Getting New Pigeon

[Olycius]

Hello, I am new to this forum and joined to ask a few questions about my pigeon. He is all white with his feet covered in feathers.

My girlfriend found this pigeon about 2-3 years ago at work because he flew into the window. He could not fly and she felt bad and wanted to help. We took him home and bought him a good size cage and took care of him. We then enclosed our front porch and let him roam there. After a few months he started trying to fly again and could only go up a few feet. After about a year he was flying normal so we decided to let him go as he seemed anxious to go outside. To our surprise he came back a few days later and went back into his home. Now we let him out every morning and he comes back when when we get home from work. If we get home before he gets back he checks to see if I'm in my suv. Here is a video of him:
https://ring.com/share/6705145824046847664

There are no pigeons that look like him in our area, so I was wondering if it would be a good idea to get one so that he could possibly mate with it. Would this be a good idea? I think that is what he is trying to do when he leaves.

 

[biophiliac]

Hello, I am new to this forum and joined to ask a few questions about my pigeon. He is all white with his feet covered in feathers.

My girlfriend found this pigeon about 2-3 years ago at work because he flew into the window. He could not fly and she felt bad and wanted to help. We took him home and bought him a good size cage and took care of him. We then enclosed our front porch and let him roam there. After a few months he started trying to fly again and could only go up a few feet. After about a year he was flying normal so we decided to let him go as he seemed anxious to go outside. To our surprise he came back a few days later and went back into his home. Now we let him out every morning and he comes back when when we get home from work. If we get home before he gets back he checks to see if I'm in my suv. Here is a video of him:
https://ring.com/share/6705145824046847664

There are no pigeons that look like him in our area, so I was wondering if it would be a good idea to get one so that he could possibly mate with it. Would this be a good idea? I think that is what he is trying to do when he leaves.

Hi and . You have a beautiful bird! You have had him 2+ years? How long has he(do you know the gender for sure?) been free flying during the day? There is a risk of predation when he does this. If you want more pigeons then you should get him a mate but probably build an aviary to keep them safe. He does not really look like a feral, ... does he have a leg band by chance? I think you need to decide if you want to keep him (safe) or let him keep going free. Freedom for a prey species comes at a high risk. You also might be able to find someone with a loft and other pigeons to take him. Again, this bird does not seem to be a feral but rather likely an escapee who was very lucky to find you!

 

[Qwerty3159]

Not sure on the breed but the feathered feet and the somewhat fanned out tail make me think that definitely isn't a feral bird. Its possible he even was raised by another person as he's so friendly towards you.
Not sure how bad the birds of prey in your area are but that's a pretty special bird you've got and I personally would get him a girlfriend and keep him penned up. He would probably have to get used to the confinement again but a mate would certainly help.

 

[backyard pigeons]

Hello, I am new to this forum and joined to ask a few questions about my pigeon. He is all white with his feet covered in feathers.

My girlfriend found this pigeon about 2-3 years ago at work because he flew into the window. He could not fly and she felt bad and wanted to help. We took him home and bought him a good size cage and took care of him. We then enclosed our front porch and let him roam there. After a few months he started trying to fly again and could only go up a few feet. After about a year he was flying normal so we decided to let him go as he seemed anxious to go outside. To our surprise he came back a few days later and went back into his home. Now we let him out every morning and he comes back when when we get home from work. If we get home before he gets back he checks to see if I'm in my suv. Here is a video of him:
https://ring.com/share/6705145824046847664

There are no pigeons that look like him in our area, so I was wondering if it would be a good idea to get one so that he could possibly mate with it. Would this be a good idea? I think that is what he is trying to do when he leaves.

Hello! And welcome to BYC! Very pretty bird you have there. It appears to be a tumbler of some sort. Or maybe a fantail×homer.

he seems to be cooing at his reflection in the window. I think you should get him a mate, of any kind of breed. Never fly a bird you can't bear to lose! You are risking his safety every time you fly him.

