carrier pigeon

[tawilson]

This carrier pigeon has been hanging around the campground for the last few days. Anybody lose one?

 

[randy41]

if you can copy down what the bands say you can trace its owner through National Pigeon Association. they have a website.

 

[jonyyuma]

I hope you give it something to eat. I like the idea of homing pigeons.. We just see the common types that like bridges and statues.

 

[tawilson]

It's been well fed. Maybe that's why it's hanging around. I'll try to get some info off it.

 

[piller]

I keep homing pigeons, that bird looks like a homing pigeon. The band on the right foot would be the registration band, by the color of the band and the bird's appearance I would guess that it is a 2007 blue bar cock bird. There are a few national homing pigeon associations, see for example:
American Racing Pigeon Union | Homing Pigeons | Sport Flyers

The band on the left foot might be just a colored band or perhaps an RFID chip band used with electronic clocking systems.

Pigeons eat grains and seeds, pigeon feed mixes generally contain seeds such as corn (popcorn seeds, small yellow corn, etc), peas (austrian, maple, etc), milo, millet, oats, wheat, safflower, rice, canary seed, barley, vetch, rape, buckwheat, ......

Besides grains/seeds, the birds need water and grit/minerals.

It looks like that bird wants you to help him out, perhaps you can catch him and put him in a cat carrier or similar. You can then read the registration band, you might need to wash the band if it's dirty to make sure you can read it correctly. Then when you have the band info you can track down the owner or call me at 865-924-nine-zero-three-one and I can help you.

 

[JB4310]

I thought they never get lost?

Really I don't know much about them, but I did a job for an old Polish guy who had dozens of them at one time. Very interesting, they would bring them hundreds of miles away and the birds would be back before night.

He said when you first release them they would fly around in a big circle getting their bearings then they would just go straight away.

He still had the coups but was to old to care for them anymore, from what I gathered from talking with him, it's a very addictive hobby.
The funny thing is all the cats from the area still come to his yard regularly, he had some funny choice words for them

I know they used them in WW1, not sure if they were still needed by WW2.

JB.

 

[smstonypoint]

The funny thing is all the cats from the area still come to his yard regularly, he had some funny choice words for them

:laughing:

Some years ago (20+?), one of my former students served a summer internship at the Palmetto Pigeon Plant in Sumter, SC (Welcome to Palmetto Farms USA). When he returned for the fall semester, I asked about his duties. "Well, I spent a lot of nights at the plant shooting cats with a .22." About 10 years later, another of my students had an internship at the plant. His duties? "Well, I spent a lot of nights at the plant shooting cats with a .22."


Steve

 

[piller]

I know they used them in WW1, not sure if they were still needed by WW2.

JB.

Pigeons were definitely used in WWII and beyond. Lot's of amazing and interesting stories.

The UK awarded the Dickin medal to 32 pigeons including a US bird named G.I. Joe who was credited with saving the lives of 1000 British troops in Italy.

Another war story: One of the allied pigeons returned late to it's loft. There was a message attached to the bird's leg from the Germans. The note said "We caught your pigeon but because we are so well fed we decided not to eat your bird".

I cannot vouch for the following but have seen this in a few places:
"The French, Swiss, Israeli, Iraqi and Chinese armies still use homing pigeons today! Pigeons proved valuable in the Gulf War, as their messaging was not affected by electronic jamming".

 

[JB4310]

:laughing:

Some years ago (20+?), one of my former students served a summer internship at the Palmetto Pigeon Plant in Sumter, SC (Welcome to Palmetto Farms USA). When he returned for the fall semester, I asked about his duties. "Well, I spent a lot of nights at the plant shooting cats with a .22." About 10 years later, another of my students had an internship at the plant. His duties? "Well, I spent a lot of nights at the plant shooting cats with a .22."
Steve

Must be a delicacy for them

Pigeons were definitely used in WWII and beyond. Lot's of amazing and interesting stories.

The UK awarded the Dickin medal to 32 pigeons including a US bird named G.I. Joe who was credited with saving the lives of 1000 British troops in Italy.

Another war story: One of the allied pigeons returned late to it's loft. There was a message attached to the bird's leg from the Germans. The note said "We caught your pigeon but because we are so well fed we decided not to eat your bird".

I cannot vouch for the following but have seen this in a few places:
"The French, Swiss, Israeli, Iraqi and Chinese armies still use homing pigeons today! Pigeons proved valuable in the Gulf War, as their messaging was not affected by electronic jamming".

Interesting,
There was a scene in the WW1 movie "The Lost Battalion" where they were using pigeons that were ultimately credited with saving what was left of a battalion stuck behind enemy lines. No one believed they could of been where they were til a pigeon got through with their location and they were finally reinforced.
When the Germans saw the pigeon they all started shooting at it, but that's a tough target to hit with hard ball ammo.

JB

 

[Travelover]

You could write a note and attach it to its leg.

I have your pigeon and if you don't send me $100 you will never see it again