Hi everyone, looking for some advice, very inexperienced here!
Two pigeons have taken up residence in our garden (or perhaps doves? One is pure white, and one is grey and looks a bit like a stock dove, maybe). The white one arrived first during a period of hot, dry weather and seemed to be thirsty and hungry, then the grey one turned up a day or two later. They hung around drinking puddles the kids had made playing with water, and eating grass seed we'd sown, and in the end we (perhaps naively and foolishly) gave them some birdseed. The grey one had missing tail feathers and seemed an erratic flyer initially, but that seems to have improved now.
They both have rings but despite the fact they are clearly a bit tame, we haven't been able to get close enough to catch them. They've been sleeping on our kitchen roof for weeks now and I'm worried they have totally forgotten where their real home is! I'm increasingly worried about them as the weather gets colder. They're a lovely pair and someone may be missing them, feel guilty we have inadvertently kept them so long!
I'd like to try to reunite them with their owner/s, if possible. Any advice on how we might do this much appreciated.
We are in Cambridgeshire.
Thanks very much!
Hi there, it maybe that the pigeons are racing pigeons that have gone astray so unless they are valuable breeding stock it is doubtful the owner would want them back if they didn't return straight back after release. If you can get chance of capturing the pigeons they might possibly have a phone number or other contact mark stamped under their wing if you spread the wing feathers out or if you can read the ring number by taking a photo and zooming in you can contact the royal pigeon racing assoc. and give them the details. The best way if you find tagged pigeons is to withdraw all food so there is more chance of encouraging them to move on and maybe find their own way home. Some years ago somebody knocked on my door to ask if I could help as they found a racing pigeon in a litter-bin on the green area opposite our house; I found a telephone number stamped underneath its wing and was able to reunite the pigeon with its owner who said it was one of his best racing/ breeding pigeons and was glad to have it back again. Good luck.
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Regards, Hazel