RACING PIGEONS – IMPACT OF RAPTOR PREDATION

other stimuli. Essentially, the more biologically meaningful a deterrent is the greater
the period of habituation. Deterrence is an ongoing process in which a pro-active and
integrated approach is necessary. In this respect, SHU loft-owners who deployed
more than one type of deterrent reported more frequent success compared to owners
who used a single type of device only. The problem of sparrowhawks habituating to a
loft-based deterrent may be less compared with other bird control situations.
Sparrowhawk attacks at lofts occur most frequently in April and May (Shawyer et al.
(2000). Therefore, an effective loft-based deterrent may only need to resist
habituation for a relatively short, but critical period, for the impact of sparrowhawk
predation to be reduced.
A wider review of avian deterrent techniques, used in a range of bird control
circumstances, was conducted. Techniques were evaluated for their potential
applicability in reducing raptor predation at racing pigeon lofts. Human disturbance,
bioacoustics, mirrors/reflectors (including Mylar tape), moving visuals (animated
models – particularly corvids, eyespots) and habitat modification were all considered
to have some potential as loft-based deterrents. Supplementary feeding in the wider
landscape may provide an additional means of redirecting raptors’ attentions away
from lofts.
There is a widespread view amongst the racing pigeon fraternity that deterrents are
ineffective (e.g. SHU 1998, BHW website 2003). In the current CSL study, field
trials of pigeon-based deterrents (wing transfers and sequins) in races provided no
evidence for higher return rates of pigeons bearing deterrents, compared to control
birds. For loft-based deterrents, however, adequate testing of deterrents has not yet
been carried out. Recent field trials at racing pigeon lofts suffered from limitations in
the experimental design (Dixon 2002), whilst trials at game release pens were limited
by small sample size (Allan 2001). Until loft-based deterrents are rigorously tested in
well designed controlled, replicated field trials conclusions about their efficacy cannot
be drawn. Further, if such field trials indicate that the specific deterrents tested are
ineffective, assumed lack of efficacy should not be extrapolated to other untested
alternative or novel devices, or to alternative modes of deterrent deployment. For
example, although scarecrows have generally been shown to be ineffective in
reducing crop damage by birds, a recent innovative method of deploying this measure
(random human reinforcement), in Israel, has proved to be effective (Nemtzov &
Galili 2003).
A potentially promising novel area of investigation was identified which would
involve the application of an innovative method of exposing raptors to a chemical
repellent. Previous research has shown the potential for delivering bird repellents in
the form of aerosols (Stevens & Clark 1998). Such an approach, however, would
require a program of research and development.
6.6.2 Pigeon-based deterrents
Only three types of pigeon-based deterrent are currently commercially available
which are designed for protecting pigeons during exercise, training flights or races:
wing transfers, sequins and Bali-bells. Fifty-eight of the 86 loft-owners using
deterrents reported the use of these pigeon-based methods, which were used in the
order of frequency wing transfers (72%), Bali-bells (43%) and sequins (41%).
Overall, the majority of 58 loft-owners using pigeon-based deterrents perceived them
82