Pigeon Talk

[Kusanar]

But, to me, a 'feral' pigeon is a wild pigeon. Many have never had human contact since they first were here. They are living in the wild, have no human contact, no selective breeding, etc. I appreciate SO MUCH your help, but still, a pigeon living under the bridge is Wild - as they are in nature, no selective breeding done by humans,

But there was selective breeding done by humans before they were released.

The feral cats all over the place live in the wild, have no human contact, and are not selectively bred, but they are still domesticated cats, it's actually in their scientific name that they are the domesticated version.

There are also no wild horses, up until a few years ago, they still believed that there were a few pockets of horses that were not descended from domestic stock, but they have found out otherwise lately thought DNA testing that they are all feral. The problem is that so many people don't know the difference in Wild and Feral so they believe that the Mustangs and the ponies on Assateague are wild even though we know that horses are not native to North America and therefore any horses here, no matter how wild they act, were brought here by people.

In fact, for some reason, the park rangers on Assateague call the ponies "wild horses" even though they are a) not horses, they are ponies and b) are not wild, they are feral. I have questioned them on the wild/feral thing and they agree that they are feral but they insist on using "wild" because the general public is more likely to try to get close to a "feral" animal than they are to a "wild" animal because they believe that "wild" means dangerous and "feral" does not. So, even official documentation that is supposed to be educating people is incorrect because they don't think people are intelligent enough for the truth.

 

[Old_Strain_Lover]

but there young can?

Well, some of the pigeons have the original rock dove blood in them, not just because they all came from them, but also since rock doves were brought to America, and some were released and escaped. So,yeah, they are kinda invasive.

But, to me, a 'feral' pigeon is a wild pigeon. Many have never had human contact since they first were here. They are living in the wild, have no human contact, no selective breeding, etc. I appreciate SO MUCH your help, but still, a pigeon living under the bridge is Wild - as they are in nature, no selective breeding done by humans,

Well done young grasshopper!!! He who looks past Harvard blog, which is full of fluff, will go far in life!!

 

[backyard pigeons]

Well done young grasshopper!!! He who looks past Harvard blog, which is full of fluff, will go far in life!!

 

[backyard pigeons]

OSL, please post more pictures your birds! I love them, especially some crested ones!

 

[Old_Strain_Lover]

OSL, please post more pictures your birds! I love them, especially some crested ones!

I'll get some pictures some day... but I only raised one crested this year and unfortunately he didn't return from a training flight. It happened to be the only one I lost this year. I've been busy lately as rats have moved into the neighborhood. Trapping, baiting, and shooting them when I can. Have NEVER had rats in this neighborhood until this year. Probably still wouldn't have if a neighbor had taken care of them earlier when he first had problems (they actually chewed up the entire wooden floor of his shed).

 

[backyard pigeons]

Wild - as they are in nature, no selective breeding done by humans

I'll get some pictures some day... but I only raised one crested this year and unfortunately he didn't return from a training flight. It happened to be the only one I lost this year

You have some good blood If You only lost one. What distance was he lost from? What was your farthest toss this year? I have finally gotten my YBs going good. They have been tossed 6 miles and are loft flying without landing for 1 1\2 hours. Hopefully I can hit my two hour mark that I like. And guess what! They actually routed... I was very cunfused, but they did.

I'm hoping the hawks hold out a while longer, so I can train another batch of 12 young birds I have. We will see.

 

[Old_Strain_Lover]

You have some good blood If You only lost one. What distance was he lost from? What was your farthest toss this year? I have finally gotten my YBs going good. They have been tossed 6 miles and are loft flying without landing for 1 1\2 hours. Hopefully I can hit my two hour mark that I like. And guess what! They actually routed... I was very cunfused, but they did.

I'm hoping the hawks hold out a while longer, so I can train another batch of 12 young birds I have. We will see.

I lost him at 80... was doing great till then. Might have got hit by a hawk... not sure. I've never had great luck with the crested ones though. The rest of the young birds I had out to 150, and i'm pretty much done flying them this year because the hawks are getting more and more numerous.
Glad to hear they are routing! That's how it should be when all is well!!

 

[backyard pigeons]

I lost him at 80... was doing great till then. Might have got hit by a hawk... not sure. I've never had great luck with the crested ones though. The rest of the young birds I had out to 150, and i'm pretty much done flying them this year because the hawks are getting more and more numerous.
Glad to hear they are routing! That's how it should be when all is well!!

Nice. My farthest toss has been 80... Hard to get very far when you can't drive...

I want to ask an experienced racing homer fancier... What's do you think of the eye sign? I am skeptical.

 

[cavemanrich]

Hard to get very far when you can't drive...

BP,,, no explanation needed. Spoiler for AMUSEMENT HERE ONLY

 

[Old_Strain_Lover]

Nice. My farthest toss has been 80... Hard to get very far when you can't drive...

I want to ask an experienced racing homer fancier... What's do you think of the eye sign? I am skeptical.

I know it's frustrating, but you will get there some day... and then you will be teaching me a thing or 2
As far as eye sign... I use it to a certain extent. And I will admit that's because my father was much better at understanding it than I am. There's always things you wish you could have learned better when you had the chance...