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Biology
There
are over 300 species of pigeons around the world. Feral pigeons
are thought to have descended from domesticated strains of the
rock dove. In the wild it then bred with racing pigeons.
Pigeons
can breed all year round, but the peak season runs from March
to late April.
The nests
are made from any type of material available, normally grass and
twigs but sometimes wire, cable ties and other scrap materials
are used.
A normal
clutch consists of two eggs, these eggs are then incubated for
18-19 days, when the eggs hatch the young are fed twice a day.
Fledging
takes around 30-32 days and a new clutch can be laid when the
first young are only three weeks old.
Normally
pigeons have 4-5 clutches per year but it has been known for them
to have up to nine.
Reasons
for control:-
Bird droppings
can look unsightly and can cause damage to buildings through direct
chemical action from their droppings.
Pigeons
can also be a threat to human health as they can carry a number
of diseases including:-
Ornithosis
(Chlamydia psittcci)
Salmonella
Listeria
Campylobacter
Histoplasma
capsulatum
Pigeons
also carry many unpleasant insects in their feathers which include
fleas, mites, ticks, lice, carpet beetles and many others.
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