PiCAS INTERNATIONAL

PiCAS International is the only organisation worldwide that offers completely independent advice on all aspects of the humane and non-lethal control of feral bird populations. Although PiCAS International specialises in providing advice on the control of pigeon populations, we will also offer advice on the humane and non-lethal control of any species of feral bird.

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Eleven pigeons fanciers from the USA face prison sentences after being charged with shooting, beating and suffocating dozens of protected hawks and falcons in an effort to protect their birds during racing events.  One of the accused even admitted spraying the falcons that he had caught in traps with bleach and ammonia.  The combination of these chemicals causes chlorine gas to be created so the falcons would have eventually died of suffocation after having experienced extreme pain for some considerable time before death. 

The charged men also admitted clubbing falcons to death in cages and shooting the birds with pellet guns.  Some of the men also admitted shooting hawks and falcons with shotguns.  One defendent even admitted to keeping a bucket full of talons cut from the hawks and falcons that he had trapped and slaughtered.

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An electronic bird scarer that was installed under a railway bridge in the town of Taunton, UK, by Network Rail to control pigeons is now to be re-assessed due to the fact that residents and passers by are becoming disturbed by the constant noise emitted by the device.

It appears that the device is having no effect whatsoever on the resident pigeons but is having a considerable effect on residents!  According to a local newspaper, Network rail has promised to "..change the noise to stop frightening passers by."

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A pigeon caused a great deal of public interest in the town of High Wycombe, UK, when it became tangled in netting provided above a restaurant in the town.  The netting had been installed to stop pigeons perching on a window box above the restaurant.  Firefighters were called to the building to remove the distressed bird which had obviously been entangled in the netting for several days, unable to move.  The pigeon was taken to a local wildlife hospital to be treated but the bird died some days later.  The manager of the hospital said: "Normally pigeons are pretty robust, they don’t succumb.  He’d had terrific trauma where he was.  He was very thin and very distressed." 

This is a classic example of why nylon netting should never be used as a deterrent.  The PiCAS Group receives hundreds of calls each year from members of the public and property owners alike who have found a bird trapped in degraded or poorly installed netting.  These birds are the lucky ones as they have a chance of being rescued from what would otherwise be a death-trap.  There are, however, in the UK alone, tens of thousands more birds that are never found and starve to death whilst hanging in netting.

What most property owners do not realise is that if they instruct a pest control contractor to install netting on their property it is they that will be prosecuted should a bird die whilst entangled in the netting, not the pest control company.  A vast majority of netting that is provided by the pest control industry is poorly installed and is also the incorrect product to suit the client’s needs.  Netting will always be recommended wherever possible based on the fact that this product, alongside culling operations, is one of the most profitable services that any pest control company can sell to its client base.

For more information on netting and other deterrents please see the Deterrents page.