Lost homing pigeon?

Iridium

Hey all, some advice needed if anyone knows anything about homing or racing pigeons...

Was just sitting in my apartment, which is on the top floor of a complex, when a white pigeon just stopped short of flying in through the open balcony door, almost hit the balcony window and eventually came to rest on the wooden partition between my balcony and the neighbour's. It stayed there under the eaves of the apartment for about ten minutes, and seemed quite tame. I was able to get quite close to it but eventually I must have overstepped my boundaries because it flew away and landed on the next partition down along the complex - ie between my neighbour's balcony and their neighbour's. The pigeon has a pink tag around its right leg, but I couldn't get close enough to read it.

Anyway, that was about an hour ago and the pigeon is still there, under the eaves of the apartment, but I can't get to it.

Is this normal behaviour? Do homing pigeons tend to find places to roost at night time? Is it that they find their way by using the Sun, which set fairly shortly after this pigeon arrived? There's not a lot I can do for this little guy, apart from leave out some dry food in case he hops back over here, but I'm a little bit concerned about him.

Any answers / advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

Alun

Try some of the contacts (for the pigeon fanciers clubs) in these threads ...

http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055345893&highlight=pigeon

http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055152897&highlight=pigeon

Don't take some of the comments (esp. those by Run to Da Hills) too seriously though

Iridium

Cheers for that. But if I can't actually ID the pigeon, what then? I don't really want to be harassing random people to come out and have a look so late in the evening when in all likelihood it isn't even their bird. It could have come from anywhere. Or is there a sort of understanding between pigeon fanciers that they'll take in any lost bird and release them again when they feel up to some more flying? The nearest club I can find details for is about 20 km away.

It's dark out now - can't even see if the pigeon is still there. I was moreso wondering if this sort of thing is unusual. Do races normally start and end the same day? Or is it a really bad sign if a pigeon finds its way to the wrong home?! I know nothing about racing pigeons - I'd never even seen one before this evening.

joyce2009

i'd say its normal from what i remember from a documentary on racing pigeons they will stop and rest for the night before heading off again in the morning, i'd say just leave out some food and water ,,,:)

Alun

I don't know much about them either, just that the problem had cropped up on here before, although in those cases the pigeon was close enough so that the ring was readable.

I'd say wait until tomorrow, and call someone local on one of the lists on the IHU website and ask them what to do. If you have any suitable food at hand then put it out along with some water and hope for the best.

I've personally seen a few racing pigeons taking shelter high up in the Wicklow Mountains in bad weather, so yes, they do take a rest if they're exhausted now and then.

Let us know how you (and he/she) get on!

joyce2009

just wondering if the pigeon is still there ????

Iridium

It was still there this morning when I was leaving for work at 7:30, but had moved further along the complex and was sitting on the roof, rather than under the eaves. I asked my girlfriend to keep an eye out for it during the day, but it was gone by the time she got up. Neither of us have seen it since.

Hopefully it made it home ok.

Thanks all for the info.

junkyard

I'd say leave well enough alone, he'll survive ok. From what i've heard of pigeon fanciers when they're told about a lot pigeon they call, collect it and wring it's neck for getting lost.

joyce2009

god that seems a bit harsh,, hope its not true

Alun

joyce2009 wrote: »

god that seems a bit harsh,, hope its not true

Something like that was mentioned in one of the other threads on the same subject I linked to above. Again, it seems very unlikely to me that an owner would go to all the trouble of travelling some distance, catching the bird, and taking it all the way back just to kill it.

harrins

I had a ringed homing pigeon here a few weeks ago. He stayed for a few days. I was putting out parrot food for him and he was perfectly happy. When he was well rested he headed on his merry way. I thought this was the end of the story. But yesterday morning I noticed a NEW pigeon sitting on my wall.

I wonder is there a sign on my roof saying Pigeons Please Stop Here?????

Alun

harrins wrote: »

I had a ringed homing pigeon here a few weeks ago. He stayed for a few days. I was putting out parrot food for him and he was perfectly happy. When he was well rested he headed on his merry way. I thought this was the end of the story. But yesterday morning I noticed a NEW pigeon sitting on my wall.

I wonder is there a sign on my roof saying Pigeons Please Stop Here?????

Word has obviously got around in the pigeon community about the free food