[Doves Witness]

I saw a documentary where they put GPS on ferral pigeons and they all stayed within a 4 block radias.

Well if you had a craving for salty chips / crisps, which you know to be in your kitchen, why would you instead walk across town for them?

On the other hand, I am absolutely certain that the use of the term "all" there is misleading. "All" of the pigeons they were able to equip with GPS trackers perhaps, which may all have been younger / inexperienced birds.

Despite that they often appear to be interchangeable, and flocks routinely display common social behaviors (traveling together), pigeons are also remarkably individual. Watch any flock of feral pigeons for a few hours and you will see individual birds flying away from the flock. Follow them long enough and you will find them at a nest, or a beach, or in a fallow field, or a backyard garden. When they aren't leaving the area due to a complete lack of food, perhaps it is a craving for a certain nutrient or type of food that prompts some birds to travel farther.

Studies from various cities have shown travel distances for foraging pigeons between 0.3 to 25 kilometers (0.18 miles to 15 miles.) In some cases, entire flocks leave a town together to forage in fields but only during particular seasons (and those clearly know when a distant crop is ripe.) In other cases, a flock forages locally within a town, but varying individual birds travel outside the town despite some types of food being plentiful within the town. I believe that they experience cravings for specific foods or nutrients, and then travel to find them -- possibly guided by sense of smell, or prior knowledge of where such foods can be found.

I don't know whether those behaviors of ferals would necessarily pass to domesticated pigeons, but I wouldn't be surprised if they did if for no other reason than the domesticated birds following their feral friends.

 

[pulsev2]

Thanks for the reply. It seems like there's no one way of doing this. I'm not up and about in the morning so it will be after mid day, they know they get fed around 5. I was told by a person who races pigeons to call them in after half an hour on the first time, and build up from there. Some time in the afternoon should be ok. I don't think there going to take off and fly miles away, and need all day to return. I saw a documentary where they put GPS on ferral pigeons and they all stayed within a 4 block radias. I'm not letting them out in the morning and leaving them out for an entire day on their first time out

If it's young birds it also depends on your loft design. If they can get in easy, it's more likely they will come in easier. If there are complications or you have trap learners, be prepared to take past dusk or have an overnight straggler or 2. If theyre fliers, they should click up flying after the first 5 minutes. Might get some straggling. It's all part of the fun. Just be flexible and watch em be pigeons. 👍

 

[Shaheem]

Well if you had a craving for salty chips / crisps, which you know to be in your kitchen, why would you instead walk across town for them?

On the other hand, I am absolutely certain that the use of the term "all" there is misleading. "All" of the pigeons they were able to equip with GPS trackers perhaps, which may all have been younger / inexperienced birds.

Despite that they often appear to be interchangeable, and flocks routinely display common social behaviors (traveling together), pigeons are also remarkably individual. Watch any flock of feral pigeons for a few hours and you will see individual birds flying away from the flock. Follow them long enough and you will find them at a nest, or a beach, or in a fallow field, or a backyard garden. When they aren't leaving the area due to a complete lack of food, perhaps it is a craving for a certain nutrient or type of food that prompts some birds to travel farther.

Studies from various cities have shown travel distances for foraging pigeons between 0.3 to 25 kilometers (0.18 miles to 15 miles.) In some cases, entire flocks leave a town together to forage in fields but only during particular seasons (and those clearly know when a distant crop is ripe.) In other cases, a flock forages locally within a town, but varying individual birds travel outside the town despite some types of food being plentiful within the town. I believe that they experience cravings for specific foods or nutrients, and then travel to find them -- possibly guided by sense of smell, or prior knowledge of where such foods can be found.

I don't know whether those behaviors of ferals would necessarily pass to domesticated pigeons, but I wouldn't be surprised if they did if for no other reason than the domesticated birds following their feral friends.

