Night time homing experiment

[RodSD]

Here is an interesting article about homing pigeons trained to fly at night by the Army during the war:http://books.google.com/books?id=hNk...rr=1#PPA251,M1


It starts on page 248. What I find interesting in this article is the claim that pigeons can fly faster at night and that they can resettle a bird in 24 hours miles away using their mobile loft.

[conditionfreak]

Yea. I read that many years ago. Facinating. Wouldn't it be cool to have some night flyers for those over 500 mile races.

The military is always a step ahead of private citizens in any endeavor. Whether it is dog training, pigeon traiing, dolphin training or building a better airplane. I saw a documentary about the military training dolphins to carry and attach bombs to the underbellies of enemy ships.

Unlimited funds and 24/7 workers make the difference.

I read that the military scientist or inventors, are usually 20 years ahead of civilian scientists and inventors. In those areas that the military is interested in. Of course they are not out there making better hoola hoops, but they are making better communications devices and disease control aparatus, and the like.

[g0ldenb0y55]

Interesting read! Thanks for sharing Rod.

[ace in the hole]

Originally Posted by RodSD

What I find interesting in this article is the claim that pigeons can fly faster at night.

I know back then they did not have GPS. I would venture to guess the birds fly home faster at night because they take a straighter line home. I would like to see a GPS study of this done now.

Ace

[della]

Wow, great reading, Rod!

[Big T]

Great read!!! I got no plans for night flying, I need my beauty sleep. Lot and lots of it.

[RodSD]

Before I got my birds, I used the military way of settling birds. I was able to rehome young birds in 6 days. But because of paranoia I ended up taking the whole 3 weeks with my other birds instead. Most of the birds I got I ended up resettling in about 1 month. Here is the article I use: http://www.history.navy.mil/library/...ng_pigeons.htm

Enjoy the reading again. I've tested those navy claims on rehoming/resettling and it does work, but you have to make sure that there is no hawk or sudden sounds that scares the bird. I have used those training in pure homers and mix and they respond equally as well. I only add the resettling cage for 3 days.

There is a warning I have to add in that in my experiments, cocks usually don't like to be resettled. Hens are easier. Cocks like to go back "home." It seems that cocks have more attachment to "home." The birds I used ranged from 4 weeks old to 2 years old. With respect to age it doesn't seem to matter much if they just took off and be gone. The goal it seems is to prevent the birds from flying high and far--to keep them in view of the loft instead.

My reckless experiment involved one bird that my friend gave to me one Thursday afternoon and I released it Sunday afternoon. The bird was probably around 6 months old. This bird seemed to be an exception because it was smart. It went to the aviary the first day and stayed there for many hours. I also was able to hand fed the next day and trusted me already. The first time I released it, it took to the roof, but I was able to call it right away with food whistle. I wont do that again.

[fresnobirdman]

very interesting,
thanks for the post.

[RodSD]

conditionfreak,

I have read that some racers train their birds to fly at night with those extreme long distance race. That is their advantage. I believe these are the Belgians and the Netherlands people who races extreme distance. I don't remember the articles, but they sure won the competition!

I tried training my birds to fly at sunset or almost night time and my birds seem to bump on things so I ain't experimenting on that one again. If you can't see them, they can't see you. LOL! They won't enter the dark loft door because obviously it looks like a cave. I decided to do this experiment when I had hawk problem. None of my birds are good for night flying. But I've heard that tipplers in competition do it as part of their training.

[conditionfreak]

Years ago, I had a pigeon come home from a race in the dark, and sit in a tree near the loft, until morning. It was only a three hundred mile race but the bird came home late anyway.

It shows that you are right about them not wanting to enter into a dark loft. It made me install a light in my loft but I never had to actually use it. I never had a light in my lofts prior to that, and do not have them again at my new home. I guess many do.

I wonder if it causes problems with pigeons if one does have loft lights? Birds tend to breed due to the length of daylight hours, and leaving a loft light on intentionally or accidentially, could cause them to become confused about when it is time to breed. I would assume.

Breeding parrots as I do, it is common knowledge that the length of daylight hours (the hours get longer as it gets closer to spring and summer) cause the mating desire to "kick in". I use lights on timers to induce my parrots to breed earlier in the year, than they would otherwise.

But, I digress.

[Birdman79]

If you want to train them to fly at night you train ybs only.You'd have to get them used to being outside in the dark.I had my ybs on the roof of the house while it was getting really dark.They're a mixture of homers,turkish ,and iraqi tumblers.Due to hawks that was the only time that i could take them out during the late winter early spring with rarely any attacks.I trained the homers to fly at sunset,then after sunset.They flew real fast,and they had no problems with hitting trees whatsoever.It also helps that my utilities are underground,as i assume the wires would be a problem at night.Plus i have lights outside the loft,so i'd have them eating outside of it at night.I stopped flying them that late cause our hawk attacks have decreased.A buddy of mine used to fly his homers at night overseas.He also used lights to guide them down to his loft.I am going to start flying at dark again once i get enough ybs.

[RodSD]

conditionfreak,

I think lights of the loft might mess up their molting process. It might end up like those lighting system technique--the lighting one, not the darkening system.

telstart12,
Thanks for the tip. My birds did hit branches and roof flying at night. Not a pretty sight. A loud "thud" is not a good sound. I think that experiment didn't last 1 week. I used to fly my birds at sunset, then when they want to go down, it is too late. It is already night time. I am not doing that again. But it was a good experience.

[LUCKYT]

Rod, you have to have the Lights on for weeks at a Time, to mess with the Molt, NOT just while waiting for night Flying Birds to come in.
Unless you are Flying REAL long Distance Races, getting them Fliyng at Night is a Mute point.. Dave

[RodSD]

Dave,
I agree. I personally witness that when my neighbor turned on his backyard lights the whole night the whole year and my birds were mysteriously molting. When a new tenant came in and didn't turn on their backyard lights, my birds ended up doing fine now--normal molting process.

[ND Cooper]

Telstar, That's Cool! :
Rod, What are you Doing?
Please Read, A Fancy For Pigeons.
It's a Book!
I Hate to say this,.... But did you ever consider,.... If You Were A Pigeon,...What would you do,... How would you fly?,...
I'm 50, and I can out fly you!
And I'll Bet, That 4 out of my 6 pigeons can out fly ALL of Yours, Day, or Night!!!
Sorry if I butted in on the MAD SCIENTIST THRED!!!
I Have OLD BIRDS, REALLY OLD BIRDS, ANCIENT PIGEONS!!!
What is PPC?
Up here It's Constant 50mpg Wind Sometimes, for Days!!