# Back Yard Guest



## HCBell (May 29, 2012)

This guy has been around for about 4 weeks now. He was looking pretty weak, but after figuring out how to get him water and feeding seed out on the ground for him, he has perked up nicely. He sleeps on the telephone wire above my backyard. When I get up for coffee and to let the dog out, I start talking to him/her and he flies down to my patio, he lands close to me, but never close enough to catch. I have been able to get most of the numbers on his tag from my camera. It looks like AU 2011 6600. We live in a suburban neighborhood of Dallas. (Plano). He is not afraid of me, the kids or my dog, he is often on the ground beside my dog eating. We have named him Bert. I would like to be able to catch him, reach his owners and get him back to were he belongs. We have a huge population of hawks and owls here. We have seen the hawks chasing and killing other white birds. This one is so tame I am afraid he will be an easy target.

Do you have any advise on how to catch this bird? Is there some kind of box I can put up for him instead of the telephone wire at night?
Is he just going to be a backyard visitor forever?

not sure on how to post picture:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/chpabell/7159650459/


Back Yard Visitor by chpabell, on Flickr


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

you could try to locate the feed close to a dog kennel or crate.. move the feed bowl closer everyday till it is in the crate..then put the feed bowl in back of the crate.. move fast but quiet and try to shut the door...you may have to cover part of the kennel with a towel so he can't see you coming to shut it. or the old box with a stick and string.. the thing is once you pull the string and the box goes down and if it does not get the bird then the bird will know and not go back near the box.. I would say get him at night.but a telephone wire is too high... if he does change spots to sleep..and you can get up to him at dark they can be caught..as they can not see well at all in the dark and usually one can get a towel over them and get them.


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

If he/she trusts you, you can also try to lure him into your house by gradually moving the food to your threshold then inside the house. Just move the location of the food 3-4 feet towards the door each time. Keep the door ajar, and move yourself away from the threshold if he starts going there; then once inside, close the door (sometimes I'd use a broomstick for this).
Sometimes they find that to be less threatening than the enclosed sorta box/carrier idea...although the above would probably work as well. The idea is you wanna surround him/her on 2 or more sides before making a grab...although, again, hopefully a grab will not be required. As SW says, nighttime is a great time to catch but the wire location will not work for that; she'd have to be down on the deck at night to try that.

Thanks for caring. If the two of you have a nice daily regimen, there is no immediacy in getting him/her inside...but as she's not Feral, she doesn't know how to find food nor does he realize the dangers from various predators; hawks will certain find her sooner rather than later....so securing him pretty soon would be a good idea.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Bert is lovely, he/she is a sitting duck for predator attack.

Here are some suggestions on catching a bird:

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f20/1...s-incl2cnd-step-post-your-location-38776.html


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## HCBell (May 29, 2012)

Thank you all for the suggestions. I am amazed that he/she has been around this long as tame and white as he is. Hopefully I will be able to update soon with a successful capture.


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## HCBell (May 29, 2012)

I got him! The Band Number is AU 2011 I 6600. Now how do I figure out where he belongs?


Bert by chpabell, on Flickr


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

not sure what type of pigeon it is or breed, but perhaps they got the band from here so call and see if they know who the breeder is.

Club Name : 
Club Code : I 
Club Secretary : FOY'S PIGEON SUPPLY 
City : BEAVER FALLS 
State : PA 
Phone No. : 724-843-6889


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## HCBell (May 29, 2012)

WOW Pennsylvania is a long way from Texas, I will give them a call tomorrow thanks. I did send an email to the email address listed on the American Racing Pigeon Union (AU) website. Hopefully we can get this pretty boy home.

Thank you for your suggestions


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## abluechipstock (Nov 26, 2010)

The person probably bought the bands from fits. Foy's should have the record.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Pretty bird. Good work on catching him.


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## beatlemike (Nov 28, 2009)

Doesnt look like a homing pigeon to me. I wonder why it has a AU band on and if someone thought it was a homer and tryed to race it. Im curious to know the story behind it.


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

HCBell said:


> I got him! The Band Number is AU 2011 I 6600. Now how do I figure out where he belongs?


  Wow...you work FAST !!! Nice job !

I agree...she/he ain't no Homer....keep us posted, but I doubt Foys will be able to offer much info.....


