How to capture a racing pigeon in the garden (1 Viewer)

[hil5]

Hi

i have a racing pigeon visiting my garden every day fr abotu a week now. I contacted the owner via its leg-rings. However, he cannot collect it unless I can capture it.

He suggested leading it with food into the garage. I can get a few feet away but then it flies so this does not work.

i'm not feeding it but it is picking up a few seeds from beneath the feeders. It is in good health.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to capture it?

 

[Henry B]

Why can,t he capture it, it,s his b,,,,y bird.

 

[Mary Evelyn]

I agree with Henry except i would feed and water the bird and tell the owner the rest was down to him.If it were my bird,i would be on my way.

Once the bird is fed,rested and watered it may well make it's own way home anyway.We have had them here and they usually stay for a week or so to get their strengh back.

Good luck with whatever you decide but the owner doesn't seem too worried.Care for the bird and forget about him.

 

[Kezza]

Totally agree with Henry and Mary. Just leave it be. We've had the odd one and they eat for a few days then go. It will move on when it's ready, so don't worry about it.
I doubt you'd stand much chance of catching it anyway. If he says he wants it captured then it's up to him to do it.

 

[Henstooth]

My grandad said that if you put salt on it's tail it can't fly away! That was when I was 8 years old (now I'm 40) and I believed him for ages. You should have seen me holding a salt pot and chasing the blasted pigeons in the park!
I agree with the others...If it his bird then he should come over and get it. Try not feeding it for a while and perhaps it will scoot off.
Henstooth

 

[hil5]

Hi

The owner reckons he won't be able to capture it either (it comes into his loft).

I just don't want it staying around here. I'm not feeding it but it is picking up scraps from beneath bird feeders. Hopefully, he will move on

 

[sdg_77]

We had one wander into our garden a couple of weeks back - well it 'waddled' through the garage from next door clearly exhausted so I just followed the advice on the Racing Pigeon Society www site left it with some sunflower hearts and water - then got it into a large cardboard box in the garage overnight just to give it a chance with the local cats. Next morning I put it out in the garden again - with the food & water, it was gone by the time we all came home from school/work. No sign of it so I assume it recovered and flew back home. A week does sound a little long - perhaps you are treating it better than it's owner does?

 

[Henry B]

There was a thread a couple of weeks ago on this subject..Those birds got their necks elongated .

 

[citrinella]

The owner is probably being "diplomatic". My pigeon fancier friends say owners never want a bird back unless it makes a bee-line for the loft. If it doesn't, how can it possibly win races ?

Mike.

 

[hebog]

The owner is probably being "diplomatic". My pigeon fancier friends say owners never want a bird back unless it makes a bee-line for the loft. If it doesn't, how can it possibly win races ?

Mike.

That is the norm, any bird that cant make it back is put down.

 

[The Tom]

That is the norm, any bird that cant make it back is put down.

Reminds me of something a friend of mine once said "You pigeon fanciers are all the same when they dont come back you kill them" :eek!:

 

[Dave B Smith]

We used to catch lots of pigeons as kids. Set up a box (turned upside down and maybe a weight on top to help it fall quicker) with the front propped up with a stick (about 9" long). Tie a string to the bottom of the stick and run it to a window. Put some feed under the raised box and then go hold on to the end of the string and wait till it enters for the food. Pull on string and pigeon is trapped.