banded pigeon?

Contact Toni Lance immediately at the St Croix Avian Sanctuary. She rescues birds.
(340) 773-1839
(remove the xxx) xxxlance.antonia@gmail.com

More info: http://www.stcroixthisweek.com/featured-articles/avian-sanctuary.html

Unfortunately it's a moot point at the moment -- our fearless hunter of a cat scared it off. Thanks, though!

Good evening, Popflops,

I may be able to help and I have a call into the possible owner of the bird; I'm awaiting a call back.

Reading the Band: "IF" stands for the "International Federation of American Racing Pigeon Fanciers.
2009 is the year the pigeon was "born" (if you will)
STOCK is the name of the Racing Pigeon Loft from which the bird was raised and, inturn, is suppose to return to from a "race" event.

This loft is located in Stockhom, New Jersey. How the pigeon made it to St. Croix is perplexing, unless someone moved to STX with the bird. Perhaps I can get that info if I get a call back -(oftentimes, the pigeon racing clubs do not return the calls.)

All in all, In this case, the bird can not be sent back to N.J.even if the owner says just to send it back and he'll pay. The bird will not make it. It can be adopted, I am sure, if the santuary will not keep it. Hopefully they will.

In the meantime, if you do have an avian santuary that will care for the bird, please bring it there as Bob recommends. As a Licensed Wildlife Rehabilitator (who receives banded pigeons all too often) I'm concerned that it is not eating or drinking. It should readily welcome a pigeon-mix bird seed (or even regular bird seed) and a bowl of water that's about 2"deep to drink from. In the meantime, keep the bird in a quiet area with seed and water, until you get help. Please don't feed it any bread, donuts, bagels, etc. Breads cause starvation in birds: no nutritional value...just fills them up.

You can place it in a med.-sized box with a screen cover on top temporarily- or something to that effect.
These are very nice birds and use to people.

Swan

I had this pigeon on my porch several days ago. Called Toni and she was willing to take it If I could catch it and bring it to her. Puerto Ricans race pigeons. Take them to St Maartin then they have to get home from there.

Jim

Here's a racing pigeon that Toni Lance rescued from our driveway in Salt River, STX in Feb 2008.

Good morning: Update-

I just had a phone conversation with the owner/breeder of the Banded Pigeon and, indeed, it did originate at his loft in New Jersey. The bird was transferred/bought probably from someone in PR (Jim, you thought this too). He's checking on this - it's all documented.

He said that Pigeon Racing is very popular between islands in the Caribbean. This bird made his way to STX; STX was not one of the islands in a race, so we know that the bird failed to return "home" to whichever island it now lives on. This also translates that the bird is of little value to that Racing Pigeon Club... it failed to complete the race properly. After it rests and revitalizes, it may, ultimately, fly back to where it lives also.

If anyone , including Toni, would like to adopt the bird, he has no problem with that; they are very friendly birds and easy to care for. Toni can advise as to the proper diet for the bird. Hope this helps.

Swan

found a banded pigeon when i was a kid. had piggey (name) for years. was very friendly. would follow us all over the yard and lived in out playhouse during winter. They are great pets. hope you find it. i will be on look out for it (east ender)