To many, this might be a jumble of useless letters and numbers. However, I learned a new meaning to this compilation last night. This is the band number of the pigeon that flew into the garage squawking and flapping at my head, then refusing to leave. The bird first made contact with us in the afternoon, but I shooed him out into the bushes. I could tell something was wrong but I gave Kylee the “survival of the fittest talk” and assured her nature would take its course. Jeff came home from work and we left to take Kylee back to her mom’s house. I exited through the garage, only to be startled by the sound of clumsy, flapping wings. He was back.
Jeff picked him up and we discovered the band on his leg. The bird (Bert as we later came to call him) was severely dehydrated and fell every few steps. He had stopped attempting to fly and just sat there, relieved to be rescued. We put him back in the bush and closed the garage door before taking Kylee home. On our way back from dropping Kylee off, I started thinking more and more about the poor bird and how scared he must have been. Now, I would never be one to keep a bird as a pet, I actually do not like birds at all – but the thought of someone losing their own pet got the best of me. I called my mom to see what her suggestion would be in caring for the sick pigeon.
My mom’s first suggestion is that it might be a homing pigeon. The homing pigeon is a variety of domesticated Rock Pigeon (Columba livia) that has been selectively bred to be able to find its way home over extremely long distances (Wikipedia.com). After further research, we discovered this pigeon is a part of the American Racing Pigeon Union and is registered out of the Greater Jacksonville Area Racing Pigeon Association (RPA). Who knew such a sport existed?! Using the band reader on the Web site, I was able to locate a phone number for the chapter secretary and got him on the phone late last night. He knew who the bird belonged to and was able to tell me Bert is 7 months old and had been flying for a week from Hilliard, Fla – north of Jacksonville, nearly to Georgia. This is the point of the season where owners let the younger birds go for test flights to check out their homing instincts. Bert’s instincts = not so good.
I have to give huge credit to Jeff for putting up with me through this entire ordeal and his commentary was priceless. When we got back home, I had decided if Bert was still in the bushes, I was going to get some bird food and try to nurse him back to health. Of course, as soon as we pulled in, I could see the trembling thing from the car so we headed to Publix. While on the phone with my mother getting directions on what to buy, Jeff asked, “Please ask your dad if he has ever had to miss the Florida State vs. Clemson game to go buy bird seed for a racing pigeon?”
After over an hour of preparing our pigeon rehab facility, we had bird seed, water with two capfuls of Gatorade, unpopped pop corn (Web site said they like it), and a towel to make things comfy. I talked with Stephen, the JAX RPA Secretary, who told me from the description I gave him of Bert’s behavior that things weren’t looking good. As of this morning, Bert made it through the night but had not moved and it didn’t look like he had eaten or drank a thing. I called our local vet, Butler Plaza Animal Hospital, and am awaiting a phone call to hear their advice. John (Bert’s owner) is supposed to call this morning, as well.
Jeff picked him up and we discovered the band on his leg. The bird (Bert as we later came to call him) was severely dehydrated and fell every few steps. He had stopped attempting to fly and just sat there, relieved to be rescued. We put him back in the bush and closed the garage door before taking Kylee home. On our way back from dropping Kylee off, I started thinking more and more about the poor bird and how scared he must have been. Now, I would never be one to keep a bird as a pet, I actually do not like birds at all – but the thought of someone losing their own pet got the best of me. I called my mom to see what her suggestion would be in caring for the sick pigeon.
My mom’s first suggestion is that it might be a homing pigeon. The homing pigeon is a variety of domesticated Rock Pigeon (Columba livia) that has been selectively bred to be able to find its way home over extremely long distances (Wikipedia.com). After further research, we discovered this pigeon is a part of the American Racing Pigeon Union and is registered out of the Greater Jacksonville Area Racing Pigeon Association (RPA). Who knew such a sport existed?! Using the band reader on the Web site, I was able to locate a phone number for the chapter secretary and got him on the phone late last night. He knew who the bird belonged to and was able to tell me Bert is 7 months old and had been flying for a week from Hilliard, Fla – north of Jacksonville, nearly to Georgia. This is the point of the season where owners let the younger birds go for test flights to check out their homing instincts. Bert’s instincts = not so good.
I have to give huge credit to Jeff for putting up with me through this entire ordeal and his commentary was priceless. When we got back home, I had decided if Bert was still in the bushes, I was going to get some bird food and try to nurse him back to health. Of course, as soon as we pulled in, I could see the trembling thing from the car so we headed to Publix. While on the phone with my mother getting directions on what to buy, Jeff asked, “Please ask your dad if he has ever had to miss the Florida State vs. Clemson game to go buy bird seed for a racing pigeon?”
After over an hour of preparing our pigeon rehab facility, we had bird seed, water with two capfuls of Gatorade, unpopped pop corn (Web site said they like it), and a towel to make things comfy. I talked with Stephen, the JAX RPA Secretary, who told me from the description I gave him of Bert’s behavior that things weren’t looking good. As of this morning, Bert made it through the night but had not moved and it didn’t look like he had eaten or drank a thing. I called our local vet, Butler Plaza Animal Hospital, and am awaiting a phone call to hear their advice. John (Bert’s owner) is supposed to call this morning, as well.
Pretty much anyone who has known our family for any amount of time, knows this is just par for the course. Jeff made the comment that he didn’t realize what he had gotten himself into – he knew I was an animal person but he figured we would take in stray dogs or cats, not pigeons. This comment brought the revelation that I have reached that point when women realize they are becoming their mothers. So, thanks Mom, for my innate compassion for animals and strange ability to find them anywhere.
0 comments:
Post a Comment