Wednesday, June 15, 2011

I Found A White Dove, What Do I Do Now?

This past week I had 3 calls from individuals who had come in contact with white pigeons who had lost their way or just were exhausted and couldn't go on.  And the question becomes what do I do with these pigeons?  First thing if you have the pigeon in your possession is to check if the bird has a band on its leg.  The two most common identifications if the birds are registered are the AU and IF bands.  If the band starts with AU you can go to http://www.pigeon.org/  which is the American Racing Pigeon Union and if it starts with IF you can go to www.ifpigeon.com  which is the International Federation of American Homing Pigeons.  Then arrangements can be made with the owner to get the pigeon.  Often times the bird does not have one of these bands, now what?

If possible you need to examine the bird to see if there are any obvious injuries.  If there are no obvious abnormalities than chances are the bird is exhausted and a little care will help this pigeon to be on its way.  So what care is required?  Feed and water.  The pigeon basically ran out of gas and a couple of days of feed with fresh water will do the trick.  The feed required is bird seed or even popcorn (not popped) and rest.  The action of the pigeon will be indication of when it is ready to go.  When the pigeon becomes restless in its cage you can take him outside to release and it will fly home.

I want to thank those who come in contact with our pigeons who at times require a little help and are willing to care for them.  If you come in contact with a pigeon that needs help please feel free to email me at dovesforrelease@yahoo.com if you need assistance.  If you are planning an event and need white doves check out our website www.dovesforrelease.com or call 609-758-5741.

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