# Found Beautiful Pigeon in our yard today



## jandkds (Aug 25, 2009)

Hello,
My husband was greeted by a beautiful pigeon when he came home from work today. He seems to be in fine health but ate some seed and drank a little water when offered. He hopped right into the dog kennel when it was set on the ground near him. He is now in our screen room on the back porch safe from any predators for the night.

He is banded but it has no numbers or familiar letters on it.
The band says 
Suydam's HighFliers
Enemies on the roof
Friends on the street

Any idea where this bird came from or who he may belong to? We would love to reunite him with his owners safely. He does not want to leave here now.....

He is black with white tail feathers, white/gray head with little red spots and white eyes. Very glossy and not thin at all. 
We are in Effingham, NH and have no idea where he may have come from...
Any help would be welcome!


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## jandkds (Aug 25, 2009)

*I am in Effingham, New Hampshire*

Effingham is almost on the Maine border in East Central New Hampshire. We do live near a "game preserve" where the wealthy go and hunt...I hope this bird was not bred to be hunted he is much to friendly and not scared of anything!


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Welcome and thank you so very much for helping this pigeon. It is highly unlikely that we can locate the owner of the bird, and it sounds possible that we might not want to. High Fliers are not bred as game birds .. they are performing pigeons, but that doesn't mean that the breeder didn't sell the bird to a game farm.

I'll see if I can find anything based on the band information, but I really think this bird will need to find a home as a pet. Please let us know if you are interested in giving the bird a home or if you would prefer that we try to find a home for it.

Terry


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## jandkds (Aug 25, 2009)

*Thank you*

Hi, 
Thank you for responding to my message. He spent a quiet night fluffed up in the corner of the screen porch to keep warm. He seems very alert and not agitated a bit. He is pooping quite a bit and it looks normal so I don't think health is an issue for him/her? (He has some beautiful green shades on his neck, is that a male or female?)(irridescent).

If you cannot locate his owner I think my husband is very taken with him already and if not I have a friend who raises all sorts of animals and birds and she would give him a wonderful home immediatly.

If you can find the owner and they did not sell him to the game preserve I would like to see him go home. (but only if it is safe!)

We are just feeding him bird seed right now...will that be alright until we find out what is going to happen with him? Does he need to be able to roost somewhere or is just sleeping in the corner on the porch preferable to him/her?

thank you again.
He is a beautiful bird and looks very well taken care of!


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

He might belong here...sorry it looks like a nice farm to me. you may want to contact them, If it is their bird, you can ask what they would do with him and if you did not like what you hear perhaps ask if you can keep him. here is the link for contact.
http://suydamfarms.net/


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## jandkds (Aug 25, 2009)

I have looked at the sight but see no mention of pigeons. I wrote them an email and will wait for the reply. It does look like a very nice place if indeed that is where he came from.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

there is a phone number, who know how often they check email. the owners could have some pigeons as a hobbie on the side and they just were not mentioned. or they could know nothing about it...but with the same name that would be surprizing. please call and keep us updated.


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## jandkds (Aug 25, 2009)

Hi, I will call as soon as I get home from work later today. Hopefully I will get a reply to the email before that.
Thanks you again for your help with this little guy!


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## jandkds (Aug 25, 2009)

They are only there to answer the phone on Fri-Sun. The pigeon has decided to just eat here and get water then roost in the tree next to the driveway. I just hope an owl does not come by and have him for supper as we have quite a few around here. Hopefully he will come back down to the porch where the kennel is that he went to at first. He ate quite a bit and drank a lot as well so maybe he is getting ready to resume his journey.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

I would lock him in the kennel if there is a next time he comes down. that way he stays safe and IF the farm is the owner they may want him and then he would beable to be given back to them or if he becomes your pidgeon he would be in one piece to live a long life.


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## Guest (Aug 26, 2009)

sounds like a type of high flyer you got there so dont think it would be sold for hunting purposes ,my guess it that it just got lost ..but then one never knows


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## jandkds (Aug 25, 2009)

I am hoping that he is back on the porch in the morning...he is a beautiful bird. I would not want anything to happen to him.
The people at the grain store where my husband went to buy seed today said that a lot of people have been coming in lately and asking what to do with the pigeons that are appearing at their homes.
Do they get disoriented with the bad weather? We had some really nasty storms last weekend...they said to leave him outside on the ground and he would fly home...I do not want him to get eaten by anything as this is a rough neighborhood for wild animals.

IF he comes down is it best to leave him free or best to keep him safe until we can possibley find his owner or build him a coop?
I am a Scottish Fold cat breeder so I cannot bring him in the house...the kitties would try anything to get him.


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## jandkds (Aug 25, 2009)

Have you ever heard of Suydam's Highfliers? The bird is quite large....has a black body, white tail feathers, white head with multi-color spots, a green and purple irredescent neckline, white eyes, and very red feet! The band is yellow...with three lines of print on it.
Can't find anything on the internet but someone else here found Suydam's Farm in NJ...have you heard of that?