 

[Olycius]

Hi and . You have a beautiful bird! You have had him 2+ years? How long has he(do you know the gender for sure?) been free flying during the day? There is a risk of predation when he does this. If you want more pigeons then you should get him a mate but probably build an aviary to keep them safe. He does not really look like a feral, ... does he have a leg band by chance? I think you need to decide if you want to keep him (safe) or let him keep going free. Freedom for a prey species comes at a high risk. You also might be able to find someone with a loft and other pigeons to take him. Again, this bird does not seem to be a feral but rather likely an escapee who was very lucky to find you!

He's been going out every day for about 6 months now. There are pigeons in my neighborhood that he goes with for a bit. A lot birds that come visit the front gate since they here him(different species and smaller). The only things in our area is hawks since I live in a desert, but they go for rabbits far away. I talked to a person that has birds as well and they were the ones who told me he was a male and most likely might have escaped from a farm. He knows someone that breeds some that look like him which is why I was insterested in getting him a mate. He did not have a leg band when he was found, but where I work is in the middle of the city so there's no farms anywhere near so maybe he got lose from a house? I looked to see if anyone was looking for him but nothing ever popped up. He's going on three years of being with us. Not sure what their lifespan is either.

 

[backyard pigeons]

He's been going out every day for about 6 months now. There are pigeons in my neighborhood that he goes with for a bit. A lot birds that come visit the front gate since they here him(different species and smaller). The only things in our area is hawks since I live in a desert, but they go for rabbits far away. I talked to a person that has birds as well and they were the ones who told me he was a male and most likely might have escaped from a farm. He knows someone that breeds some that look like him which is why I was insterested in getting him a mate. He did not have a leg band when he was found, but where I work is in the middle of the city so there's no farms anywhere near so maybe he got lose from a house? I looked to see if anyone was looking for him but nothing ever popped up. He's going on three years of being with us. Not sure what their lifespan is either.

I suppose you could keep flying him, just know that it's risky.

Pigeons can live up to 15 years, but rarely will they reach double digits. My oldest one now is 10 years.

 

[Olycius]

I suppose you could keep flying him, just know that it's risky.

Pigeons can live up to 15 years, but rarely will they reach double digits. My oldest one now is 10 years.

He's out about 9 hours a day and comes back around the same time and we lock him up at night. If it's cold we also keep him inside the house. He normally hangs out on our roof or a neighbors as we really don't have trees here. If I find him a mate I will probably make a new home for them on the side of my house.

 

[backyard pigeons]

He's out about 9 hours a day and comes back around the same time and we lock him up at night. If it's cold we also keep him inside the house. He normally hangs out on our roof or a neighbors as we really don't have trees here. If I find him a mate I will probably make a new home for them on the side of my house.

Okay. There predoters aren't limited to hawks... Cats and cars can get them to, so just be careful!

 

[Olycius]

Okay. There predoters aren't limited to hawks... Cats and cars can get them to, so just be careful!

He rarely get near the street, and there are cats that usually only come out at night, one sleeps on our car. The main reason we decided to let him outside was he was starting to pull out feathers and I think he was stressed out. Once we started letting him out he hasn't been doing it since. If we don't let him out he will start cooing differently and if I open the door to my house he will get right next to the gate and if I open it he will fly out very fast.

 

[Hokum Coco]

get one so that he could possibly mate with it. Would this be a good idea?

Your pigeon is definitely searching for a mate. My guess he is seeing his reflection in the car and trying to polish his courting moves.
I would say your bird may have a fantail gene in it's mix by the size of it's tail.
Probably not the best homing pigeon when it comes to speed.
I think he is definitely a male.
Giving him a mate is also making way for a population explosion. The next step would be constructing an outside loft and becoming a pigeon fancier like the rest of us.
It has made my life richer and I would not want it any other way.

Welcome to BYC and Pigeon Country Olycius.