A couple weeks ago we had a visitor land on our car. It was a homing pigeon. It has a tag on his leg that one of my daughters looked up and determined it was a racing pigeon from Nebraska. It is very friendly and allows the children to handle it. It has taken up residence with our broilers, which concerns me because it is eating 18% grower feed. What if it gains so much weight it cannot fly? Is that even possible? If it’s too heavy, how will it fly back home to its owner? And why has it decided to “vacation” here? Lots of questions. The children are loving “their” new pet though.
What is a Homing Pigeon?
When I googled homing pigeon images not many of them were the color of “ours”.
According to HomingPigeon.com a homing pigeon is:
Homing Pigeon – Aves Columbiformes Columbidae Columba Livia
Sixteen ounces of muscle and feather, at times on the wing for twelve hours, flying at sustained speeds of 30 to 60 miles per hour.
Why?
To return home where a special relationship exists between man and bird.
Wikipedia states the sport of homing pigeons was established 3000 years ago. The American Racing Pigeon Union says that in the late 1800’s homing pigeons were imported from Europe. More information about American racing pigeons can be found on www.pigeon.org
I don’t claim to be a homing pigeon expert but I hope that wets your appetite to discover more about these charming birds.
I wonder if you can find out who it belongs too?
What a neat learning lesson as well as cool experience!
That is so neat. And I love how snug it looks!
Wow – that is pretty awesome!
Oh wow, I wonder where it came from. It is sort of cute.
That is pretty cool. I wonder if the owners are worried?
How neat! Does the number have a name attached to it?
I hope you will let us know if you are able to contact the owner. Otherwise, that pigeon may have found a new “home.”
Wow, that is kind of cool. He is looking pretty plump though…
I am not at all a fan of birds but this is slightly cool. are you able to contact the owner?
I have an outrageous fear of birds but the facts are still fascinating!
Oh my gosh, that’s amazing it’s just hanging out with your chickens. Maybe it likes you better than whoever owns him
Yeah it obviously is enjoying it’s life here, but I fear a little too much. When my daughter looked up its number there was not name on that particular site, just the state of Nebraska and the fact it was a racing pigeon, but we were given another site that may help put a name to it. If we discover a name, then hopefully it will have contact info and we can let the owner know his/her bird is safe and sound, just not flying anywhere by from our roof to the broiler pen.
We just sent an email to the American Racing Pigeon Union to see if we can track down it’s owner so we’ll see what happens.
There’s no way to encourage it to move along, huh?
No. It’s free to come and go as it pleases and it stays. It’s on our roof right now.
We sent its band number along but they are asking for more numbers/letters than its band has so it’s not looking real promising that we’ll be able to track down its owner.
Ok this is pretty awesome! I don’t think I have ever seen a Homing Pigeon before.
That is so neat and it looks huge! I’ve never seen a homing pigeon up close.
I have a fear of birds, but how cool!
That’s seriously so cool. Strange that they can’t track the bird down though since the numbers aren’t matching up. I hope you find the owners soon so he can go home.
This is so neat. Maybe he is just looking for a place to settle down and retire?
So cute! I hope you find it’s owners soon!
I want to learn more! That is so interesting, and how cool that it came to visit you by chance!
Well, I guess if it gets too fat it will be a “doesn’t leave home pigeon”
LOL what Robin said! Guess you have a guest for a little bit.
Too funny, Robin! It’s still here. We cannot seem to catch it so we can take a photo of its band to send in.
I didn’t even realize people still used those for things
That is one brave girl holding that bird. I am terrified of birds, so that definitely would not be me.
I’ve never seen a homing pigeon before, how awesome!
We found a local racing chapter and the secretary came out and thinks he can find the owner. We just have to catch and cage the pigeon so he can pick it up. So the pigeon should be back with its owner sometime this week.
Kathleen, most our children have adapted really well to animals in general so picking up a bird, pigeon, etc. is nothing to them. Just life.
Very cool. I would be so scared. Got bit once by a parrot, I think I have been traumatized for life.
Wow, this is so crazy! I have never heard of/seen a homing pigeon. You must of been so surprised when it showed up!
I hope you are able to find it’s owner.