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## HCBell (May 29, 2012)

I got lucky, we had a huge rash of storms and he decided to try and hide under my jasmine. He then tried to ride it out on top of the patio cover, the rain was pretty heavy and loud on the metal roof, I was able to get the ladder up and a net over him before he knew what was happening.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Do bring him inside. The kennel is great but the bars are large enough for something to get through and injure or kill him.
I have 3 pigeons that look like your rescue, all found in a similar situation. I haven't clue what mine are either.


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## HCBell (May 29, 2012)

He is inside, I just had to re-arrange the kids and a visiting dog to make him safe indoors as well. He was in the kennel under the patio cover and patio table with tarps covering to block rain and pests. I just moved it all for better light in the photo.

Charis, did the other 3 pigeons you found have bands on them as well? I had no idea there were so many different kinds of pigeons. 

Bert/Bertha is a pigeon, just not a Homer I guess from earlier posts in my thread. The kids and I keep bird feeders and squirrel feeders in the back yard and watch the various critters that stop by for visits, that is how we became aware of Bert early on. He is much bigger than the various Doves that visit our yard.

Both kids have been researching what other kinds of feeders and baths to place to attract more birds. We were really hoping that we could find more information about him and return him to where he belongs.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

I'm glad he's inside.
No..my rescues do not have bands.They've all been found within this past year. Two of them were found within a few miles from where I live and one in Washington state.
There are hundreds of different kinds of pigeons. It's mind boggling.


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## Danny Donek (Aug 16, 2011)

looks like a serbian highflyer to me...


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Danny Donek said:


> looks like a serbian highflyer to me...


I googled it, and it does look like one.


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## pigiesNdovies (Nov 21, 2011)

if u would had texted me i could had told u E-Zest way 2 trap that cute birdy. so cute. dont let it go, he/she is domestic n E Z meal 4 hawks/cats/possums/racoons/dogs/snakes/humans/gorillas/monkeys/lions/bears/sharks/hippos/n e anibal that likes meat....


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

pigiesNdovies said:


> *if u would had texted me i could had told u E-Zest way 2 trap that cute birdy.* so cute. dont let it go, he/she is domestic n E Z meal 4 hawks/cats/possums/racoons/dogs/snakes/humans/gorillas/monkeys/lions/bears/sharks/hippos/n e anibal that likes meat....



How would anyone have thought to or known how to text you?


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## HCBell (May 29, 2012)

The past few thunderstorms left Bert wet and miserable. I was finally able to grab him as he was shivering and miserable on our patio cover. I was able to read all of the numbers on his tag clearly for the first time.
The tag was sold by FOY'S PIGEON SUPPLY in BEAVER FALLS, PA. I gave them a call and they told me they sold that series of bands to a breeder in Texas. Long story short a man from two streets over came by to pick up his bird. Bert is actually a Bertha, she is about 4 months old, he tagged her with bands he already had from around the house. He was very friendly and talked to the kids a long time. They had lots of questions for him. He told us he had lots of other pigeons at his house and asked if we wanted one for a pet.

(Copied from our blog) - 
http://fromthebellpalace.blogspot.com/2012/06/backyard-visitor.html


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Thanks for the update. Glad you found her owner. Small world, huh? LOL.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

HCBell said:


> The past few thunderstorms left Bert wet and miserable. I was finally able to grab him as he was shivering and miserable on our patio cover. I was able to read all of the numbers on his tag clearly for the first time.
> The tag was sold by FOY'S PIGEON SUPPLY in BEAVER FALLS, PA. I gave them a call and they told me they sold that series of bands to a breeder in Texas. Long story short a man from two streets over came by to pick up his bird. Bert is actually a Bertha, she is about 4 months old, he tagged her with bands he already had from around the house. He was very friendly and talked to the kids a long time. They had lots of questions for him. He told us he had lots of other pigeons at his house and asked if we wanted one for a pet.
> 
> (Copied from our blog) -
> http://fromthebellpalace.blogspot.com/2012/06/backyard-visitor.html


That is fantastic, not only did the pigeon get home safe because of you, you found a new friend.. how nice.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

That is awesome and I certainly am glad to hear this happy ending.

Thank you for the update, HCBell!


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