Pigeon Talk

[WVduckchick]

I switched to evening loft flies which worked for a week or so and then the last two times Coopers' appeared but didn't make any kills. Last night a Coop chased one of my birds out of the yard and pursued it through the air until they were out of sight.
I feared the worst this morning when he still wasn't back but as of thirty minutes ago he's back. Only thing out of the ordinary is he came back absolutely soaked to the bone. When he landed in the yard he was so wet he was flying loudly and slowly and he ended up walking some of the way back. Any guesses as to what happened? I'm thinking a predator got him and dragged him into a pond/swimming pool and that he was somehow fortunate enough to escape. I have him separated in the sun so he can dry quicker.
The pictures don't do the condition he came back in any justice. I could see the skin on almost his entire body.

Wow! Glad he returned! You don’t see any wounds? Maybe he landed on a pond somewhere trying to evade the hawk? Has it been raining?

 

[Qwerty3159]

It

Wow! Glad he returned! You don’t see any wounds? Maybe he landed on a pond somewhere trying to evade the hawk? Has it been raining?

No rain. I saw one small nick on his shoulder but the hawks usually tend to puncture them rather than scratch. Whatever happened he got lucky.

 

[CCUK]

I switched to evening loft flies which worked for a week or so and then the last two times Coopers' appeared but didn't make any kills. Last night a Coop chased one of my birds out of the yard and pursued it through the air until they were out of sight.
I feared the worst this morning when he still wasn't back but as of thirty minutes ago he's back. Only thing out of the ordinary is he came back absolutely soaked to the bone. When he landed in the yard he was so wet he was flying loudly and slowly and he ended up walking some of the way back. Any guesses as to what happened? I'm thinking a predator got him and dragged him into a pond/swimming pool and that he was somehow fortunate enough to escape. I have him separated in the sun so he can dry quicker.
The pictures don't do the condition he came back in any justice. I could see the skin on almost his entire body.

Wow! When mine have a bath they don't get that wet. Glad he made it back. He could have possibly been drinking somewhere like a stream or pond and got dive bombed and escaped in the water. I wouldn't say by his looks it had long since happened, they really don't fly to good when there wet.

 

[CCUK]

The rings went on OK. There feet are bigger than I expected! Little hobbits!

 

[backyard pigeons]

I switched to evening loft flies which worked for a week or so and then the last two times Coopers' appeared but didn't make any kills. Last night a Coop chased one of my birds out of the yard and pursued it through the air until they were out of sight.
I feared the worst this morning when he still wasn't back but as of thirty minutes ago he's back. Only thing out of the ordinary is he came back absolutely soaked to the bone. When he landed in the yard he was so wet he was flying loudly and slowly and he ended up walking some of the way back. Any guesses as to what happened? I'm thinking a predator got him and dragged him into a pond/swimming pool and that he was somehow fortunate enough to escape. I have him separated in the sun so he can dry quicker.
The pictures don't do the condition he came back in any justice. I could see the skin on almost his entire body.

my best guess is this... He got hit out of the air by a BOP over a body of water. The raptor than gave up, and he escaped. Pigeons do float like a duck, so maybe...

Either way, I'm glad he's back!
have you considered fancys any more with how thick BOP are there?

 

[Qwerty3159]

my best guess is this... He got hit out of the air by a BOP over a body of water. The raptor than gave up, and he escaped. Pigeons do float like a duck, so maybe...

Either way, I'm glad he's back!
have you considered fancys any more with how thick BOP are there?

I think I'm maxed out for pigeons atm but if I got more they'd be non-flying breeds. I like the Dutch Capuchines a lot. I'm going to eventually build the homers a decently sized aviary and either attach it to the loft or build a smaller shelter inside it for them. Hopefully that will get done in September when its cooler and I'm not so busy.

 

[Qwerty3159]

Something to this effect but suited for year-round use.

 

[CCUK]

Something to this effect but suited for year-round use.

That would be ideal. Put a roof on it and put it flush up to your loft. They would have a safe area to fly. I can't believe how many hawks you seem to have around you. They are a real problem.

 

[Qwerty3159]

That would be ideal. Put a roof on it and put it flush up to your loft. They would have a safe area to fly. I can't believe how many hawks you seem to have around you. They are a real problem.

In the summer there's up to 6 species in the area on any given day!

 

[memphis]

That was one soaked bird! Poor thing. Sure wonder what it went through to get back home.