ellasflock Posted May 17, 2021 Share Posted May 17, 2021 Hi Everyone so I have encountered a racing pigeon that has been hanging around my house for the last few days and doesn’t seem to want to leave. It is so very friendly and just fly’s around my head when I am outside and I have given him/her food and water because I read online that apparently racing pigeons seem to be very domesticated and will die if I don’t feed it so I have been topping it up on corn and seeds etc that I give to my chickens to fatten them up as it looks quite slim. Attached is a photo. I can’t seem to read the numbers on its leg and it isn’t leaving my garden and just waits endlessly for me to come out to entertain it, so If anyone has had this problem before or knows somewhere I can rehome it then that would be great, otherwise it will not survive without my help, as far as I am aware, and wherever it has come from, it doesn’t seem to want to go back. Thank you! Just to add, it is not injured and can fly, but is not going far and if it goes to my neighbours garden for a few minutes then it will come straight back to mine and either sit on my roof or on a tree perch outside my back door. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted May 17, 2021 Share Posted May 17, 2021 I had this happen to me a few years ago, but I live in Portugal. I fed it on popping corn (before its popped) as I read that was a good food. I looked up the Portugeuse Racing Pigeon Association (or something), which gave me a list of clubs associated with different ring numbers. I was able to read the ring by lying down and looking through binoculars whilst the pigeon was distracted with the food. However, I think I could have captured the bird with a net if I had to, it was reasonably tame and hung round for about a week, flying back to our roof between pecking about on the ground. I made contact with the club, and eventually the owner called me to come and pick it up. Unfortunately by then (about 10 days) the pigeon had been taken by a raptor. You are doing the right thing by feeding/watering it, as they are sleek birds at a racing weight. Try to find out if there is a Racing Pigeon Association or similar in the UK, make contact and take it from there. Good Luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellasflock Posted May 17, 2021 Author Share Posted May 17, 2021 Okay thank you so much for this help! I will have a little look tomorrow and might try and lead it inside so I can take a good look at the tag. It seems to be very friendly so hopefully I can capture it easily before it gets taken. I will get some popcorn kernels tomorrow so thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarrisonFamily Posted May 18, 2021 Share Posted May 18, 2021 I would try and read the ring and phone or ask on a local site if anyone pigeon experts can come and catch and help. Reading here it suggests only to feed for 48 hours and then it will head home - https://www.rpra.org/stray-reporting/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellasflock Posted May 18, 2021 Author Share Posted May 18, 2021 Yes thank you for this. I haven’t managed to spot the pigeon today so I think it has fled for home🥳 Thank you for your advice. If it comes back I will try and get the phone number🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapdragon Posted May 18, 2021 Share Posted May 18, 2021 If it's a homing pigeon it's clearly not a terrifically successful one......the owner may not want it back!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted May 18, 2021 Share Posted May 18, 2021 Yes, that's what we thought, if it had been a very good racing pigeon they would have been here like a shot. Its big here, some races have 75k euro prizes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellasflock Posted May 18, 2021 Author Share Posted May 18, 2021 That’s interesting, I think it said Bristol on its tag so it may have just taken a pit stop as such, hopefully it is okay, I am more concerned for it if it isn’t wanted to be honest. Hopefully it wins so it isn’t released back into the wild. If it does get released then hopefully it makes its way back to me so I can look after it☺️ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