All meaning all the tracked birds ofblviously. They where adults. I'm in the city, there's no wheat fields around here for them to all travel to. My pigeons have no reason to travel for food anyway. Anything's possible and they could follow their friends wherever, but It seems unlikely they're gonna end up miles away

 

[Shaheem]

If it's young birds it also depends on your loft design. If they can get in easy, it's more likely they will come in easier. If there are complications or you have trap learners, be prepared to take past dusk or have an overnight straggler or 2. If theyre fliers, they should click up flying after the first 5 minutes. Might get some straggling. It's all part of the fun. Just be flexible and watch em be pigeons. 👍

They're young adults, and I don't have a trap, just a door I'll leave open. When I take them out to clean the coop and put them back I let them hop inside by themselves, they know the drill

 

[Shaheem]

Just spoke with someone from a local pigeon club, told em I feed em at 5pm. I asked if there's a specific time i should release them and he casually replied " not really " but said do it in the evening before feed time. And that they'l probably just come out and sit around for a while. That settles it

 

[Shaheem]

Well. Today was the big day. The weather was nice so I let em out. They walked around my balcony pecking the grout for a few minutes, then took off and circled around a few times and landed on my buildings roof. Then snow pea my white pigeon took off and left her man pidge behind. She flew quite far and landed on a building, then flew back and around my building, then off into the distance. Pidge is perched up 12 feet from my balcony on a building ledge with other pigeons. I called them in with my whistle like I allways do at feed time, called again and again but they ignored me. They havnt eaten today, and it's dark now. Well, hopefully they return tomorrow or the next day. If not. This will be my first and last time doing this. I'm not built for it

 

[Shaheem]

Whatever they do, I'll be happy they're doing their thing and that they're happy. But I'll miss my little friends. Will break my heart if I don't see them again.

 

[Marina B]

Releasing them is much more stressfull for the releaser than the pigeons. I'm sure they will return. Just give them time.

 

[Shaheem]

Releasing them is much more stressfull for the releaser than the pigeons. I'm sure they will return. Just give them time.

I hope your right

 

[pulsev2]

Well. Today was the big day. The weather was nice so I let em out. They walked around my balcony pecking the grout for a few minutes, then took off and circled around a few times and landed on my buildings roof. Then snow pea my white pigeon took off and left her man pidge behind. She flew quite far and landed on a building, then flew back and around my building, then off into the distance. Pidge is perched up 12 feet from my balcony on a building ledge with other pigeons. I called them in with my whistle like I allways do at feed time, called again and again but they ignored me. They havnt eaten today, and it's dark now. Well, hopefully they return tomorrow or the next day. If not. This will be my first and last time doing this. I'm not built for it

How long did you have them in your possession before you flew them?

 

[Shaheem]

How long did you have them in your possession before you flew them?

about 3 months I'd say

 

[Shaheem]

about 3 months I'd say

More than long enough from my understanding

 

[Shaheem]

More than long enough from my understanding

I should have let them out sooner, I was told they may be a bit "strong in the wing " too exited and too powerful sorta thing apparently. I didn't know about that sort of thing. But I had to put it off until now anyway because the weather has been consistently awful for a while. Rain and strong winds everyday

 

[pulsev2]

More than long enough from my understanding

Yeah that should be fine. Now if you are in like NYC or places filled with rooftop urban lofts, there may be cause for concern. But if not, the birds will be back to you. The first release is always the most anxious. It just gets easier after that.
How many birds?

 

[Shaheem]

I

Yeah that should be fine. Now if you are in like NYC or places filled with rooftop urban lofts, there may be cause for concern. But if not, the birds will be back to you. The first release is always the most anxious. It just gets easier after that.
How many birds?

Yeah that should be fine. Now if you are in like NYC or places filled with rooftop urban lofts, there may be cause for concern. But if not, the birds will be back to you. The first release is always the most anxious. It just gets easier after that.
How many birds?

