When I was a kid, my neighbor had a pigeon coop on his roof. I lived one floor above their roof so I got to watch the birds and people from my porch without any trouble at all. Funny. Today we would probably call it a balcony, but to me it was my porch.
Anyhow, I saw the girl next door feeding the pigeons, playing cards with her friends, flirting with her boyfriends. That rooftop saw a lot of activity. Probably more than the pigeon owner knew about! Certainly more than I understood as a kindergarten observer!
What stands out in my mind though was the human side of pigeon raising. Naturally that thought comes to mind as I think about those times. I doubt that I thought of it when I was a kid. At some time or other everyone in that family had something to do on the roof that had something to do with the pigeons. And everyone was gentle. The old man smoked an awful cigar that I could smell on my porch. He wore a tattered old greenish sweater with a button missing in the front. Most of the time I never saw him smile. But somehow when he was with those pigeons he was happy and somehow I could tell that from my porch overlook.
I guess that means something. Maybe more than I realize even now. Watching them in all kinds of weather made me a better observer of people and of birds. I learned by observation that if you were going to have a pet or raise pigeons you had to stick with it day in and day out whether you felt like it or not.
On Saturdays, the old man and some of the other relatives would gather to prepare the birds for a release. They were considered homing pigeons. They sent the birds out to I don’t know where carrying a message tied somehow to its leg. Then they gathered around in the shade playing cards and drinking beer or coffee and visiting while they watched the clock and waited for the birds to come home. Moms and dads and kids and uncles and grandparents were all around the roof or down in the yard, every Saturday afternoon. They did not have a television and neither did we. I watched them as part of my entertainment and learned some songs and games from the kids next door. My grandmother told me that was what people did in the “OLD Country” where she came from. In her case it was England. So in that moment I learned that her “Papa” raised homing pigeons on the roof of the flat they lived in and that people in England loved pigeons too!
That is what I think is the most valuable part about raising and caring for pigeons. The family connections. The bird people. The bird families. And maybe, just maybe if more people had good experiences like that there would be fewer people fighting in this world. It was and is a healthy hobby. At that time I did not know people would bet on different times that the birds might return and it was a kind of a race.
But you probably know pigeon racing is a sport that is considered by many as very rewarding. Some people even bank on this for business purposes. Others consider it as a hobby.
If more people had a better understanding of pigeons and family interactions there might be fewer people who simply want to get rid of pigeons . You could even be building family bonds even while you are building a loft and bonding with your racing pigeons.
Straight from the Chicago Tribune to you.
I grant you that is is not TODAY’s news. But I believe it falls into the timeless category. And share the memory of the man in the video. Sometimes it is important for people to do what their heart tells them to do.
…actually more than just sometimes…
Once considered the sport of the wealthy royals in Europe, in recent years racing pigeons has become more of a sport for the everyday person.
Surprisingly, we see more pigeon racing clubs popping up in urban areas all around the world. Well, maybe it is not so surprising when you consider how many pigeons are found in urban areas. But those are not tame and trained birds. I like this short video about pigeon racing in the Baltimore area.
Pigeons
People have been racing pigeons almost since the beginning of time. Historic records show there were pigeon races in 220 AD.
Pigeons are intelligent birds, despite what you may think from your city experiences. This site will share tons of data and tales about pigeons and pigeon racing and hopefully will become an excellent resource for people in search of good information about pigeons, racers and doves. There are many different breeds of pigeons.
There are also national and international organizations which govern the entire process of pigeon racing. You might expect that when you think about how long these birds have been racing.
They have a solid history as messenger birds that precedes the telegraph, the telephone, the pony express and all sorts of technological means of communication.
Come back soon and watch us build a loft for this site.
Racer
Though my racing is in my dreams, I choose this name.
