Ringed White Pigeon in garden

[jetgirl]

I've got a new visitor in my garden, its an all-white pigeon with a green ring and yellow ring around its legs.

Does anyone know what the rings might mean? I can't help but think whether this is a pigeon that has escaped its owner?

It seems healthy and active, happily following the other hungry pigeons around.

Thanks

[Dogghound]

Yes its likely an escaped show bird or racing bird. Not sure were you would find out who it belongs to though or if they want it back.

[jetgirl]

Thanks Dogghound.. that would make sense, it does appear slightly larger and muscular compared to the local pigeons.

I am from London so if anybody knows about this kind of hobby and if there is a place or organisation that I can call up.. please let me know!

[htcdude]

Can you take a picture and see if there's any information on the rings?

Nige

[RoyW]

Originally Posted by jetgirl

I am from London so if anybody knows about this kind of hobby and if there is a place or organisation that I can call up.. please let me know!

You would need to know exactly what it says on the ring before it was possible to identify an owner from this information, and would almost certainly need to have the bird in captivity before anyone was interested in coming to collect it (if you do catch it, check the primary feathers - I've found a dead one with the owners contact details stamped on these before, although this may not be common).

The first part of the ring "number", which is actually a series of letters, would tell you which pigeon club/organisation you would need to contact to find an owner (details can be found on sites like homingpigeons.co.uk.
Like Doghound implies, you might be wasting your time trying to find out though, a bird that has become tired or lost is unlikely to be considered one of the owners better birds!

[Pigeon lover]

Hi there Jetgirl, I feel it's only right to let you know that tracing the pigeon's owner may not be to the birds advantage. While it is relatively easy to return such a bird to its owner, the truth is that most of the racing pigeon fraternity, ( assuming the bird you describe IS a homing pigeon ) do not really want these birds back as they are considered useless simply because the bird couldn't find its way home. Sadly, only too often the bird is killed on return .
From past experience I would happily leave the bird to take its chances with the feral pigeons.

Pigeon lover .

[Kayleigh]

Originally Posted by Pigeon lover

Hi there Jetgirl, I feel it's only right to let you know that tracing the pigeon's owner may not be to the birds advantage. While it is relatively easy to return such a bird to its owner, the truth is that most of the racing pigeon fraternity, ( assuming the bird you describe IS a homing pigeon ) do not really want these birds back as they are considered useless simply because the bird couldn't find its way home. Sadly, only too often the bird is killed on return .
From past experience I would happily leave the bird to take its chances with the feral pigeons.

Pigeon lover .

That's disgusting if this sort of thing happens, I thought they were animal lovers..

..so its all about money then..

[Michelleatiisis]

I had a ringed pigeon in my sand school last winter or the winter before. I caught him and he didn't try to escape so I called the number on his ring and a voice said 'oh, you are not Welsh are you?!' (in in Essex).

There had been some really heavy winds and storms so he thought he had just lost his barings, asked if I would mind keeping him safe for the night with some water and a little food and set him free the next day... which I did!

I pointed him to wards Wales (lol!!) and let him go! I assume he got home!

[tcvarlh]

Not truly about money, but prestige and breeding stock. I find it reprehensible and totally morally wrong, but it a fact of life that many 'returns' never live long after being returned. Also sometimes a bird is simply tired and will continue as soon as it has filled it's crop or drunk. Unless you know exactly what to do with a 'straying' bird you are best to offer it dry peas and some water and let it get on with life.

h

[Cowgirl]

They don't always disregard their strayed birds.
Me & a couple of other women once rescued an injured (wing trailing a bit) racer in the middle of York, the RSPCA agreed to pay £60 towards any vet costs so I dropped it off at a vets & contacted the owner, they were coming the next day from Durham to get it.

Although to be fair, injured is different to lost or tired.