The Unreleasable Releasables (Heavy Sigh) ..

[TAWhatley]

I have a group of six ferals .. mostly youngsters that finished growing up here that I deemed ready for release. All are sleek, healthy, good fliers, and pretty human unfriendly. I took them to the duck pond park and released them four days ago, and released them again three days ago, and released them again two days ago, and released them again today.

They all keep coming "home" to roost at night, so I dutifully catch them all up and put them to bed and try again the next day. One of them is a particularly handsome male that is so, so wild .. he is a challenge to catch or even handle, so I am waiting for full dark to go get him and put him to bed with the others.

Though they may not truly be homing pigeons, they sure know how to find their way back here for bedtime everyday.

Terry

[Reti]

Oh, little sweeties, they sure know where their home is.
Hope you have better luck tomorrow.

Reti

[Pidgey]

All pigeons are capable of homing. True homers can manage from further away and part of that is the sense of direction and the other part is the athleticism that allows them to fly that hard, that long. I've heard it said that you can probably take a good overpass pigeon out 20 to 50 miles and it can make it home that day.

Pidgey

[TAWhatley]

Originally Posted by Pidgey

I've heard it said that you can probably take a good overpass pigeon out 20 to 50 miles and it can make it home that day.

Pidgey

Well, that's absolutely true in my experience. There is a very pigeon friendly company here that needed to rehome their ferals .. they caught them up, brought them to me .. I kept them for about two months .. moved them out to Bart's where he kept them for about two months .. he let them go and they were "home" that afternoon .. about 40 miles.

I also released one of theirs today that had been here for 6 weeks with paratyphoid .. I called them to say I had released her .. they called about an hour and a half later to say she was "home". .. she went only about 30 miles but spent some time circling my yard before taking off.

Terry

[Pigeonpal2002]

Hi Terry,

Is there anyway you can keep them? Perhaps they've decided they like your place too much to leave Or maybe you could do what Cynthia does and just let them hang around where they know the food and water is until they are comfortable enough to venture off on their own? Actually, this might not be a good idea, I think you've mentioned before you've got a brazen "hussy" of a hawk hanging around your area.

[upcd]

For them to come to breeding age. That is when they start to wonder. They will visit and sometimes bring mate and babies to visit. but they go about thier own lifes. My ferals come at and visit daily. But have learned to sleep in the palm trees.

[re92346mos]

LOL, Hi Terry I had the same problem with two strays living and breeding on top of my loft. I took the pair and their two babies(grown) off and released them all 4 times farther each time and they kept coming back! Then I finally took to SD, Mission Bay and they love it there. I see them almost every weekend. I also sold a peach dove in Riverside which is 40 miles from Highland and I will be darned if that dove wasnt sitting on my back fence and when I went outside he flew to the loft door! Homing Dove! It was him.

[Anarrowescape]

in ireland i use to fave ferels fly to my loft for night and go in but disappear during the day i was funny. i also have the same thing with my ringneck dove goes out with my pigeons and goes back in with them lol.

[margaretco]

Why do you keep putting them to bed...why can't you leave them out for a night? Won't they be ok? (remember, I am new here...and learning, so don't think this is a dumb question)

[John_D]

There are no dumb questions here, margaretco. Doubt any of us will ever stop learning

I'd be concerned about predators in that situation, so I'd ensure they were safe for the night if they'd decided they just ain't going anywhere.

John

[Pidgey]

If they're out at night, they're susceptible to owls and anything that can climb to where they are.

Pidgey

[Trees Gray]

Terry,

Just got to love them ....they know a good home and not going to give it up easy.

Anyway, you can build them a small but safe night coop?

[TAWhatley]

Hi All,

Yes, if these birds just won't leave, I will keep them. I suspect Debbie is right, however, and when the "mood" hits them they will find life with the flock preferable to life here. We shall see.

I absolutely cannot leave them loose in the yard .. one reason is possible predators and the other is neighbors. Though I would love to have a flock of ferals hanging out at my place, I can assure you that the neighbors would be up in arms in no time.

The hawk is still around .. saw her yesterday checking things out.

Looks like rain today, so everybirdy will stay in "lock up" until the weather is good again.

Terry

PS: Robert .. I'd be real careful about letting your dove out to fly with the pigeons. S/he would be easy pickings for a hawk.

[Maggie-NC]

Terry, that was a delightful post. I couldn't help but laugh out loud as the days progressed with them coming back. We have had the same thing happen.

Maggie

[pigeonmama]

Originally Posted by re92346mos

LOL, Hi Terry I had the same problem with two strays living and breeding on top of my loft. I took the pair and their two babies(grown) off and released them all 4 times farther each time and they kept coming back! Then I finally took to SD, Mission Bay and they love it there. I see them almost every weekend. I also sold a peach dove in Riverside which is 40 miles from Highland and I will be darned if that dove wasnt sitting on my back fence and when I went outside he flew to the loft door! Homing Dove! It was him.

I sure hope you kept the little dove that returned home, rather than return it to whomever lost/released it in the first place.
Daryl