# Can racing pigeons coexist with wild pigeons?



## Oxymoron (Nov 22, 2005)

I recently rescued a racing pigeon who has no owner. It had been homeless for who knows how long and was weak and couldn't fly. After some water it was fine and flew happily around, but wouldn't leave. I was going to keep it, but I decided a lone pigeon living outside in Iowa would be lonely and cold, and I'm not interested in geting additional pigeons. My boss wants him out of my office ASAP and I can't bring it home. 

I have not been able to find anyone to take it, but then my co-worker said he wanted it. He lives on a farm and has wild pigeons in his barn. He lives a half mile from a large lake and is surrounded by grain fields and prairie so they are thriving. He thinks that the racer could join the flock of wilds. I am skeptical. Would they attack it, would the racer flee, or would it hang around from a distance?

I am also curious where the birds get their water when the lake is frozen and there is no snow. He does not supply any. Would the racer be smart enough to find the lake in the first place?

I can put off my boss for about two days and then ol' Pijjy is gone. Is there anyone in NW Iowa who wants it? Will it survive on its own? 

Help!

-Clay


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Hi Clay,

Does this racing pigeon have an identification band? If so, please post all the letters and numbers from the band so we can try and locate the owner and get the bird back home.

While it's possible for it to survive with the ferals, this really isn't in the best interests of the bird. It is used to being provided with food and shelter and doesn't have the experience of living in the wild that the ferals do.

If the owner can't be located, we will try to find a local pigeon fancier to adopt the bird. 

Please don't release the bird to fend for itself.

Terry


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Hi Clay -

In the sense of getting on OK together, I'd say yes. We have several rescued (ex-)racers, some disabled some not, who live in our large aviary with a collection of ferals, woodpigeons and eurasian collared doves. The racers have paired up with other residents and fit in very well.

The potential problem for your bird would be that it may decide to home back to you - or even its original home.

The other thing may be that some racers pick up the 'wild' life by association with other pigeons quite readily, some do not. They will not have had to forage for themselves and find roosts outside of the loft, so some just never learn quickly enough to be survivors. 

Maybe yours has a better chance than many, if introduced into the barn, but a real home would be best for it.

John


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## Oxymoron (Nov 22, 2005)

I traced the band numbers when I found the pigeon and the original owner said he has not owned him since 2002. He had no records of where the bird went after that point - he may have been lost in a race or been given away. He lives 4 hours from here and did not want him back. The bird seemed relatively plump and tame when found, so he must have been somewhere that whole time. However he would not leave the farm he was found at and the the guy did not want him.

My brother has a room in his house with two free-flying parakeets who do nothing but sit on top of their cage. If the pigeon had his own cage and perch across the room would they get along? My bro's a sucker, I bet he'd take it if his birds would allow it.

What do you think? I would rather not let him go to the barn of uncertain doom if at all possible.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Hello and Welcome to Pigeons.com

Thank you for helping this racing pigeon.

Why don't you see if your brother will house the pigeon for now, and see how that goes. We have plenty of info. in our resource section (daily forum) on housing pigeons. They can be kept in a cage but need outdoor flying time, within confined area.

Meanwhile, you can also post the pigeon in the adoption forum and find it a home.


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Hi Clay,

Definitely check with your brother and see if he will look after the bird for at least a little bit.

I'd appreciate it if you would post or privately e-mail the band information for this bird. With that, I can list it on the 911 Pigeon Alert site and see if we can find a home for the bird there.

Thank you so much for all the care and concern you have for this pigeon.

Terry


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## Oxymoron (Nov 22, 2005)

I think my brother is going to take the bird pending spousal approval. He loves birds and wishes his parakeets could fly free, so it seems logical to introduce him to racing/homing pigeons. I can see him getting into this. I think he likes the idea of birds that could be trained to be free flying outside. Initially he is going to get a 5' long, 5' high, and 2' wide cage to put it in (but hopfully bigger) and then he'll build it an aviary/loft. I'll post again if we end up wanting to adopt it out instead.

I still wonder where wild birds get their water when everything is frozen. Anyone?

-Clay


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## Larry_Cologne (Jul 6, 2004)

*pigeon water intake needs and availability of water sources in freezing weather*

Observation: 

1) I have seen Cologne street pigeons drink from street puddles (with oil slicks visible - not good for their systems, I think).
2) I have seen pigeons drink from rainwater and snow-melt on city building flat rooftops.
3) When I daily fed a handicapped female adult pigeon ("Splitbeak") with the upper right beak missing and the upper left beak turned outwards at a 45-degree angle (but held on by flesh and flopping around) from a seed jar, she never indicated interest in a small jar of water I would place nearby (or else didn't trust it, or else associated a seed jar with food but did not associate a water jar with water). Occasionally she would go drink from a 1/4" deep (8mm deep) water puddle (with oil slick) under the cars at the nearby taxi stand. 
I knew (or am fairly certain) of a week or so that passed when she didn't have access to water because she was weak at the time and didn't travel far. Despite my daily visits, I haven't seen her since our Monday December 5th 2005 afternoon feeding rendezvous.
3) Our hand-raised five month old male pigeon eats the same champion racing pigeon mix, loves millet, eats off the street with the other pigeons to be sociable, but nevertheless loves big gulps of water a couple of times a day. 

