Where do they go

[carl]

Just wondering people thoughts on where all the missing birds go.I have been racing pigeons for three seasons now and must have lost a good few birds in that time.

I have only ever in three seasons had one bird reported and that was a photo of it on someones garage roof with a bowl of rice and a bowl of water.

 

 

where do they go ?

[peterpau]

Carl We stamp our birds 3 or 4 times a season and very rarely hear anything. If people wanted our birds we would give them freely, If they want them Amtrac we're happy to do that too. It does peeve me when they arrive home without rings. Reported then not returned. But there are some good guys/girls, one guy looked after one till her leg was better then she came on her own. Unfortunately I didn't keep his number. All I can remember is he was from Worcestershire.

[REDCHEQHEN]

Only got one bird reported all last year, and so far this year have only had one reported, a yearling, all wing stamped except young birds they have yellow telephone number rings on, 10 of them missing off loft, not one reported.

[Guest bristolkev]

a lot of lost racing pigeons stay with feral pigoens,the house behind me has between 80 to a 100 feral pigeons which come from first light till dusk everyday.through my binoculars i can count about twelve racing pigeons in amongst them all rubbered and not one these racing pigeons take any notice or attempt to come in with my birds.and these same strays are back everyday,as the weeks go on new strays appear and stay.

[Guest]

I think it is a mistake to assume that missing birds are in people's lofts and not being reported.

 

(1) Posted previously about a hen lost July last year as a youngster turned up April this year, dirty, last three flights 'bleached': discovered when she moulted primary 8 that my wingstamp was still on it and visible - if she'd been in a loft she would have moulted out - she didn't, so she was outside, 'somewhere', and held her nest flights.

 

(2) Member of public handed in a GB 05Z pigeon to me on Monday - race rubbered, had been roughing it despite lofts all around and racers flying free. Reported it to RPRA - belongs Newcastle [this is Central Scotland].

 

(3) Posted previously about dropping 4 in one race two weeks ago - one of them turned up 8pm tonight, still rubbered, feet caked in mud. He's been outside too, 'somewhere'.

[jimmy_bulger]

i think meself the hawks kill most of the losses, then there are those that work their way back after a long or short spell.

probly because they been scared that mutch they go feral with the woodies and the streeters.

unfortunatly we will probly never know.

[Chatrace]

I think it is the Aliens that get them and use them for a food supply :-)

[westy]

see pigeons down the road from me with rings on and some of them are myne.

[swilcox]

I travel up and down the country everyday and am always saddened by the number that get hit by cars and lorries when they are exhuasted! I believe that most missing pigeons get themselves killed within a short space of time.

 

Stuart

[hooky]

youse people are causing a majority of your losses! if a bird hasn't got it he is not going to come home..start by culling the rediculasly large teams you house ,concentrate on smaller teams and better quality birds.train them right,feed them,medicate them..and you will notice your returns will be much better..a lot of people are very quick t ojump to conclusion and blame many other factors and leave there self out of the aquasion