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## Guest (Aug 26, 2009)

well the white eyes alone tell me this a high flyer and the blue and white grizzle tell me its whats is called a print coloring which alot of the high flyers have .. they fly so high that even high and heavy winds can blow them off course causing them to get lost .. in the wild they do not fair to well against preditors as they are not fast flyers and birds of prey over take them very easily ..once they are lost they rarely find their way back home so its always best to capture them to keep them safe and keep them or find them a new home if you cant find the original owners ,and I have never heard of Suydam's Highfliers so they must be personalized bands though personally I think a phone number on a band like this would be way more helpful .. if he does come back and if you wish to keep im I would suggest building him a place to live wher you can keep him in an enclosure with room to spread his wings would be best as theres all kinds of things that go bump in the night and day that want to eat them... where in NJ are you located by the way ??


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## jandkds (Aug 25, 2009)

I am in New Hampshire....the farm with the name Sudyam's is in New Jersey.

Now that I have read your post I hope that he comes to no harm tonight and is safe on the porch in the morning. If he is hungry he should come back down to eat and drink.

Perhaps I will be able to take some pictures of him tomorrow if he comes down to stay.


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## jandkds (Aug 25, 2009)

Does this bird have to be kept at a controlled temperature?


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## Hillybean (Oct 30, 2005)

It is best to keep them contained till the owner can be located...does it have a leg band (ring on leg)? Oh, I see now, lotaction that loft would be your best bet..ask around, post flyers, etc.

If the owner can't be located keeping him or adopting him out is the best options. He can't make it on his own, he is use to people feeding him. He also needs a flock to be able to make it in the wild.

-Hilly


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## jandkds (Aug 25, 2009)

*Band on leg*

Yes, but it is not your typical band. It has a saying instead of letters and numbers.
It says: Suydam's Highfliers, Enemies on the roof, Friends on the street.

If he comes back down we will contain him until the owner can be found or we shall keep him and learn how to care for a pigeon!


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## Guest (Aug 26, 2009)

temps are not a big deal for pigeons as long as they are out of the wind  the caring part is way easy.. a little room to flap their wings ,food, grit and water is all you need to keep them happy and if you could find him a mate later on down the road then you will have a totally happy pigeon


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

any news on the highflyer today.


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## jandkds (Aug 25, 2009)

Hi is in the house....I converted my cat breeding pen to a pigeon pen. He is well..eating and drinking. The Suydam farm is not the owner of the highflyer but has put out info to see if anyone knows of it. For now he is happy and safe....Is it ok to keep feeding him canary food? Our grain store here has no pigeon food. I also put some gravel from the driveway in for him and the deep dish of water.
So..if we keep this guy, what kind of housing does he need? Does he stay outside in winter without heat? In the summer is too much heat bad for him? I know..so many questions! Is there somewhere I can post a picture of him? He is bautiful.


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## jandkds (Aug 25, 2009)

*Pigeon is safe now...*

Hi is in the house....I converted my cat breeding pen to a pigeon pen. He is well..eating and drinking. The Suydam farm is not the owner of the highflyer but has put out info to see if anyone knows of it. For now he is happy and safe....Is it ok to keep feeding him canary food? Our grain store here has no pigeon food. I also put some gravel from the driveway in for him and the deep dish of water.
So..if we keep this guy, what kind of housing does he need? Does he stay outside in winter without heat? In the summer is too much heat bad for him? I know..so many questions! Is there somewhere I can post a picture of him? He is bautiful.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

oh goody! you got him. sounds like you have a pigeon friend. I was hoping you could keep him as you are an animal person and seem to really like him. now he can live outdoors in a draft free house with an aviary so he can take in the sun, faced south in your area would be good. as far as the feed, you can try the petstore for dove mix in the wildbird section and you can always add some things like dried green split peas and popcorn if it does not have it in it. you might want to see if there is a purina dealer near you, they have pigeon grain. you can post a pic here, if you have a problem with it you can email to someone here and then they can post it for you. he will needs some grit as well and because he is only one pigeon you can get him the kaytee hi cal grit from the petstore the size for cockateil would work. he/she will do better with a mate as you can't let him loose in the house with the cats so at some point you may want to adopt a mate or friend. any questions you have we will do our best. oh scottish folds are wonderful cool kitties by the way...love those!


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## sreeshs (Aug 16, 2009)

Well, I believe God has gifted you a pigeon. Good Luck


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## jandkds (Aug 25, 2009)

Yes, I believe he has.....!


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

Hi Jandkds!

Sounds like you are now the proud owner of a pigeon. He(?) sounds beautiful! We are more than willing to answer any questions as I think you can see! I feed mine Kaytee Supreme for Columbes, Doves and Palomas, which comes in a 5 lb bag that I buy at Petco. I also use the Parakeet sized grit. My 4 pijies live in my 1 bdrm apartment and are non-releaseable.

Scottish Folds are my MOST favorite breed!!! I had Bubba for 19 years - bought him at a cat show. He was sooooo laid back, he was nicknamed the "Quaalude" kitty!! I still miss him and hope to have another Scottish Fold someday!

