# Found Pigeon - Please Help



## WanderingPigeon (Aug 18, 2009)

About a week and a half ago I rescued a domestic pigeon. The bird was wandering around a parking lot, unable to fly from exhaustion. I took her home and after a few days she fully recovered. She has two bands on her legs, one blue and one white. A firend of a friend who is a racing pigeon breeder tried to look up the band number, but he could not match it to any bird/owner in Illinois or neighboring states. I'm not sure if this bird is in fact a homing pigeon or belongs to some other breed. I'm attaching a picture, maybe someone could identify what kind of breed she is.

I don't mind taking care of her, but I can't accomodate her in my small apartament. She seems to have a strong need to go outside and spends a lot of time just looking out the window, or flying in circles in front of it. She is wary of people and does not like being handled, but she'll let me approach close if I do it slowly and quietly. I'm afraid that if I just let her go, she would not be able to survive in the wild or make it back to her ower. I tried to find her a more appropriate home, unsuccesfully. Should I release her anyway?

Number on the blue band: RPDC 08 1846
Number on the white band: 17



















Thank you for any advice,

Marie


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

You have a Roller pigeon there .. I'm pretty sure. I also think I may be able to trace the band, but I need a little time to do that. Please DO NOT release this bird to fend for itself because it really can't. 

Hopefully we can find you some help with this bird until the band can be sorted out.

Terry


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## WanderingPigeon (Aug 18, 2009)

Thank you, Terry, for your help. I saw a video of the acrobatics Rollers are trained to do. I hope she doesn't start doing that in my bedroom  Do Rollers have any special nutrition needs? I've been feeding her a seed mix that includes shelled sunflower, crushed corn and millet, among ohers. She seems to really like the sunflower.

Marie


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

Marie...thanks for saving her. Don't overdo it on the Sunflower, it has a lotta cholesterol. Maybe some safflower in there, too ? 

You may also wanna try some parrot pellets, small size like for budgies or cockatiels...they are very high in nutrition.

She's a beauty...and, no, you don't wanna release a domestic roller into the wild. Remember the condition you found her in ?...it wouldn't take many days for her to weaken to that again. She's never learned to forage or fend much for herself. She was luck to have found you !

She's lost, fer' sure.


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## WanderingPigeon (Aug 18, 2009)

Thanks for the feeding tips. I found an organization that sells pigeon bands which are very similar to what my bird is wearing (www.roller-pigeon.com). I sent them an email asking if they could find owner info from the band number. Of course, I'm not going to release her, now that I know for sure she won't make it on her own.










Bathtime!


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## rainbowlover (Feb 13, 2005)

Trees Gray helped me posted sites that helped me find the owner of the pigeon I am babysitting 
Here is what she said..:
Other Club Bands- IF, NPA, NBRC, IPB, CU and others

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Thanks Warren, I'd like to follow your post with this information:


If you need help in catching a lost racing pigeon here is a great link for a trap:

http://www.racingbirds.com/ptrap.html


If the pigeon is in shock due to an injury or trauma, it is imperitive that you follow these instructions for stabilizing the bird:

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showthread.php?t=8822



This link will provide information on reading bands, as well as all the band code #'s, name of most of the the pigeon clubs, and/or their e-mail address or st. address, for North Amerca, United Kingdom, Europe, Asia/Australia: 

http://www.interbug.com/pigeon/lost.html 



Here is the link to find the club for an IF BAND 
International Federation Amercian Homing Pigeon Fanciers Inc.

http://www.ifpigeon.com/

click on band listings.

click on year of the band of the lost bird you have found



Here is the link to find CU BANDS for our Canadian friends.

http://www.canadianracingpigeonunion... Pigeon.aspx

Click on the year of the band: 

The 2005 bands are listed in either pdf format,xls, or wordpad document
The 2004 bands are listed in wordpad document you open



NPA BANDS National Pigeon Association 

website: http://npausa.com/

click on LOST & FOUND and e-mail the secretary to find owner, please list band #



IPB BAND contact Foys Pigeon Supply:

[email protected]



NBRC BANDS contact Gene Giegoldt the NBRC band distributor to locate owner at the National Birmingham Roller Club.

http://nbrconline.com/
__________________


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## WanderingPigeon (Aug 18, 2009)

So it’s been well over a month since this pretty bird arrived at my house. A guy at Roller-Pigeon.com was able to identify the person to whom her band was issued and forwarded my contact information to them. However, they never contacted me. I also tried 911PigeonAlert.com but received no response.

In the meantime the pigeon got a bit more used to its new situation. She is not so terrified of people anymore. She learned to go back in her cage for the night. In fact, she'll peck and smack me with her wing if I put my hand inside. She gave up flying in circles and now explores the entire bedroom (leaving much poop for me to clean up).

However, I think it would be in her best interest to be adopted by someone with a loft/aviary and some pigeons to keep her company.

I will be posting about her in the "Birds for Adoption" section shortly.

Marie


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Marie, thank you so very much for helping and caring for this pigeon. I'm sorry there was no response on 911 Pigeon Alert, but we simply have no volunteers to handle the posts anymore. The AU and NPA birds pretty much get handled by those organizations, but for the other bands, there just isn't anyone to do it. That's why 911 refers people here to Pigeon-Talk where there are people who can help.

Hopefully we can find this lovely bird a good home with one of our Pigeon-Talk members.

Terry


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## Hillybean (Oct 30, 2005)

Hello,
I just sent you a pm about this bird.

Currently there aren't many members in the Chicago,IL area, but I am willing to help, if it is possible.

-Hilly


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