I live in a city, there's plenty of roof tops but no coops, people don't keep pigeons out here. Not in the city anyway. But there's lots of feral pigeons. There's only two of them

 

[Shaheem]

I


I live in a city, there's plenty of roof tops but no coops, people don't keep pigeons out here. Not in the city anyway. But there's lots of feral pigeons. There's only two of them

They're a pair, but the white coloured female flew off by herself after a while. I just saw some light coloured bird flying up super high off into the distance, and it's nearly midnight. Hope it's not her. Prob being paranoid

 

[Shaheem]

They're a pair, but the white coloured female flew off by herself after a while. I just saw some light coloured bird flying up super high off into the distance, and it's nearly midnight. Hope it's not her. Prob being paranoid

Prob just a seagull, I live by a harbour and the beach

 

[pulsev2]

Not surprised at all if they don't return for up to a week. I've had birds I've written off and they show up. Watch the neighbors roofs. You'll spot em. They'll be back. When you least expect it. I'd spend entire weekends in the backyard trying to spot a bird. When I had one bird he would fly so high and just beeline out of sight. A week later he's back. I thought maybe he found a mate. Maybe I treated him poorly. Maybe this maybe that. Only to have it sitting on my roof after I gave up. First flight is the toughest lol. After that things usually fall into place. Wait until you have to relocate. That's tough. I had to go catch that same 1st bird with my hands at the old property loft site. Took a week everyday after work with food. He was so hungry and thirsty he would dive bomb me on site. Finally I used food and grabbed him and boxed him. Took him to the loft he flew away from at the new house 5 miles away. Today we've been here 2 1/2 years now and he's got great grandkids he plays with. He's the boss of 40 birds.
Pigeons are an adventure, often a worry, always a responsibility rain.or shine, an expense, an addiction, an excitement and reward and a part of your life. You're in the beginning. Perfectly normal. Be patient.

 

[Shaheem]

Not surprised at all if they don't return for up to a week. I've had birds I've written off and they show up. Watch the neighbors roofs. You'll spot em. They'll be back. When you least expect it. I'd spend entire weekends in the backyard trying to spot a bird. When I had one bird he would fly so high and just beeline out of sight. A week later he's back. I thought maybe he found a mate. Maybe I treated him poorly. Maybe this maybe that. Only to have it sitting on my roof after I gave up. First flight is the toughest lol. After that things usually fall into place. Wait until you have to relocate. That's tough. I had to go catch that same 1st bird with my hands at the old property loft site. Took a week everyday after work with food. He was so hungry and thirsty he would dive bomb me on site. Finally I used food and grabbed him and boxed him. Took him to the loft he flew away from at the new house 5 miles away. Today we've been here 2 1/2 years now and he's got great grandkids he plays with. He's the boss of 40 birds.
Pigeons are an adventure, often a worry, always a responsibility rain.or shine, an expense, an addiction, an excitement and reward and a part of your life. You're in the beginning. Perfectly normal. Be patient.

Hope your right. I've done my part anyway. It's on them now, it's out of my hands. No use worrying, as difficult as that is. I can't imagine how they could just adbandon their little home where they're given good food, clean water, shelter and safety, it would be like me handing in the keys to my appartment and just deciding to be homeless and eat whatever crap I can find. But then again I don't know how pigeons think, but they're pretty smart. It seems so insane having these little birds you care about so much and then you just open their door and watch them fly away, only being able to hope they come back. There's no strings on them. I can't stand on my balcony all day tomorrow calling them, I'll try a few times and just leave their door open with some food in there I guess

 

[Shaheem]

Saw my white pigeon snow pea zooming around with the huge flock by my building just now! I know it's her, she has a black and grey tail. Up there circling around, hundreds of them, she's the only white one. Pretty sure I saw pidge with her too, he's a blue checker so it's harder to tell, but he's really blue and not really grey, very pretty, certain I saw him. Pea nearly came down to eat but was hesitant because I was there I think, she's a little nervous, but they're pretty comfortable around me. Called em in a bunch of times and nearly had em come down, I put a little food on the the balcony ledge. They can eat that, then come in the coop for more and water. Was one of the coolest things I've ever seen seeing my girl up there zooming around with that gigantic flock. Didn't think I'd see them again. They'l come eat when they're hungry enough, they know where home is