# Garye the amazing flying pigeon



## Garye (Feb 20, 2005)

Today that pigeon blew me away. She saw me coming and instead of flying straight over to me, she literally flew sideways over to me. 

First she flew down from a parking lot light. Along the way down, a car suddenly came into her path way. Garye just flew up and over the car like the car was a small bump in the air and then continued downwards. I parked my car next to another car about a couple of parking spaces over. She landed on the other side of that other car. Then it looked like she just leaped or hurled herself over the car to get over to my side and then flew sideways to get closer to me. Not straight - sideways. And I'm just sitting in my car watching her do all this. Those pigeons know how to fly! The control they have is amazing.

I have seen her fly so fast from a parking lot light to get to some food someone had just dropped off that it looked like a bullet streaking through the air. I'm surprised I didn't hear the sound barrier break. She was MOVING. I have never seen anything like it. That bird can fly!

Pigeons may be chubby but they sure can fly!


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

Hi Garye, 

Aren't pigeons a marvel in the air? They are true flying machines and can perform the most amazing acrobatics in the air with ease. Their speed is unmatched by many birds as well. 

While driving on the highway I have often seen a pigeon or a flock of them keeping pace with my car along side the road and at speeds exceeding 60mph and they can go and go and go


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## feralpigeon (Feb 14, 2005)

Garye, did Garye get named Garye because of a mutual knack for acrobatics or ummm, was it a mutual love of food  ?

fp


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Hi Garye,


Wow...yes indeed...very cool.

Sometimes when I used to ride my Motorcycle a lot, a Pigeon would pace me maybe ten feet or less to the side, and it was really fun...this was in town, so, we were only going maybe 30 or something, on some of the larger residential Streets.

Really fun though to be able to look over at one doing that, and see them looking over at you for a moment, looking at them...

They are such wonderful fliers.

Air Swimmers...

Phil
Las Vegas


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## Garye (Feb 20, 2005)

Garye the pigeon got named Garye because it's cute and loveable like me. Oh-oh-oh-oh, I don't want to hear it. You all KNOW I'm kidding.

I named it Garye because it stood out from all the rest. It is one of the rare white ones I see every day. And I like to think I'm rare also too, if I might say so. (OK, I'm conceited, what can I say?).

Well yeah, we both like our food. What made you think so, feral pigeon? (I know you're kidding, so I'm not upset though I won't tell Garye the pigeon what you said. She might get upset.)

Unfortunately, when I named the pigeon Garye, I thought it was a male. But it didn't take me long afterwards to find out I was wrong. Just about every male pigeon was playing up to her. I thought, oh God, I screwed up on that one.

So she's stuck with the name Garye. She doesn't care. Just as long as she gets fed.

But the bird is an amazing flyer. I couldn't believe it when I saw her hurl herself over the other car like she was doing a pole jump. Unbelievable. And that sideways flying. Now THAT'S control.

Brad, 60 miles per hour? Are you serious? They can go that fast? Good God. I hope Garye doesn't try that one. I'd hate to be on the highway and see her flying in my rear view window, just keeping up with me, hoping for some sunflower seeds.


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## feralpigeon (Feb 14, 2005)

*they really like their food*



Garye said:


> Garye the pigeon got named Garye because it's cute and loveable like me. Oh-oh-oh-oh, I don't want to hear it. You all KNOW I'm kidding.
> 
> I named it Garye because it stood out from all the rest. It is one of the rare white ones I see every day. And I like to think I'm rare also too, if I might say so. (OK, I'm conceited, what can I say?).
> 
> ...



Hi Garye, just havin fun, and you gave a great comeback  , so now I know that Garyes' are Garyes'.......'cause:

a. they're cute and loveable
b. they are rare and stand out from all the rest
c. _they really like their food_ 

I can see where the two of you are going with all of this, she's gonna start
tailing you over to the feed store and want to pick out the seed bags


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Hi Garye, 


Most likely your Garye could go a mile-a-minute without getting winded.

I think for most Pigeons, 60 is not a problem...while some will be slower maybe , as for 'Cruising Speed' and others faster...and of course it all depends on the situation and if they feel like pouring the soup to it.

