Pigeon!

[KR McKay]

OK, here's a question: Does anyone here know anything about pigeons?

I ask because one has "stopped by," and seems quite content HERE at the moment. I wouldn't mind, except that he --or she -- has an obvious yellow band on one leg which is numbered. Therefore, I assume that it belongs to someone, and they may well be wondering where their bird is! (No, I have not tried to "catch it" to try to read the band).

Does anyone know of a "pigeoneering" website where people might report "found" birds?

I'm guessing that it is a homing pigeon, but don't know. It is obviously used to humans, and came up on the deck with us this afternoon, walking about as if it belonged there! (If our Chihuahuas see it, they will lose their collective, little minds)!!!

Thing is, it doesn't seem injured at all, and, in fact, my wife saw it flying around the back yard while I was at work this past evening. When I got home @ 90 minutes ago, it was sitting in the grass in the yard...just sitting there. My wife reported that it found all of the bird feeders in the yard, and gorged itself on the seeds that had fallen from the feeders to the ground.

Any ideas?

[open door]

Well, I thought "homing" pigeons were extinct, lol. Is it possible to catch it without harming it? If so, maybe you can get a phone no. or other info from the band. I'm aware of banding ducks, since I'm a duck hunter, but not familiar with banding of pigeons. I would feed and water it - obviously, it can find its way back home.

[mikalikat]

I would call a local wildlife refuge and ask them what to do about it and what the band means. A few years ago we had a bird fly smack into our front glass door, knocked itself silly. Scooped it up and took it to a wildlife refuge where it was immediately given a shot of steroids to reduce the swelling in its brain and was taken care of until it could fly again. They are chock full of info and could probably help you.

Mike calls pigeons "skyrats".

[KR McKay]

Well, all's well that ends well...or, in this case, all's well that flys away on its own...which is what I assume happened. It was gone this morning, and we haven't seen it at all, so I guess that he was just looking for a "stop-over" spot, and we were it!

Thanks for the ideas!

(I had actually planned to call the state fish & wildlife department this morning to get their suggestions, if it was still here. Glad to see that this wasn't necessary)!

[WKUHilltopper]

I understand squab is a delicacy--LOL!

Probably just like a giant dove...fried up with some biscuits and gravy. Probably not a bad deal.