Bird People...HELP - Is this someones PET BIRD ?
 

WOW - The girls have LOTS to spy on today - I just took these pictures of this bird on my fence - I've NEVER seen him or one that looks remotely close to this type of bird before - He's easily a foot LONG - and just so calm :confused:

I swear - I was shooting pictures... and He was like - "Hang on Lady....Make sure you get my GOOD SIDE" and he practically handed me his Autograph....:p

DOES ANYONE KNOW WHAT THIS IS ? He's still sitting there and I think he's flirting with me:) The more pictures I took - the more he looked me right in the eye.....Isn't he majestic ?

Is this a pigeon ? Or is this a bird I should try to catch in case someone is looking for him ?

You are SO FUNNY!!!! That is a pigeon!!!!!!!!:p I don't think people keep those as pets...Oh and plus pigeons know how to fly home.

Does he have a leg band on? It looks like he does in pic # 1. Could be a pigeon....I don't really know. Very pretty bird!

Oh and if you decide to try and catch him...can you make sure someone takes a video of that!!!:D

LOL you're too funny V!!~ He's a pidgeon. We have tons of those in NYC. Some people do keep tham as pets. If they are a pet they should have a band on it's leg. And the supposedly know how to fly home. They used to use them during the war to send messages.

Looks like a pigeon to me! A pretty one though!:p

LOL ! I'm a city girl and I SWEAR - get me around all the wildlife in my yard and I loose all my sense -

I remember pigeons as UGLY and this dude is beautiful ! Are you sure he's a pigeon ? :p He's got some kind of Plume on the back of his head

He's really liking me - I think he'll sign some pics if I go back out there - He is still sitting there like KING of the fence.

I've never seen one in my yard - and his colors are pretty - I thought he might be one of those rare imported birds lol - I was trying to get him to talk ...but he was more interested in getting his picture taken.

Actually from the 1st pic it does look like he's wearing a band on his left leg.

OH RIGHT - and be forever known as the Crazy Pigeon Lady ? :p :p :p
NO THANK YOU ! LOL

Ok. So what should I do ? He's still out there - does that mean he's someones pet ? LORD - I can see me making "FOUND" Signs for a Pigeon....my neighbors would really know I lost it.

Poor Vee - your heart is soooooo large but girlfriend I have to tell you: this is a pigeon. I have about 50 of them living on the top of my house so if you want some more tell your guy to call my guys.:D

Girl, that's a pigeon!!!! A very pretty one, too!

Years ago, my parents had a pair of pigeons. They were called Fancy Pigeons as their feathers all over curled up. Their names were George and Martha but Martha never produced any eggs.

This is NOT our pigeon but an example of Fancy Pigeons.

http://pigeons.coolfreepage.com/album.htm

Pigeon or dove? We used to have doves, very pretty.

OMG I JUST BLEW UP HIS PIC and He IS wearing a band for REAL !

LOOK !! What does this mean ?

:eyetearss Go out and ask him if you can read his bracelet...but like someone else stated, make sure you get a video of it! Yeah...I can hear the neighbors talking now if you make those posters!!!

AHHH all I can think about it bird flu..lol...I have been taken over by the media frenzy and this avian flu. DO NOT TOUCH IT VEE...LOL...you're so funny, you and your animal friends that visit you. you're like Dr. Doolittle.

i think he got loose from someone coop, thats what that band is

Well, it doesn't mean he's married...that's for sure. :D He is a homing pigeon or an escapee. There are no special interest groups going around and banding pigeons. ;)

And you mean to tell me...Houston doesn't HAVE pigeons? Every big city I've ever been in...and even our little one....has pigeons.

:D LMAO!! You guys are killing me:D :D :D :D :D

This is SO COOL and he's still there - so....IF he has a bracelet on - does this mean he's one of those messinger birds ?