Speculation: 

1) I fed this handicapped pigeon "Splitbeak" fresh Belgian Versele Champion racing pigeon mix (whole corn, roasted soybeans, etc. For those interested, see: http://www.liongatelofts.com/med/chplus.htm). Water content was probably adequate. 
2) I don't know the water volume or content of fresh popcorn and didn't find it after a cursory search in Wikipedia and Google, but the steaming water in popcorn does make it impressively expand.
I've read that many animals (such as mice) can go their entire lives relying only on the water that is in their food. (They're smaller than pigeons, however). 
Point of all this: maybe SOME pigeons can manage SOME of the time on the water content of foraged seeds, if they do not need to exert themselves to the point where they require additional water intake to dissipate heat. 
I think I need a drink of water - or something - after all this typing and mental exertion.


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## Scuiry (Jul 11, 2001)

Oxymoron said:


> I traced the band numbers when I found the pigeon and the original owner said he has not owned him since 2002. He had no records of where the bird went after that point - he may have been lost in a race or been given away. He lives 4 hours from here and did not want him back. The bird seemed relatively plump and tame when found, so he must have been somewhere that whole time. However he would not leave the farm he was found at and the the guy did not want him.
> 
> My brother has a room in his house with two free-flying parakeets who do nothing but sit on top of their cage. If the pigeon had his own cage and perch across the room would they get along? My bro's a sucker, I bet he'd take it if his birds would allow it.
> 
> What do you think? I would rather not let him go to the barn of uncertain doom if at all possible.


Hello Oxymoron:

Thank you for your kind efforts. There may be some minor issues that can be worked out. Something to keep in mind is that hook bills (parrots, parakeets, etc.) generally are not kept with pigeons. I think this is partly due to the injury that hook bills can do to pigeons. Also, some exotic fanciers will not let their birds near pigeons because of the risk psittacosis which is deadly to exotics. A feral pigeon is at a higher risk of this disease than a domestic. It goes without saying that a homer exposed to ferals poses the same risk. But this is statistical. If you quarantine and have a basically healthy looking pigeon the chances of exposure are slim.

The homer you found may become a good foster parent for another racing loft. I hate it when people don't see any value in a homer after it wanders off or gets lost. Hopefully you will find an enlightened fancier who will gladly take it in.

d.


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

I'm getting off subject but, Scuiry, I read the thread you wrote several years ago about Archbiship John and wanted you to know how much I enjoyed it. 

Looks like you are one of the "founding" members of this great forum.

Maggie


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

You are always the observant debutant, Maggie Scuiry is a long time member, even before my time and as always the advice is spot on and well documented.

Scuiry, hope you will continue to share with us and keep tabs here. We cannot get enough advice and experience from the really "old timers" of this site


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## Happy (Dec 19, 2004)

I am so sorry that the owner of this bird won't pick it up, or have a Racer in your area take it. It gives us in the Racing Sport such a bad name, not to mention the poor bird.. Please know that we all aren't like that. If you email me privatly the guys name, address, or phone # I will personally get ahold of & explain in a way he will understand what a Jerk he/she is.. Happy


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Happy said:


> Please know that we all aren't like that. If you email me privatly the guys name, address, or phone # I will personally get ahold of & explain in a way he will understand what a Jerk he/she is.. Happy


Hap, thank you so much for offering to do this. Actually the organizations are doing it themselves or members are asking for infractions against those who won't retrieve their birds.

Things are changing .. slowly as always .. but changing.

Why don't you join us on 911 Pigeon Alert and see if you can help with some of these cases?

Terry


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## Scuiry (Jul 11, 2001)

Lady Tarheel said:


> I'm getting off subject but, Scuiry, I read the thread you wrote several years ago about Archbiship John and wanted you to know how much I enjoyed it.
> 
> Looks like you are one of the "founding" members of this great forum.
> 
> Maggie


Hi Maggie,

Glad to make your acquaintance. "The Dove of Archbishop John," was written by someone else. I did share the story with this site. He was a local religious figure in San Francisco many years ago. The story of him rescuing an injured pigeon, letting it live with him and free-fly in his residence until his death, really touched me. I hope my life will be as blessed 

Daniel


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

*For your information*

*In regards to the racing pigeon that is the subject of this thread, he has been taken in by Oxymoron's brother. His brother has posted on another thread.

Thanks everyone for your help and interest.*


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

*Daniel And Some Feathered Friends ..*

http://www.rims.net/daniel.htm

Terry


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