• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Racing pigeons (1 Viewer)

weather

Pirate name: Poncy Henry Goodfellow
This morning there were 2 men, standing by a small pick-up truck, with 3 boxes on the ground in front of them in the parking lot where I work. Curiosity got the better of me, so I lumbered over to ask what they were up to. They said they were racing pigeons.

I don't want to get into the big discussion of caging birds and all that....I'm just reflecting on a nice experience.

Anyway, they said they lived about 2 hours away and that the birds would beat them home. They finally released the birds (about 30) and they circled and circled. One of the men explained that if it wasn't overcast, the birds would just head straight for home and not circle at all, but now they have to get there bearings first. After about 5 minutes of circling. they finally headed North toward home. A weird thing to witness on a cool morning. I've heard of racing pigeons, but never seen it.

How the birds know how to get back is truly amazing...

Mike
 
Some friends of ours were telling us last night that they've gained a racing pigeon in the last couple of weeks. The bird appeared outside their home (in Surrey), obviously exhausted. They fed and watered it, but it showed no inclination to fly away. They eventually tracked down a number for the British racing pigeon association, and were told that it would fly home after four days. It didn't, so they rang back to find out what to do with the bird. They were told to release it at least ten miles from their home, and it would return to its original home (they were able to tell from its two leg rings it was originally from Gloucestershire). They did this and woke up the next morning to find the pigeon outside their door! They've managed to get in touch with the owner, and he's sending someone to collect the bird today. I wonder how many more birds loose their sense of direction like this.
 
florall said:
Some friends of ours were telling us last night that they've gained a racing pigeon in the last couple of weeks. The bird appeared outside their home (in Surrey), obviously exhausted. They fed and watered it, but it showed no inclination to fly away. They eventually tracked down a number for the British racing pigeon association, and were told that it would fly home after four days. It didn't, so they rang back to find out what to do with the bird. They were told to release it at least ten miles from their home, and it would return to its original home (they were able to tell from its two leg rings it was originally from Gloucestershire). They did this and woke up the next morning to find the pigeon outside their door! They've managed to get in touch with the owner, and he's sending someone to collect the bird today. I wonder how many more birds loose their sense of direction like this.

A couple of years back I had a similar situation with a lost racer. I found the email address of the racing pigeon association and gave them the details. The next day the owner rang to explain that the bird would be picked up but I had to catch it first and then put it in a box for collection. After a bit of trouble this I did and the bird was collected the next day.

The thing that bugged me was I didn't get a word of thanks or ackowledgement from either the owner or the PRA, I'd heard rumours of what happened to duff racers but I assumed if they were taking the trouble to get it back then it was safe.
 
Elizabeth Bigg said:
Lucky pigeon, florall - I'm sure I've heard that in some cases like this, the bird is of no use any more, so its neck is wrung!!! :eek!:

Uh oh!!! I can hear the steam venting from certain ears already!! ;) I hope you're prepared for some very nasty comments Elizabeth (not from me i hasten to add!)
 
Elizabeth Bigg said:
Lucky pigeon, florall - I'm sure I've heard that in some cases like this, the bird is of no use any more, so its neck is wrung!!! :eek!:

How sure are we of this?

Mike
 
Elizabeth Bigg said:
Lucky pigeon, florall - I'm sure I've heard that in some cases like this, the bird is of no use any more, so its neck is wrung!!! :eek!:

Elizabeth,

Hardly likely - it costs the fancier £20 to have a pigeon returned by Amtrak.

Anthony
 
Anthony Morton said:
Elizabeth,

Hardly likely - it costs the fancier £20 to have a pigeon returned by Amtrak.

Anthony

Anthony - I said it was a lucky pigeon that it was still wanted on this occasion!!! I merely said that I thought I had read somewhere a story about a lost pigeon not being wanted by its owner, as it was no longer any use to him.

Do you think this pigeon could be re-trained to find its home again, after this episode?
 
How sure are we of this?

Mike

Quite sure. This practice was admitted in a letter to the local press in Aberdeen, when questions were raised about the flock of dead Racing Pigeons found in a skip near to Dyce Airport. The birds had been collected on offshore platforms, flown back to the beach by helicopter, in boxes, (the boxes contained the birds, not the helicopter) then handed to a Racing Pigeon federation rep.
Once lost, they are not worth the price of feed.
It's what they call, "natural selection", at loft level.
"Naturally, we will feed them if they come back on their own, but naturally we will not feed them, (AGAIN) if we have to go and collect them. If they will not fly, we do not feed."

Interestingly enough, we were ringing Waxwings in a garden in the West End of Aberdeen, (Posh area). The woman who owned the garden was telling us, that here brother has a large loft down South, just outside London. She stated that the last time she was down to see him, he was ringing the necks of 3 of his yearling birds as they had got lost during a race, but were returned to him by some well wisher, of the birds that is.
Her comments, "Pigeon racing holds some of the most ruthless people who work with birds. It's all to do with money, not the love of their birds".

Regards

Malky.
 
What is amazing is the constant call for a cull on BOP by Pigeon fanciers, and yet they kill far more than are lost to natural predators.
 
"What is amazing is the constant call for a cull on BOP by Pigeon fanciers, and yet they kill far more than are lost to natural predators."

One person who won the national lottery paid £60,000:00 for a racing Pigeon.
(True, check Camelot) Who says it's not about the money.

Hypothetical situation.
If this bird is was lost during a race or free flight around the loft, what would get the blame.
A bird of prey would, as this is the easy option.
The birds capabilities of finding it's own way home would never come into question. That's like admitting that you have just spent a fortune, to some, on a dud bird, you abilities and knowledge as a Pigeon fancier/racer is now definitely in question, and what for the cheaper birds in your loft. Worthless!!
Now, who is going to admit to that??

Me personally, for £60,000:00 I would expect that this bird would be overtaking Pergs' during a stoop.

Regards

Malky.
 
Elizabeth Bigg said:
Do you think this pigeon could be re-trained to find its home again, after this episode?

Hi Elizabeth,

Certainly. Racing pigeons are not infallible and they can (and do) get lost for a whole variety of reasons - even previously consistent ones. Over the years I've had more than one bird returned by Amtrak that has gone on to be a successful racer.

Anthony
 
weather said:
How sure are we of this?

Mike
Before I retired a few years ago, one of my work colleagues bred and raced pigeons. He used to think nothing of killing off birds that did not perform well.
Any cats found near his or his fellow racers bird lofts would be caged up and sent many miles away with the birds to their release point.
A RSPCA officer who lived in our village moved house because his neighbour shot his cat with an air rifle (he could not prove it) for disturbing racing pigeons.

Roger
 
Warning! This thread is more than 20 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top