So I guess him talking is out of the question... :( and LOL on the Dr. Doolittle - can you tell I have NOT had a backyard too long ?:p

Houston has LOTS of pigeons - I've just never seen one in my yard ...and he is pretty - all the pigeons I remember were pretty scruffy looking...and LOL DEB - I think he WANTS to get married - I got so many GREAT SHOTS of him ...this is where I was shooting normally.....the others I had to hold the camera over my head...but he was looking right down on me

everyone is right! although I believe he is a homing pigeon.. I grew up with my dad being the bird man of San Franciso LOL he was in a pigeon club, and they race them.. among sending notes etc..here is some info on homing pigeons

The homing pigeon is a variety of domesticated Rock Pigeon (Columba livia) that has been selectively bred to be able to find its way home over extremely long distances. Because any pigeon generally returns to its own nest and its own mate, it was relatively easy to selectively breed the birds that repeatedly found their way home over long distances. The birds can carry messages (frequently written on cigarette paper) in a small tube attached to one leg. Flights as long as 1689 miles have been recorded by exceptional birds in competition pigeon racing. Their average flying speed over moderate distances is around 30 miles per hour, but they can achieve bursts of speed up to 60 mph
World War I
Messenger pigeons were used extensively during World War I. In 1914 during the First Battle of the Marne, the French army had 72 pigeon lofts which advanced with the troops.

The US Army Signal Corps alone used 600 pigeons in France. One of their carrier pigeons, a Black Check cock called Cher Ami, was awarded the French "Croix de Guerre with Palm" for heroic service delivering 12 important messages in Verdun. On his final mission in October 1918, he delivered a message despite having been shot through the breast or wing. The crucial message, found in the capsule hanging from a ligament of his shattered leg, saved around 200 US soldiers of the 77th Infantry Division's "Lost Battalion".


World War II and later
During World War II, the United Kingdom used about 250,000 messenger

Reading a leg band

All thoroughbred pigeons are registered with permanent leg bands a few days after being hatched. These special bands, also called rings, stay on the bird for life. They are unique and identify a bird as belonging to a national sponsoring organization, a local club, and finally to an individual club member. The leg band also tells the year the birds was hatched.

When examining a band number, look for the following bits of information:


National sponsoring pigeon organization. Examples: IF, AU, NPA

Year the bird was hatched. Examples: 99, 00, 01

Local club code. Examples: OMAHA, SOJ, LAB

Bird number. Examples: 5701, 10243

A complete band number might read: AU 99 OMAHA 1234.
Some national level pigeon organizations post their club affiliate's contact information online. Others list a contact individual. Please view the table below to get more information on the band you've found.

Organizations in: North America, United Kingdom, Europe, Asia,


North America
Band Code Organization Contact
AU American Racing Pigeon Union http://www.pigeon.org
CU Canadian Racing Pigeon Union (Canada) http://www.

WOW THANK YOU ! THAT was so interesting....if he's a racing pigeon - I'm not placing a bet on him - he sure isn't going too fast right now lol...

but how do they tell them WHERE to go ? do they get little MAPQUESTS ? :D

I don't see any little notes - man...wouldn't THAT be fun to add a note to his foot and see what happens ?

Do you have gloves?
 

If it were me, I would try to see if he would come to me! I would put on one of my long gardening gloves and go offer him my finger. That way, you could read the band and try to contact the owner. If he's/she's as docile as you say, it may WANT you to come out and get it!

Good luck!! I can't wait to see if this turns into Vee's Big Pidgeon Adventure!!!!!!!!!:p

LOL I'm not placing a bet on him - he sure isn't going too fast right now lol...

they are bred and trained to know? I would have to ask my dad! I remember asking him when I was a kid how do they know to come back home?? but I don't really remember his answer?

LOL...I was just hangin out with my new pigeon and he is just looking at me but moved into the shade more into my neighbors yard - but still there.....

I REALLY appreciate the feedback here - I was freakin thinking this was someones PET bird lol - I just remember a friend losing her African Grey and some birds are so expensive....I'm seriously thinking of trying to put a little note on his foot though....Should I go try to read his tag ?

If he will let you, absolutely!
 

lol, I knew you were out there with it!!:p Yes, please try to read the tag, but take care you watch the beak!:p

If He is a homing pigeon, they are used to being handled so he will not peck you should you attempt to pick him up either come from the bottom as if to offer your hand for him to step up on you hand or wrap your hand around his back with his wings closed, then you can read his tag, here is a link that I attached to contact to recover lost homers, if he is sitting on your fence all this time, he must live by or is completely off track and is lost.

http://www.interbug.com/pigeon/lost.html

Jo, you ROCK!!
 

Nicely done, Joanne!

So Villette, how IS the Great Pidgeon Adventure coming?? Update, please!:D

V's off line...I suspect she out there now....calling here, pig-gee, pig-gee, nice pig-gee. :D The bird on the other hand is wondering WTH?!?!?

Lololol!!!
 

I can see it too!!! She's probably got an ear of corn or something, trying to lure him!! Can you just imagine what her neighbors think???:p