
The professional exterminator has several ways to get rid of an attack of pigeon colonies.
It can be used in electric anti-pigeon cables. It may use toxic substances for these birds, but in accordance with safe use guidelines. It can also capture pigeons and chemically sterilize them, preventing their reproduction.
But first it will opt for greener and more environmental alternatives, becoming more part of an integrated management of pigeons:
- Installing pigeon lofts in strategic locations in order to attract pigeons to the desired locations and thus control the situation,
- Ultrasonic or electronic repellents,
- Pigeon nets, sticky substances, and metal rods to prevent pigeons from landing,
But beware, not all exterminators know how to eradicate a massive presence of pigeons. It is better to call on the real professional in extermination and management integrity.
You’ll recognize it:
- To be authorized by the Quebec Ministry of Wildlife and Parks for the capture and relocation of wildlife,
- At his C5 licence from the Quebec Ministry of Sustainable Development; which means that it captures and moves pigeons in compliance with Environment Canada regulations,
- To his most cutting-end method of working:
- Use of certified professional technicians in capture and disposal,
- Move quickly to the scene of theattack to make sure it is an assault of pigeons and not other birds, identify the source of this aggression and measure its intensity,
- Defining and applying an appropriate capture method.
- Its ability to operate without being noticed by the neighborhood.
- To his written guarantee on the effectiveness of his treatment against pigeon escape.
And you, have you ever suffered from a massive attack of pigeons? Did they make you or any of your acquaintances sick? Have their droppings eaten away at your precious metals? How did you get rid of them? Tell us in the comments below.
