# Found pigeon in Harrisburg, PA



## rxxevans (Oct 28, 2014)

Hi everyone, I found a tagged pigeon around my house. He/she is beautiful. After about an hour of him being around I decided to take him in. I tried to google the tag number but there is no letters... just a date and a number. Not sure what to do. He is fine as far as I know, in a lined cage with food and water. Deep water bowl, and wild bird seed, which he was loving! Hubby says I can't keep him though. Need to find the owner. Also slightly concerned about giving him up to someone. I personally think tagging them is not a nice thing to do. I know its been done for many years, but I still don't like it. I am feeling a little guilty about returning him :-/


----------



## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

*Thank you for caring for this sweet bird.

The bird is definitely lost and starved and enjoying your room & board. What exactly is on the band? Do you anyone near you who owns pigeons?

Tagging a bird is helpful in locating an owner, however, if there is not enough info to locate an owner, it is useless, except for that you know it isn't a wild pigeon.

Where are you located? Perhaps a home can be found. Do not release.*


----------



## MicheleK (Nov 8, 2013)

rxxevans-please pm me here.


----------



## rxxevans (Oct 28, 2014)

Thanks for replying! Michele, I am new here and do not know how to find where to PM yet . Skyeking - I do understand why they get tagged, I guess it is just the thought of something like that around such tiny legs... I feel bad for him. I could not just leave him outside. We had a pigeon that landed here a year ago. He was not here long before a hawk got him. Gruesome event. This family of hawks is here quite often. Also, (hehe) there is letters. I could not see them before, I guess they were on the inside of his leg. I did not want to grab him earlier to look because I did not want to scare him. Later, I let him out of the cage in my room. I felt good in knowing he trusted me enough to sit on my hand to take him out. While he was sitting on top of the cage, I finally saw the letters. No I have NEVER known anyone to keep pigeons. I only ever saw it in the movies. He brings back memories of my Cockatiel though, and I want to keep him. Anyway, I emailed and called the guy that matched the letters. The tags date was 2014 though and the website only went to 2013. Because of this I told the guy in my email that he would have to give me about what the numbers were to make arrangements, since I was not 100% sure it was him. I know pigeons can look alike, and might be sent out a bunch at a time so I didn't think asking "about" what the numbers were was to much? Considering I know nothing about all this.. maybe it is.. I haven't heard back from him yet, nor did he return my phone call. If it is him, he lives about an hour and a half away from me. Do people usually travel this far to pick up their birds? Sorry for rambling


----------



## MicheleK (Nov 8, 2013)

rxxevans-try to contact the owner. if he does not want the pigeon back, I will be glad to take it. but, contact the owner first. hope he takes it back.


----------



## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

*I am glad you took action and brought the bird inside. A lone pigeon is a sitting duck for a predator attack.

It is the owners duty to pick up their bird, but some owners refuse to take responsibility for them, while others will make the drive.*


----------



## rxxevans (Oct 28, 2014)

Michele, I will come to you first  ... The guy did respond this morning though and said "Our letters are WC. In 2014 the band numbers purchased for the club members started at :
1 through 1000." .. Should I be concerned? His Tag ID is "IF WC 2014 XXXX" but those that 4 numbers are greater than 1000.


----------



## rxxevans (Oct 28, 2014)

heres the letters on the tag


----------



## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

*Did you get in contact with this person?

The bird was hatched in 2014, what are the other numbers?

IF WC-Club name
Nick Lebresco-owner
634 Meadow Drive
West Chester, PA. 610-692-6617

*


----------



## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

rxxevans said:


> Yes, he is who I called and emailed. Also who sent the reply I posted. his numbers are 2034 .. like I said more than 1000... Not sure what to do now


*Perhaps, he can describe to you the missing bird and the exact band number, he should have a record of it. Also, ask him exactly what he intends to do with the bird, if that worries you.*


