More White Pigeons Today!

[TAWhatley]

I am really getting concerned about the number of young white pigeons showing up in Eisenhower Park in Orange.

About two weeks ago a friend who looks after the ducks at this park called to say there were three white doves that had been hiding under the cars in the parking lot. Sadly, two of them were accidentally run over and killed, and the third was brought to me. This was a young and healthy bird (and clearly a pigeon and not a dove). I say young because it immediately peeped, squeaked, and twitched its wings to me as if wanting to be fed. This is quite a good sized bird already, and I have my doubts about it being a racing/homing pigeon and am thinking perhaps a Utility King.

Anyway, today, the same person called me to say that yesterday there were 15 of these white birds in the park and none of them seemed to be able to fly and that some appeared to be slightly injured. Sadly, my friend did not take action yesterday and waited until this morning .. only 10 of the 15 birds were still there .. who knows what happened to the missing 5 .. hopefully they could fly and took off for safer premises. So, the birds were gathered up and taken to the local vet office as some did have minor injuries. I picked up these 10 this afternoon and sure enough, they are about the same age as the first one, were peeping, squeaking, and wing twitching as babies do.

None of the birds are banded .. not even with the colored bands .. all seem perfectly healthy, well fed, and well cared for. I cannot imagine how all these white pigeons keep showing up in this park. Surely someone who had obviously taken good care of these birds has better sense than to just dump them at a duck pond park. Since they really don't fly, I figure somebody had to bring them to the park and let them go.

I am stymied but definitely have no shortage of white pigeons at my place right now.

Terry Whatley

[AZWhitefeather]

Good evening Terry,
That really is a puzzler!!
Think maybe someone was stupid enough to let these 'pigeons' go on 9/11 just because they were 'white'???
Sure hope there is a much more sane explanation. Can't imagine what it would be though. Let's hope your friend doesn't find anymore. Cindy

[Wild Dove]

I can't imagine that someone didn't dump them at the park, given that they can't fly.
Are the injuries relatively new, (obtained at the park?), or do they appear to be older injuries?
Whatever the case, thank you so much for taking these poor babies in. As always, your kindness is above measure.
Wild Dove

[TAWhatley]

The injuries are new but are just little scratches and scrapes most likely gotten by scrambling through a fence to get to a somewhat protected area in the park. I know Melinda ended up with her fair share of little booboos from scaling the fence to get to the birds. Both Melinda and birds will be fine!

Terry Whatley

[WhiteWingsCa]

Terry, I know of several businesses in CA....I've posted to my group to see if anyone can shed some light on this....

[TAWhatley]

Hi WhiteWings,

Thanks for asking around about these pigeons. If there is someone in the area that has to get rid of their birds for some reason, it would be so much better if they just called me and asked me to take the birds and find them homes. This would be so much safer for the birds than just dumping them in the park.

These are beautiful and precious youngsters each and every one. Given the potential problem with Exotic Newcastle Disease in our area, I will be keeping them here and isolated for some time before trying to place them.

Terry Whatley

[WhiteWingsCa]

Terry, I've not been able to turn anything up yet.

I had one "suspect" in mind, but apparently he is 600 miles from your area. This person has no regard for his birds (although he claims otherwise), and I've been told will ship birds out of his area for releases, and takes out youngsters too, if he has to in order to fill out "numbers". Exactly the type of shyster my industry is trying to shut down.....

If you think they are Kings, then either someone stupid has tried to save a buck, and has released them as "Doves", like that jerk in NJ, or else someone was sold them, thinking they were homers (or told so), and have let them out, supposing that they could fly.

I'm often ashamed at what happens to white pigeons out there...of any kind.

[TAWhatley]

Hi WhiteWings,

Thanks for the follow up information. I guess I can at least be happy that your suspect didn't send these birds out here expecting them to make a 600 mile journey home.

I know from reading the posts from you and others that the birds have to be conditioned and trained in order to be successful release birds. At about what age are young pigeons able to be safely released? Obviously, I am still stuck on the fact that "my" white pigeons are still just babies.

Terry Whatley

[flighter]

Maybe you should like put a camera on a tree where you are finding these white pigeons! Just an idea!!
C YA


------------------
moe

[tallaria1]

This is probably unrelated to your situation since I'm all the way in Santa Clarita, but I've recently encountered a few white pigeons myself a couple of weeks ago.

