10/05/2026
We have been rescuing doves and pigeons for years…white doves released for weddings and other celebrations are NOT homing pigeons. They are bred to be used once to make money, released, and then left to die as they cannot survive in the wild. We actually have a dove named George (permanent foster) who was found in a box in the road in Flemington covered in pastel polka dots.
Homing pigeons are trained to return home but they often stop to rest for a day or two, are newbies and can’t find their way home, OR become disoriented…
Step-by-Step Guide to Finding the Owner
• Contain the bird safely: Approach slowly, use a large towel to gently pick up the pigeon, and place it in a cardboard box or pet carrier with fresh water and seeds (like rice, corn, or wheat).
• Inspect the legs and wings: Look for a plastic or metal leg band. Check if there is a phone number printed directly on the band, a stamp with a phone number on the wing, or a secondary band with contact info.
• Read the band code: If there is no direct phone number, write down the letters and numbers on the band (for example: AU-2023-12345 or IF-0000-###X-16). The first letters tell you which organization issued the band.
• Contact the governing organization: Use the prefix letters to look up the registry through the appropriate official group website:
• AU: Search via the American Racing Pigeon Union.
• IF: Visit the International Federation of American Homing Pigeon Fanciers.
• CU: Use the lookup wizard on the Canadian Racing Pigeon Union.
• NPA: Contact the National Pigeon Association if it is a show or fancy pigeon.
Here at FTLOB, we get many calls regarding misplaced and/or injured homing pigeons and doves.
1–Doves who (most likely) were used as a symbol for a wedding (most common) along with other ceremonies we humans experience.
For the bird? It is a confusing and sudden flight with true to life risks.
Releasing a bird into the open air is never completely risk-free.
2–Pigeons
Even a bird that has been trained to home can encounter circumstances that can interfere with its ability to return.
Weather, wind, poor visibility, storms, exhaustion, predators, geographic obstacles and other hazards can all affect a pigeon’s ability to navigate safely. The American Racing Pigeon Union’s own rules specifically address the risks of weather, visibility, wind, storms and other conditions that can make homing difficult.
And here’s something many people don’t realize:
A bird being called a “homing pigeon” does not mean it is incapable of getting lost.
Homing pigeons have an extraordinary ability to navigate, but they are living animals who do not have a GPS built in to guide them.
A bird can become disoriented, become exhausted, encounter severe weather, be injured, or simply fail to make it home.
That is why releasing birds should be a thing of the past.
What happens when a pigeon/bird does not return ‘home’?
The bird may land somewhere unfamiliar and have no safe place to go.
It may become exhausted, confused, and even dehydrated.
It may encounter predators.
It may be injured.
It may be exposed to traffic or other hazards.
And it may be left dependent upon a stranger noticing that something is wrong.
The fact that racing-pigeon organizations have procedures specifically for recovering stray and found banded birds tells us something important: lost pigeons are a real occurrence.
The American Racing Pigeon Union even asks its members to make every effort to recover, care for and locate the owners of found or stray banded birds.
If you find a pigeon that seems tame, exhausted, confused or unable to fly away, take a good look at the legs.
A band may contain valuable information that can help identify the owner/home.
Racing-pigeon bands can include an organization code, year, club code and individual identification number.
Should you find a pigeon or dove
If it is approachable and appears to need help, place it somewhere safe and quiet.
- Provide fresh water.
-Take clear photographs of the bird and both sides of its leg band if possible.
-Do not remove the band.
-Contact the appropriate pigeon organization or a knowledgeable pigeon rescue.
(The American Racing Pigeon Union has resources for identifying bands and locating owners, and its office can also be contacted about a found bird)
-Most importantly, don’t simply assume that because a pigeon is outside, it belongs outside.
A pigeon sitting on someone’s roof, porch, sidewalk or driveway may be a lost domestic bird desperately trying to figure out where home is.
We can still have the beautiful symbolism without putting a living animal at risk.
Flower petals? Bubbles? There are many safe possibilities that won’t affect animals or the environment.
Please think twice before releasing birds for ANY event.
Please think hard on involvement with competitive racing, breeding as a hobby, and message carrying.
What looks like a beautiful ending to a celebration, or a satisfying hobby for us, could become the beginning of a very frightening reality for them.
(photo edited creator unknown)
