- Apr 5, 2011
- 74
- 6
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I flew my three white homers the other day and another banded bird followed them home. The new bird has an August 2011 band, and is quite a bit smaller and lighter in the chest than mine, so I believe him to be quite young. The band is from a club 250 miles east, so I think he was blown off course by the hurricane and high winds we've had. He was HUNGRY when he got to my loft.
I called the club but have not heard from an owner after 2 weeks.
The bird also seems, well, dumb.
After two weeks he doesn't seem to be able to get the knack of drinking from the chicken waterer. Although I let him out with the other doves, he can't master the super simple trap I have that has no bars covering the way (he finally figured it out yesterday after perhaps 8 hours).
And he is a very clumsy flier. It seems to me that he is missing the three middle feathers of his tail, which perhaps explains it. He can't turn well. He has trouble just flying from the loft to low perches within my yard. And he lands clumsily.
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This seems odds to be in that he is - after all - 250 miles from home and he flew home with my doves on a 20 miles flight in less than an hour when he initially arrived at my house.
He hasn't left the loft much (and hasn't flown out of the yard) since he arrived two weeks ago and does seem quite young, so perhaps he is just inexperienced. My birds certainly become more and more graceful and strong as they have flown more. They are quite amazing athletes.
It is also possible that those missing central feathers on his tail are throwing him off.
Sometimes I wonder if he has a bit of tumbler in him, in that he flies but really wants to be on the ground and seems a bit disoriented in flight. He CAN'T make a fast turn without missing his mark.
Or he could just be dumb. I began with four doves and one always seemed clumsier than the other three and had a hard time getting through the trap. That was the bird who disappeared one day on a flight. Similarly, my broody bird who has spent too much time sitting on infertile eggs was a notably worse flier than the others until we just forced her off the nest and flew her.
Any thoughts? Could I be missing something obvious and biological?
_________________
Finally - thanks to those who answered my questions about my too many, unhatching eggs. Yes, I think the person who suggested I have all females is probably right. I have been taking and eating the completely infertile eggs lately. They are laying less frequently and seem much, much happier. The texture of the eggs is much silkier when boiled than my hen or quail eggs.
I called the club but have not heard from an owner after 2 weeks.
The bird also seems, well, dumb.
After two weeks he doesn't seem to be able to get the knack of drinking from the chicken waterer. Although I let him out with the other doves, he can't master the super simple trap I have that has no bars covering the way (he finally figured it out yesterday after perhaps 8 hours).
And he is a very clumsy flier. It seems to me that he is missing the three middle feathers of his tail, which perhaps explains it. He can't turn well. He has trouble just flying from the loft to low perches within my yard. And he lands clumsily.
_______________
This seems odds to be in that he is - after all - 250 miles from home and he flew home with my doves on a 20 miles flight in less than an hour when he initially arrived at my house.
He hasn't left the loft much (and hasn't flown out of the yard) since he arrived two weeks ago and does seem quite young, so perhaps he is just inexperienced. My birds certainly become more and more graceful and strong as they have flown more. They are quite amazing athletes.
It is also possible that those missing central feathers on his tail are throwing him off.
Sometimes I wonder if he has a bit of tumbler in him, in that he flies but really wants to be on the ground and seems a bit disoriented in flight. He CAN'T make a fast turn without missing his mark.
Or he could just be dumb. I began with four doves and one always seemed clumsier than the other three and had a hard time getting through the trap. That was the bird who disappeared one day on a flight. Similarly, my broody bird who has spent too much time sitting on infertile eggs was a notably worse flier than the others until we just forced her off the nest and flew her.
Any thoughts? Could I be missing something obvious and biological?
_________________
Finally - thanks to those who answered my questions about my too many, unhatching eggs. Yes, I think the person who suggested I have all females is probably right. I have been taking and eating the completely infertile eggs lately. They are laying less frequently and seem much, much happier. The texture of the eggs is much silkier when boiled than my hen or quail eggs.