I went into Henry Mayo hospital 2 weeks ago for some diagnostic tests. They have this little area inside the hospital that leads to an enclosed terrace(glass walls and no roof). As I was walking past the area with the nurse, I commented on how sweet the two mourning doves outside in the area were. She then told me that they were having a problem with pigeons and the hospital wasn't happy about it. She also said that the weird thing was that a lot of the birds where white.

Four days later I went back for more tests and as my husband and I were walking past the same place, I saw three white birds mulling around. Excited, I went outside to get a closer look. Two were definitly white pigeons and the other was a white dove. They let me get unusually close and when I put my hand out about a foot away from them, they just jumped back a bit, but didnt fly away.

They had no bands on, but it was obvious they were domestic birds at one time. They had no fear of me whatsoever and only jumped back when they realized I wasn't going to feed them.

If the hospital allows it, I plan on going back and getting them. They should, it will save them the time, money, and trouble of having to call a pigeonator.

Just thought I'd share...

Nikola

[AZWhitefeather]

Good morning Nikola,
On the contrary, if these birds are some that were 'released' on 9/11 by some knucklehead that didn't want them any longer, had no idea what they were doing or just didn't care then it could be related in some respect. Perhaps not released in the same area but for the same reason.
You are right, the hosp. should be gracious for your offer. And I am quite sure the pijjies would much rather see you coming to rescue them then a pigeonator!!
Please keep us posted on the rescue. Cindy

[WhiteWingsCa]

Originally posted by TAWhatley:
At about what age are young pigeons able to be safely released? Obviously, I am still stuck on the fact that "my" white pigeons are still just babies.

Terry Whatley

Terry, pigeons, whether white or otherwise, are all the same.

Around 4-5 weeks of age, they can be "weaned". Around 5-6 weeks of age, they are just starting to flutter around a bit, and can be "trap trained" (put in an aviary or flight cage, and taught to come in through the traps.). After a day or two of trap training (we all know pigeons are VERY smart ), they can be put out on the landing board, and allowed to view the big wide world. They will start taking little loop 'd' loops around the yard. Every day, they will get stronger and take longer and longer flights.

By about 8-10 weeks, they should be flying for long periods of time .... up to an hour. Once our birds are flying for at least 30-40 minutes at a time, we start "training" .... loading them into training crates and taking them out for flights...starting at about 1/2 mile (we live in a valley, and have to start short, to get them used to flying back "down" into the valley to home). Increase it to 5, then 8 miles, etc. Our whites thus far have been only to the 65 mile point. Our racers, by 16-18 weeks of age, are flying races starting at 100 miles. By 24-25 weeks of age, they are easily returning from 300 miles race points.

Any fool that takes birds out for training, or releases, before they are flying freely for long periods of time, and are old enough to safely return home from a new starting point, shouldn't be allowed to have birds, IMHO.

That said......on occasion, babies get far far away from home, because they've gone out on one of their first flights, and hooked up with an older flock of birds that might be passing by. Babies found 100-200 miles from home have been reported. BUT, that would be one, maybe two. Not 10-15, like you found Terry. The person who owned those birds disgusts me.

[TAWhatley]

Hi WhiteWings!

As always, thank you for the much needed information about the ages and capabilities of properly trained birds. I honestly don't think these youngsters could figure out how to go from the front yard to the back yard without problems. I'm not saying they are not intelligent birds, just that they seem to still be such babies.

Anyway, I am really tired tonight after the wildlife event in the park but will try to send you (and everyone) a copy of the brochure that I came up with about pigeons.

I did take a couple of the Eisenhower Park white youngsters, and they were a big hit with everyone.

Terry Whatley


[This message has been edited by TAWhatley (edited October 19, 2002).]

[WhiteWingsCa]

Originally posted by TAWhatley:

Anyway, I am really tired tonight after the wildlife event in the park.....

I'm hoping that tired means it was a hugh success?

I've been thinking about you all day, hoping things went well. It's an amazing and wonderful thing you do.....

[TAWhatley]

Yes, the Connect With Wildlife event went extremely well today. There were many hundreds of visitors attending, and lots of great information imparted by the exhibitors.

I have some people interested in adopting a pigeon or two as pets, also met some folks who already had pigeons and adored them to total distraction .. one woman and her two daughters in particular .. they spent almost 3 hours just looking at and talking to the pijjies I took.

Also adopted 4 ducks to good homes today, so yes, it was a wonderful day.

But, yes, I am dog tired.

Terry Whatley