Do They Touch Down

Yellowman · January 16, 2014

When pigeons are released from whatever distance do they spend the whole time in the air or are they likely to touch down at all ?.....Be it birds in training or seasoned racing birds.

PIGEONPACKMAN · January 16, 2014

Yes if they are that tired or really firsty or its gets dark.

paddymac · January 16, 2014

Most birds will stay on the wing on their journey home from a race or training but there are circumstances that may result in the bird landing on its journey home. The most obvious one I would say would be a BOP strike were most birds will dive for cover in trees, hedge rows, buildings etc and will usually sit long enough before returning to the sky on their journey. Others already mentioned landing for water on a very warm day, running out of daylight hours especially on the longer flights and having to rest up over night before setting off again the next morning. Unfortunate reasons are birds not trained well enough and are not fit to complete their journey and of course the various obstacles like electricity pylon wires, land fencing and rogue gunclub members out on a shoot for the day. :(

gulkie · January 16, 2014

A long time ago I was fishing at a loch the day of the Rennes race (500 miles) when

A red chequer landed in the water in front of me ,and I thought to myself it will never

Be able to get of the water again ,but it had a drink flapped its wings and was gone

I was totally amassed .

andy Burgess · January 16, 2014

A long time ago I was fishing at a loch the day of the Rennes race (500 miles) when
A red chequer landed in the water in front of me ,and I thought to myself it will never
Be able to get of the water again ,but it had a drink flapped its wings and was gone
I was totally amassed .

absolutely , had a pal who lives along side a canal , told me he often saw them swoop across the surface for a drink.

used to have a red cock drop into our garden each year for a drink ,before flying on ,done it for a few years too .