At one time, when I first found Mr. Squeaks, I had 4 cats...now, just two. Mr. Squeaks is a pij with ATTITUDE and trained the cats well. They do not mess with the birds! 

Sending Love, Hugs and Scritches to ALL

Shi/Mr. Squeaks/Dom/Gimie/WoeBeGone


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## jandkds (Aug 25, 2009)

*How do you tell the sex of the bird?*

Ok...we have been calling this bird "he" but how do we know for sure? Especially if down the road we want to get a mate?

Thanks for the tips on birds...so yours are free to fly in your home? And your cats don't bother them? Wow....
Mine are very interested in him but he just looks at them with curiosity!


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## jandkds (Aug 25, 2009)

PS you can look at my fold web site if you like...www.lochnesspawz.com. I have a Lady Woebegone right now...lol (but we call her Wookie)


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

jandkds said:


> Ok...we have been calling this bird "he" but how do we know for sure? Especially if down the road we want to get a mate?
> 
> Thanks for the tips on birds...so yours are free to fly in your home? And your cats don't bother them? Wow....
> Mine are very interested in him but he just looks at them with curiosity!


If you can post a pic we might beable to tell on just a guess, but the more time spent with him/her you may know. a male will coo and bow and when he coos his neck will look bigger. a hen is a bit more petite in most instances and will not do the whole coo, bow thing. I say that but someone will say "oh no my hen coos and bows too,but most time that is a male trait. it may take some time to tell.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Yes, eventually, if it is a male, he'll start showing it. Showing off, and bowing, as if to say, "Aren't I great? Don't even think about messing with me." Females are usually more quiet. USUALLY! LOL.


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## jandkds (Aug 25, 2009)

I have put a few pictures of "him" on my profile page as well as his pic as my avatar. Any guesses as to what sex "he" is? He knows he is handsome so I am saying male! No cooing yet.....but he sure eats a lot and drinks a lot! He seems quite happy to be inside the house, safe and warm.


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## jandkds (Aug 25, 2009)

*This is "Ernie"*

This is the wonderful bird that has adopted us. 
Type?
Sex?


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## Guest (Aug 29, 2009)

thats a great name you picked out there .. enjoy your baby


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## TerriB (Nov 16, 2003)

Ernie is indeed a handsome bird! I'm no help regarding breed of pigeon, sorry. Sexing pigeons by looks can be difficult - males generally have a thicker neck. Using their behavior might be easier. If you put a mirror in the bird's area, SHE will generally ignore it. HE will more likely coo and bow to the image, dance for the image (turn in a circle while cooing), and try to gently touch beaks with the image. Although females can coo, males regularly coo, bow, and dance to impress anyone who might be interested.


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

jandkds said:


> This is the wonderful bird that has adopted us.
> Type?
> Sex?


Can't tell the sex from the picture, but someone previously posted that Ernie is a New York Flying Flight .. looks like one to me, too. S/he is a very handsome pigeon!

Terry


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## jandkds (Aug 25, 2009)

*Pays no attention to reflection/poop consistency*

Well, I showed "Ernie" himself in the mirror, actually bought one that fastens to the cage. He/She has absolutely no interest in the reflection. Has not made a sound in a couple days now. 
So...is Ernie a girl? lol (Ernestine?)
Also, I went out and got the grit and cockatiel food yesterday. He ate a lot when I first gave it to him/her but today has not eaten at all. Poop is runnier than before. Solid in the middle but watery liquid on the outside. Is that in reaction to the food?


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

How big is the mirror? I use the large ones you can pick up in the dollar store for a few dollars. The ones for parakeets and such are too small. Also, a seed mix for doves would be more appropriate, to which you could add popcorn (unpopped), lentils, split peas, safflower. Buy some gravel for larger birds, but with calcium added, while you are in the pet store. 
If the bird is sick, he isn't going to be interested in the mirror. The poops don't sound good. He may need to be treated. I'd bring a poop sample to a vet and let them test it. I'd have a culturre done too.


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## TerriB (Nov 16, 2003)

jandkds said:


> ...He/She has absolutely no interest in the reflection. Has not made a sound in a couple days now.
> So...is Ernie a girl? lol (Ernestine?)


Umm...m a y b e...or maybe not!  Lack of reaction might just mean the bird is too young, or not interested in the mirror. Usually, only a male will do the booming, full-circle dance. And only a female will lay an egg. Other than that, it's just guesses. Pigeons seem to know and react to each other appropriately.


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## jandkds (Aug 25, 2009)

*Ernie's Poops are good*

Hi,
We now have one very spoiled pigeon friend. He/she is having a special coop made on our deck with large loft and excercise area. Poop is now normal and he/she eats a lot! Still does not really coo much but does seem to preen a lot. Does not have any interest in the mirror.
So, if we want to get a mate for this bird how can we tell if he/she is male of female first? Also, how long before Ernie might be re-homed so he can be let out for more excercise? Is that going to be possible in the future?
He can stay outside all winter or does he need to come in and go down in the basement (finished).

Any answers appreciated! Thanks!


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