----------



## rxxevans (Oct 28, 2014)

Thank you  .. It does concern me. I am also worried about the right person getting their bird back. I don't know how much time or effort is spent into raising and training them, I am guessing a lot. I can not ask him to describe him as I posted a pic in the email :-( but so long as he doesn't read this thread he wouldn't know the numbers. I wouldn't want whoever ridding of the pigeon either (I've read horror stories) just because he didn't make his flight. I would like to tell whoever that is sending their birds my way, to maybe reconsider sending them this way... doesn't seem to be working to well :-/. I know the one that got taken by the hawk was the first that I knew of, but it happened so quick... there may have been others. Also, these Hawks just stay and circle the tall tree in front of my house.. Now I am thinking the reason they stay there is because of the pigeons. Maybe I wrong, but I live in a partial city.. Next to a big city, can not see to many reasons why a hawk would choose this area to live.


----------



## Woodnative (Jul 4, 2010)

Hawks circling is unusual......maybe you are seeing Turkey Vultures........which do not take pigeons. Redtails can circle and can take pigeons but the Cooper's Hawks that usually get them are ambush hunters. If the hawks are there they are finding plenty of food......and often they can even in fairly urbanized areas.
Guys(or gals!) buy strings of bands depending on how many birds they think they will raise that year. Some guys have small lofts and raise only a few, others raise 100 or more. So one guy may buy band #s 241-280, the next different guy 281-360 etc. The band is slipped on when the foot is small at about a week old. It later can not be removed (nor the bird rebanded with a seamless band). It does not really bother them. The birds start loft flying when young and then are taken increasingly long distances to fly home. Some are lost or killed along the way. Some guys care very much for each and every bird.......others think if a bird does not come home fast it is worthless and right it off. They need to know the exact band number to track the owner/breeder. However, you can indicate to the owner if he does not want it back you would like to keep it and that is fine. He probably is not sending birds "your way" but most likely the bird got lost coming back from a race.


----------



## rxxevans (Oct 28, 2014)

@woodnative I guess maybe "circling" was not the right word for it. They are def. hawks. I started seeing 1 about 2 years ago. Not to say that there was not more, or there longer... this is just what I noticed. I've only lived here 3 years, and do not stare at the sky. I only really started to notice because I am not used to seeing them. Then I believe he found a mate, and had babies. I think there is a nest at the top of this tree... Its a really tall tree... After awhile I started to see smaller hawks with 2 bigger ones. The "circling" is more soaring I guess... but since they are so high, it appears as circling.. this happens at LEAST 1-2 hundred feet above and around the tree. Is it unusual for a pigeon keeper or racer to have over a thousand birds? This guy told me their bands started between 1 and 1000... the pigeons number that I have is over a thousand above that (2 thousand sum). This guy did not write me back yet, so I am starting to feel like he really does not care to much :-/ and I very well may have an abandoned pigeon. He lets me pet him though, which I like lol. It was also fun watching the hubby "try" to interact with him last night. UGGH prob. killing his training though, since I have no idea what i'm doing.


----------



## orock (Mar 28, 2011)

rxxevans said:


> @woodnative I guess maybe "circling" was not the right word for it. They are def. hawks. I started seeing 1 about 2 years ago. Not to say that there was not more, or there longer... this is just what I noticed. I've only lived here 3 years, and do not stare at the sky. I only really started to notice because I am not used to seeing them. Then I believe he found a mate, and had babies. I think there is a nest at the top of this tree... Its a really tall tree... After awhile I started to see smaller hawks with 2 bigger ones. The "circling" is more soaring I guess... but since they are so high, it appears as circling.. this happens at LEAST 1-2 hundred feet above and around the tree. Is it unusual for a pigeon keeper or racer to have over a thousand birds? This guy told me their bands started between 1 and 1000... the pigeons number that I have is over a thousand above that (2 thousand sum). This guy did not write me back yet, so I am starting to feel like he really does not care to much :-/ and I very well may have an abandoned pigeon. He lets me pet him though, which I like lol. It was also fun watching the hubby "try" to interact with him last night. UGGH prob. killing his training though, since I have no idea what i'm doing.


I think those are club bands so if there are 20 members the bands get divided between them.


----------



## rxxevans (Oct 28, 2014)

orock - so are you saying that the ONLY numbers they would own are between 1 and 1000?


----------

