Ontarian racing pigeon discovered in Hatley backyard
In an unusual turn of events, a Hatley resident, Skylar Williams, discovered a racing pigeon from Ontario in his backyard. The bird, which has been temporarily named “Graham Cracker” by Williams’ four-year-old son, was initially spotted near the family’s parked boat.
The pigeon was found around 4 p.m. in the afternoon of July 4, said Williams in a July 8 interview with The Record. It has distinctive green and black tags on each leg, marking it as a racing pigeon. Williams attempted to contact the bird’s owner using the number on the tag through Ontario’s Canadian Racing Pigeon Union (CRPU), but was initially unsuccessful. He later managed to identify a potential owner from Ottawa, who confirmed that the bird had been used in racing events.
Racing pigeons are typically released to compete in races, with the first bird to return to the drop-off point declared the winner. After the races, these pigeons are usually kept for future competitions. However, this particular bird seemed to have been abandoned, as the original owner seems to have indicated they no longer want it.
Currently, the pigeon is residing with Williams’ chickens and appears to be getting along well with them. “Right now, he’s in with my chickens, and he gets along with them just fine,” Williams said. He has been feeding the pigeon alongside his other birds, using a container filled with bird feed.
Williams is considering keeping the pigeon as a pet if the original owner does not reclaim it. “If I can’t get a hold of the actual owner, I might keep him as a pet or release him on a cooler day so he can find his way back,” he explained. The bird has become a temporary member of the family, with even Williams’ children and wife having petted it.
More from the CRPU
The Record reached out to the CRPU for more information and received a response over the phone after a few days from its treasurer, Al Gauvin.
The brief July 10 interview revealed that pigeons sometimes get disoriented during races and may end up far from their intended destination. Gauvin mentioned, “There are one-loss races, which people pay money to enter their birds in, and sometimes those birds get disoriented or picked up.”
He expressed his willingness to help and suggested that the resident keep feeding the pigeon to help it regain its strength, hoping it would eventually continue its journey.
En lieu of answering more questions at the time, Gauvin suggested The Record obtain a “new member package” containing detailed information about pigeon racing.
According to the CRPU’s website, if you find a stray pigeon, first assess its health. If the pigeon appears healthy, you do not necessarily need to catch it. Sometimes, pigeons are simply resting before continuing their journey. In such cases, you can provide fresh water and grains (such as rice or bird seed, but not bread) to help the pigeon regain its strength.
If the pigeon is wounded or exhausted, it is important to capture it to protect it from predators. Place the bird in a cardboard box with holes or a cage, and provide fresh water and grains. Sometimes, despite your best efforts, a wounded or exhausted pigeon may not survive.
Racing pigeons have a band on one of their legs, containing numbers, letters, and the year. If the band has “CU” on it, it was issued by the Canadian Racing Pigeon Union (CRPU). You can use the CRPU website (www.crpu.ca) to trace the owner.
Follow the steps in the wizard to obtain the owner’s name and phone number. The owner is responsible for assisting you with the bird. If the bird is far from home, the owner may ask you to release it a few kilometres from your home, hoping it will return to its loft.
If a pigeon has no band, contact your local humane society for help. If the owner does not contact you within 24 hours of being notified, inform the CRPU, and they will try to find a local pigeon fancier to pick up the bird.
The CRPU says they are dedicated to the welfare of all lost birds.