I think getting around 90 miles per hour for a few hours is not unheard of, for sustained level flight...for a few hundred miles anyway.

Check some of the Racing Pigeon's times-and-distances sometime...they can MOVE..!

Likely most ferals are not so fast of course, but 60-ish to 70-ish I'd imagine is no sweat for most of them, if they feel like doing it.

I know I have seen them pass me at an oblique angle when I was doing 60 something on some of the roads here, where I'd have guessed their speed at around 70 something...since they were gaining on me and passed me...

P.S. - 

Just did a fast 'google' and found this...kind of a rough comparison of various animal's speeds...

Says Racing Pigeon, 100 mph...

http://www.g-kexoticfarms.com/funanimalfacts.html


Phil
Las Vegas


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

pdpbison said:


> I think getting around 90 miles per hour for a few hours is not unheard of, for sustained level flight...for a few hundred miles anyway.


Hi Phil, 

LOL, I admire your ever present support and your pro pigeon thinking but, 90mph is a bit much for any pigeon. The only way that a pigeon could go that fast is with a very strong tail wind and it's been recorded. Without help from a tail wind a racing pigeon and even a feral bird's high speed peaks out at around 70 mph and for short distances. Cruising speeds are around 45-50 mph

Feral pigeons might not have the stamina of a homing pigeon but they are just as fast, no doubt


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

pdpbison said:


> P.S. -
> 
> Just did a fast 'google' and found this...kind of a rough comparison of various animal's speeds...
> 
> ...



Hi Phil, 

You really can't believe everything you "google" on line. I'm very sure that racers or feral pigeons do not fly this fast. Top speeds for racing pigeons is about 65 mph with little variences either way. Only with a tail wind can they achieve the speeds you are mentioning which isn't their "true" flying speeds


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Hi Brad,


Well...tell these guys - 

http://www.speedpigeon.com/racing_pigeon_calculator.htm


Looks like they indeed can do it...!

Nudgeing or even passing that Century-Mark for some sort of haul...!

The Pigeon 'Bobby Brown' did just over a hundred miles per hour, for just over a hundred miles...


Whew!

That would beat many private Airplanes...!


Phil
Las Vegas


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

Hi Phil, 

Again, I do not want to get into full out debate here about this because it serves no purpose over who is right and wrong. I'm not doubting that pigeons can acheive these speeds as recorded by time clocks tracking metres per minute from start to finish and into the trap. However the thing is, tail winds cannot be factored into these equations. This speed is an average speed taken from the results of a race under varying circumstances and equipment. 

Let's just both agree that we are both right here, yes pigeons can theoretically achieve these speeds with a good wind backing them up but the actual "real" flying speeds of a pigeon, racing homer or feral is much lower than the figures you've provided as top speeds. There is a fine line there between "actual" top speed and top speed without aid from outside forces


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Hi Brad, 


I am not being contentious, I just think this is interesting...

When I mentioned the kinds of speeds which I thought were universally acknowkledged, you wished to dispute the figures. In that order...

This is an interesting aspect of our Birds and is worthwondering about I think.

I can respect that if you want to insist that these speeds are not real, and require tail winds. 

But, then please try and realise that tail winds do not tend to be something a Pigeon will have to support it for hundreds of miles in one direction.

For all you or I know, the hundred-mile-an-hour Pigeon was going against a head wind, for that matter..! Lol...and almost no wind will be going in the same direction for a hundred miles, anyway.

How fast do you think they can fly then?

With no tail wind and no head wind...?



Look at a weather map sometime for a refresher on how Winds do not blow in a straight line anyway, they blow in storm fronts or large whirls, and, over a hundred miles, what was a tail wind for some of the time, becomes a doldrum, then becomes a head wind...or, what was a tail wind for some of a distance, becomes a side wind and then a head wind, depending on how one cross the large whirl of the Winds.

I can see that a tail wind would enhance appearent speed over the distances the Birds are Raced...so long as their Race was short enough to stay in the favorable arc of that Wind...an arc which will not be blowing in a straight line, like the Birds are flying.

I can not see that they would tend to top out much less than the figures the Racing organizations commemorate, with all the winds averaged out and or nulled or taken into account.

