We
would like to hear from anyone who has one or two white racing pigeons
they can spare.
Three or four years ago, you may remember two white doves in St
Peter's Square, Rome, landing on the Pope's shoulder at Easter.
I couldn't understand why anyone would deliberately release two
" squeakers " or barely fledged pigeons in such a setting.
I recently learned that at some Italian weddings it is traditional
to release a pair of symbolic white doves and was asked if I could
supply two at short notice.
But the chances of ordinary white garden fantails finding their
way across a village is extremely remote.
I think the introduction of some homing pigeon genes to the flock
might just do the trick.
I still don't know if the tradition actually exists and would be
very interested in further details.
Disappearing
Racing Pigeons
The news
that large numbers of young racing pigeons are disappearing somewhere
between Newcastle and Glasgow is concerning many owners.
Some have speculated that the mobile phone masts along the A74/M74
from Carlisle may be disorienting these birds and they become lost.
It is an interesting theory, though one wonders what happens to all
the birds.
Perhaps they're all perched on buildings in Thornhill or Lesmahagow
or Abington or some other town en route. It has long been thought
by scientists that homing pigeons navigate by utilising the earth's
magnetic fields aided and abetted by a certain degre of learning achieved
on the training flights.
At the time of year when young birds are being trained; late summer/autumn,
losses are fairly heavy, especially – as I have witnessed many times
– when the flocks are scattered by ambushing peregrine falcons.
Who
to contact if you discover rings on pigeons
If
you discover a pigeon with a ring attached please consider contacting
one of the following:
If
the ring has a SU prefix contact Scottish racing pigeons Telephone:
01698 286983.
If
the ring has a GB prefix, it's an English bird, please Royal Pigeon
Racing Association contact Telephone: 01452 713529.
