# Pigeon keeps returning Bristol, UK



## anniebee (May 20, 2009)

A couple of weeks ago we heard a tapping on the back door window, went to investigate to find it was a pigeon. We opened the door to shoo it off and it tried to walked in, we couldn't allow this as I have 3 dogs all terriers who see it as fair game. It hung about all day walking round the garden, well to cut a long story short my hubby ended up taking round to the local pub where they have a pigeon club in hope it belonged to someone there as it had rings on. He left it there with one of the club members and we thought that was the end of it. 

Well It came back 2 days ago and hasn't left the garden since. It isn't injured as I've seen it fly around but it seems to prefer walking to flying, I'm so worried the dogs are going to get to him is there anyway I can discouage him from sticking around?


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## wolfwood (Jan 26, 2009)

This is EXACTLY how I ended up with my 1st (of now 16) pigeons. You can try shooing him off - - - repeatedly - - - but, odds are, he's decided your home looks like a good place for HIM. As he's banded he's obviously belonged to someone and would have been living in a loft - so he's not only prey for your terriers but also easy prey for cats, rats, hawks, etc. 

He's likely hungry & thirsty. Do you have a dog crate or maybe a Rabbit Hutch you can put him in .. even temporarily? Can your husband go back to the Pub to find out what was done? Did they just let him loose or, maybe, the bird was returned somewhere, let out to fly again...and came back to you. If that's the case, the bird should go back to the owner and they need to keep it INSIDE!

Where are you located? There may be a member who can help you out if the Pub ends up being a dead-end.

Good luck!


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## james fillbrook (Jan 2, 2009)

where abouts are you so may be i can find someone for you too take it too if you could catch the bird and take its ring details then i can find the owner


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## anniebee (May 20, 2009)

Thanks for replying 

Not sure what happened to it once we dropped it off at the pub but will send my husband round to find out and mention he's back again at our house. Hopefully they knew who it belonged to and they can contact them to come and pick him up. Never thought of a dog crate, will put him in there tonight, at least he will be safe from the neighbous cats and my dogs.

I'm in the UK, Bristol.


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## james fillbrook (Jan 2, 2009)

if it does come back i would be happy to take it as i live in dorset


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## anniebee (May 20, 2009)

Thanks for the offer James, we'll have a bash at trying to locate the owner tomorrow and if we draw a blank I'll get back to you 

Must say I never thought of myself as a pigeon person, but can see why so many people are and the attraction you guys have towards them. He/she has completly changed my opinion of them, such charming little creatues


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

The Royal Pigeon Racing Association has a 'found' section for reporting strayed racers, if that is a racer and not a fancy pigeon (can't tell if the feathers at back of head are a crest or just clumped) and has identification on the band.

Guess the local club members would have got onto that tack, though.

John


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## pigeonpoo (Sep 16, 2005)

Can I see rings on both its legs? The pink ring is it's RPRA band - it will tell you the year the bird hatched and also identify the owner if you report it. If the other ring is rubber then it looks as though he has got lost whilst racing, it could have a phone number on the second ring..... It might have a telephone number stamped on its wing. Try gently to open the wings and take a look. It looks like a cock (male) to me.


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## anniebee (May 20, 2009)

Thanks all for the info most helpful 

He's been on our roof all night and as it rained is abit bedraggled this morning but seems ok. Tried to catch him last night but couldn't coax him down so will try today to get him in the dog cage to have a good look at the rings and to see if there's a phone number.


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## amyable (Jul 7, 2007)

Hi,

Just caught up with your post. I do hope you can catch this bird for it's safety until you can establish where it comes from.
Occasionally you find there are some owners that don't actually want their birds returned if they have a problem or if they have been injured, so it is best if you can try and establish this before handing them over, just in case. It is so pretty, I hope you are able to help it.

If the owner doesn't want it returned, then we can at least try and find it some help until a new home is found.

Do keep us posted,

Janet


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## birds+me=happy (May 21, 2009)

Now for me, I'd love to have a pigeon keep coming back to my house.


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## anniebee (May 20, 2009)

Hi all 

Well this little chap is still around but not wanting to be caught. When he first visited a couple of weeks back he seemed quite happy to be handled but he's certainly giving us the runaround at the moment for some reason.

I put the dog crate in the garden with food in it but he ignored it so I sat for a couple of hours whilst he pottered round the garden until he flew to the roof where he slept all night. 

Went out this morning to find him tucking in to the food in the dog cage but by the time I unlocked the door he was back on the roof.

So no further forward than I was, operation pigeon catch is proving more difficult than I thought.


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