PiCAS UK Ltd
Sanderson Business Centre
15 Lees Lane
Gosport
Hampshire
PO12 3UL
Tel: 02392 583540
Fax: 02392 510287
Out of hours only:
07903 011715
Email: enquiries@picasuk.com
Skype: picas.uk
PiCAS UK Ltd is a company registered in England and Wales with company number 05206567
VAT No: 858 1204 26
|
|
|
The Pigeon Control Advisory Service (PiCAS) consists of two organisations providing independent bird control consultancy services. , the umbrella organisation, servicing the needs of PiCAS clients worldwide and PiCAS UK Ltd providing professional consultancy services to clients based in the United Kingdom only.
This webpage is dedicated to PiCAS UK’s operation. For more information on the services offered to clients based outside the UK please see the dedicated .
If you have accessed this website because you are experiencing a pigeon control or a bird control problem we strongly advise that you read all the information contained on this website prior to contracting the services of a pest control company.
PiCAS UK is the only source of expert, independent and commercially unbiased advice on all aspects of bird control in the UK. The PiCAS group specialises in the provision of non-lethal and sustainable bird control systems, the only bird control systems that will result in a permanent reduction in bird numbers.
Breaking News
July 2nd 2008
Wimbledon Questioned Over Legality of Pigeon Shoots
The All England Lawn Tennis Club, currently holding the world famous lawn tennis tournament, has been attacked by animal rights activists for shooting 4/5 pigeons prior to the start of the 2008 competition. International animal welfare group People for the Ethical treatment of Animals (PeTA) has contacted London's Metropolitan Police Wildlife Crime Unit claiming that the Wimbledon pigeon shoot was illegal.
PeTA's Vice President, Bruce Friedrich, believes that the pigeon shoot has compromised the terms and conditions of the General Licences which allow the killing of pigeons under certain circumstances. However, pigeons cannot be killed under the General Licences unless all non-lethal methods of control have first been tried and found to fail. Neither can pigeons be killed to protect the fabric of a building or to stop fouling. Furthermore, a severe and demonstrable risk to public health and safety must exist before any action to kill pigeons can be undertaken. Pigeons can only be killed as a last resort.
Mr. Friedrich of PeTA has written to the Chairman of the All England Lawn Tennis Club to object to the needless culling and has apparently received confirmation that no more pigeons will be killed on the site. Furthermore a PeTA spokesperson confirmed that they have had assurances from the All England Lawn Tennis Club that they will contact PeTA after the 2008 tournament to discuss a more effective pigeon control regime. PeTA said: "The (Wimbledon) spokesperson says they had the fellow with the hawk down there this morning and that they will contact us when the tournament is over in order to figure out the best way to work on pigeon control at the club in the future."
read more..
return to top of page
June 20th 2008
Hospital Gull Culling Operation May Have Been Illegal
PiCAS UK has learned that the Gloucestershire Royal Hospital has carried out an unnecessary and potentially illegal cull of gull chicks on the hospital site. Pest control operatives were seen removing distressed and screaming gull chicks from their nests and killing them, one member of staff confirmed.
A spokesperson for Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust suggested that the hospital had tried many other controls but had been forced to resort to killing gull chicks.
read more..
return to top of page
June 17th 2008
Mallard Duck Saves Her Young Against All Odds
Six ducklings were separated from their mother after apparently being washed into a storm drain in a suburb of Newcastle on Tyne. The ducklings were then washed along the storm drain for nearly 2 miles.
Incredibly the mother followed the ducklings on the surface by listening for their cheeps of distress at each manhole cover the chicks passed under. This amazing feat on the part of the mother took her over a busy roundabout, across countless roads, a housing estate, two school playing fields and the grounds of a hospital!
read more..
return to top of page
June 17th 2008
Research Confirms Pigeons’ Self-Cognitive Abilities
Recent scientific research carried out at Keio University in Japan has confirmed that pigeons are one of the most intelligent species on the planet and have self-cognitive abilities (self-recognition) higher than a 3-year old child.
It was previously thought that these abilities were the sole preserve of humans and primates such as chimpanzees, but recent research has found these abilities to exist in dolphins, elephants and now pigeons. The pigeon is one of only 6 species on the planet that has been found to pass the ‘mirror test’ (being able to recognise its reflection in a mirror) and is the only non-mammal that has this ability.
The Japanese research found that a 3-year old child had difficulty recognising its self-image with a 2 second delay but pigeons were capable of discriminating video images of themselves with a 5-7 second delay. The pigeon has always been renowned for having much higher levels of intelligence than the average bird, with extremely high visual cognitive abilities, but this new research sets the bar even higher.
read more..
return to top of page
June 12th 2008
Shopping Centre Wastes Money On Ineffective Pigeon Control
The Salford Advertiser has recently reported that managers at Eccles Shopping Centre in Manchester are to use a hawk in an attempt to scare pigeons.