I myself only said "90" ish...initially, if memory serve...

The Racing organizations said "100" ish...which may represent occasions of favorable winds somehow.

Is 90 ish more than you would conceed?

...80 ish?

...70 ish?

...60 ish?

Just curious...  


Love,

Phil
Las Vegas


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

Oh Boy...Phil you are OUTRAGEOUS!!! LOL

You are certainly one of a kind in all respects....gotta give you that much

Speeds are something that I've been interested in and researched since I was knee high to a grasshopper. I've always had a facination with what animals could achieve in speeds of flight, running or swimming. I have volumes of books, encyclopedia, and reference material at hand. 

See post number #9 for my "opinion" of pigeons straight, level and unaided flight speeds and without a tail wind, I already agreed that the 90mph figure is achievable under certain circumstances. But you simple cannot base a speed of any animal without considering factors such as wind, ocean current or un-even, obstructed ground. 

In ideal circumstances, the "true" speed of any animal is recorded when "conditions" are most favourable...no wind, currents or obstacles to deal with and under ideal circumstances. 

For example, a peregrine falcon is considered the fastest animal on earth. In fact, it's not truly. The speed it is known for is dependant on a dive or stoop this bird achieves when hunting it's prey. Sheer gravity is a factor here because the bird is not flapping at all in this dive. It folds it's wings back and tightens it's feathers hard against it's body for less resistance to air and literally plummets from the sky like a stone at speeds realistically recorded at around 150mph. It's "ACTUAL" true flying speed, with self imposed flapping momentum engaged in direct chase and during calm weather is about 60mph (give or take a few mphs). 

Likewise, soaring birds such as albatross, eagles and vultures can achieve a much higher speed in flight due to "air currents" and help with tail winds. Actual flapping flight, unfettered by the conditions of the atmosphere are very different from the true speeds that they attain from their own sheer power. 

The same with pigeons and the varying conditions during long distance flights with varying weather conditions and wind patterns.


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## Garye (Feb 20, 2005)

Well, all I can say is that, Garye isn't exactly in the best of shape and yet she can put out the speed when she wants to. I'd hate to see how fast she could go if she was in shape. I'd probably find her following me home traveling along my car and waiting at my door to see if I would feed her. She hasn't done that yet. I make sure to feed them and then take off right after. I don't want no pigeons following me around DEMANDING to be fed.

But she's a cute little thing and I look forward to seeing her every day though I'm noticing her beau doesn't seem to like her to visit me in the mornings. I guess that's the males' time and females are offlimits until around the afternoons. Garye tries anyways because she knows I can't visit her around noon anymore. She just runs from her beau and then runs back over to the food. She's determined to get her lot. Most times she wins.


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## feralpigeon (Feb 14, 2005)

Garye sounds like quite the character, and smart also, to know that you had a schedule change. Guess her family obligations will keep her in check so she isn't tailing you home  .


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Lol...


Well, one thing we can probably agree on...

Is that they can fly...

And that they can fly from one place to another in the time it takes them to do it.

One experiment which anyone could try, if their Bird(s) do get to fly often...

Is to pick some place to take them where you can use the freeway...say, ten miles or something.

Note your odometer and try and make it exactly ten miles for where you release them.

Have a stop watch, punch the stop watch just as you let them go...get in your car and step-on-it.

Not only may you see who beats who 'home', but, soon as the first Bird arrives, you can punch the stop Watch to end the time and then calculate their speed.

Before releasing them, light a match or something to see what the wind is doing, and in what direction it is doing it...


Could be fun...!


Love, 

Phil
Las Vegas


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## Garye (Feb 20, 2005)

I have a feeling that if I tried your experiment, I'd be pullled over by a cop just trying to keep up with Garye. She can take short cuts while I have to follow the road. I can just imagine the excuse I'll have to come up with for the cops as to why I'm in such a hurry:

"I'm racing with my pigeon to see who gets home first. Could you please hurry it up with the conversation officer? I'm losing time with her by stopping here and talking to you."

I'm sure that'll fly by him real well.

By then Garye will have beat me anyways because she won't have been pulled over for speeding.

Well it's the thought that counts. If anyone wants to try it, it'll be interesting to see the results.


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