# White Racing Pigeon Found in Suburban Philly



## Jamintom (Apr 13, 2012)

We have a white pigeon that showed up in our backyard three days ago. It has a white tag on its left ankle. I'm guessing it is a racing bird??? We are in NW suburb of Phlilly about ten miles from downtown. Anyone have a clue what to do? It is very calm, not afraid of us or our dogs. Should I try to feed it seed? It seems healthy. Do I try to catch it and read the tag? Is this the right forum to ask this stuff? Help please, nice bird and we want it to go home if he has one.


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## nycpigeonlady (Jan 22, 2012)

Hello, 

Thanks for your concern and caring. 

Please try to catch the bird, as him being unafraid of people or animals puts him in great danger. Sounds like he might be someone's lost pet or he could have been raised in a loft and isn't familiar with finding food or avoiding danger. He could also be a race bird, who's gotten lost and exhausted on his way home. If you don't catch him you'll also have no way to read the band and locate the owner. 

You can lure him with some seed, but if you try to catch him once and fail, the second time may be much harder if not impossible. If he sleeps somewhere in your backyard, after dark might be the best time to catch him. Once you have him secured please offer him some seed and water and keep us updated so we can offer further assistance.


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## Woodnative (Jul 4, 2010)

If you do catch him you can post the numbers and letters on the tag here on Pigeontalk to help you idenfity the owners. You can keep him temporarily in a pet carrier or dog crate inside. Give him seed (you can buy pigeon and dove food or in a pinch wild bird seed will work ok) and a deep dish of water he can not knock over.


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## nycpigeonlady (Jan 22, 2012)

Woodnative said:


> If you do catch him you can post the numbers and letters on the tag here on Pigeontalk to help you idenfity the owners.


Or you can use this: 

http://www.pigeon.org/lostbirdinfo.htm


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## Jamintom (Apr 13, 2012)

*Can't catch him*

Every time I get close he flies away, does a circle around the house and lands on a light fixture I can't reach. We put seed and water in deep bowls around the backyard. Don know if he is eating or drinking but he seems healthy. Droppings are plenty and look like normal bird stuff. How do we catch him???


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## hamlet (Oct 26, 2004)

I sometime use my 8x 10 binoculars to read the leg bands on pigeons.


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## hamlet (Oct 26, 2004)

To catch it, I would feed and water in one lacation only and in the same bowls. Then seeing that it is eating, move the food and water into a container at the same location. I was thinking if anyone knows what you can feed it which would turn its poop a certain color which you can identify to see if it is eating and not something else is eating its food.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

sometimes when they roost at night and it is not too high of a place you can get them then when it is dark, or try opening a garage and feed him close to there and move the food in the garage or shed and see if you can close the door.. or the box with a stick approach may work after allot of patience...lol... then you can try to read the band and look up the owner if it is a race band., or a custom band may have owner info on it. If it is all white it is possible it is a wedding release bird.


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