Shopping centre manager Kyla Ankers has confirmed that pigeons are being attracted to the centre as a result of the public feeding the birds and confirmed that in her opinion the best method of resolving the problem would to reduce food sources. She also confirmed that she is working with litter enforcement officers to reduce the current levels of both littering and feeding.
The manager suggested that the premise behind using a hawk was to fool the resident pigeons into thinking that the bird of prey is nesting nearby and move them away from the centre permanently.
Pigeons are commonly attracted to shopping centres throughout the UK due to the high levels of public feeding that occurs in these areas. A steady growth in the popularity of street cafes and al fresco eating has resulted in a dramatic increase in pigeon-related problems. Although pigeons will exploit any food source and readily accept crumbs from people having their lunch in the open air however, the real source of the problem is daily feeding of pigeon flocks with large quantities of food by deliberate and persistent pigeon feeders.
read more..
return to top of page
June 12th 2008
U-Turn Council Dubbed ‘The Worst Council in Britain’ By Experts
The Pigeon Control Advisory Service UK Division (PiCAS UK) has slammed Chester City Council for abandoning its no-cull policy where pigeons are concerned. In 2001 Chester City Council agreed to put aside its outdated and ineffective pigeon culling strategy and initiate a humane but effective pigeon control programme in Chester city centre, acting on advice from PiCAS UK.
PiCAS UK has learned that Chester City Council recently culled pigeons in St Martin’s House prior to demolition, contravening the council’s own no-cull policy and breaking a longstanding agreement made with PiCAS UK in 2001.
read more..
return to top of page
|
|
|
|
|
PiCAS UK will provide advice on the control of any bird species. Advice is most commonly sought for problems relating to the following:
Pigeon or Rock Dove: Pigeons are never more at home than when roosting and breeding on buildings in urban areas and as a result they are the most commonly controlled species of bird on the planet. Conventional pest control
options such as lethal control
has simply acted to increase pigeon numbers, not reduce them. The PiCAS Group has specialised in pigeon control for decades, researching and designing effective and sustainable pigeon control systems and as a result is now considered to be the foremost authority on the subject worldwide. PiCAS UK will provide advice on the protection of individual buildings and sites through to the provision of area-wide pigeon control systems for local authorities.
Gulls: Gulls have historically caused problems for property owners in towns and cities close to coastal areas but now many species of gull, including herring gulls, black headed gulls and black backed gulls are becoming common in many inland urban areas. These species are commonly known as roof-nesting gulls. Effective gull management systems are complex and to be effective they must be holistic and deal with the source of the problem as well as the problem itself. PiCAS UK will advise on all aspects of humane but effective gull control.
Ducks and Geese: Ducks and geese are a growing problem throughout the UK in villages, towns and even city parks with deliberate and persistent feeding of the birds being the root cause of the problem. Duck control and goose control is never straightforward and can be a highly public and emotive issue. PiCAS UK has extensive experience of providing humane but effective duck and goose management systems for councils, property owners and site managers throughout the UK.
Canada Geese: This species is starting to cause major problems for property owners and site managers throughout the UK. As with most waterfowl controls, Canada goose control systems are complex and must be holistic. PiCAS UK has extensive experience of controlling Canada goose populations, whether they be static or migratory, and will tailor a Canada goose control programme to the specific needs of the client.
Starlings and Sparrows: Although starlings were a common problem in town and city centres throughout the UK during the 1960’s and 1970’s, fewer problems are now being reported. However, where starlings do roost in large numbers problems can be extreme and PiCAS UK will provide any property owner with a tailor-made starling control system.
Sparrow populations are in rapid decline and as a result fewer sparrow-related problems are being reported. Sparrows do sometimes cause problems in food production plants and food preparation facilities however. Sparrow control is rarely simple or straightforward due to the fact that these small birds can easily access roof voids or internal areas due to their size. PiCAS UK will provide advice on humane but effective sparrow control.
Wood Pigeons and Collared Doves: These species are more complex to control and are more commonly associated with rural areas. Both species are now becoming more common in urban areas where they can cause problems for residential property owners. Control options for these species are limited but PiCAS UK will offer advice where both wood pigeon control and collared dove control is concerned.
Rook, Magpie, Jackdaw and Hooded Crow (Corvids): These species commonly cause problems in both urban and rural areas and can be complex to control. Rook control and Crow control options are usually limited to rural areas where they are perceived to cause crop damage and predate on livestock in the case of crows, but nuisance is exaggerated. Rooks often breed in rookeries and can cause significant disturbance as a result of noise. Magpie control is more commonly sought in urban areas due to their growing presence in domestic gardens as a result of persecution in rural areas. Jackdaws rarely cause problems other than nesting in chimney pots and therefore jackdaw control is extremely straightforward. All members of the corvid family can be controlled effectively using non-lethal and holistic controls.
|
|
