Dove or pigeon?

[mothhawk]

Not only will they not want the bird back, they will wring its neck if it is sent back.

There's really not much alternative is there? The bird takes too long to get home, so no good for racing or breeding, but it's been conditioned to the pigeon loft, so it would keep coming back. Like old hounds, it's not economical to keep the duffers, sadly.

[Kaiya]

I had to find out about pigeons when I found myself the unwilling carer of a crashed fledgling. There are three species:

Rock Pigeon - light grey with black bars on their wings, evolved to live on cliffs so prefer cities.
Collared Doves - the small light brown pretty ones with (unsurprisingly) neat little black collars.
Wood Pigeons - largest, dark grey with pinkish tinges to the chest area and a white collar. They obviously like trees and so are more country pigeons.

Racers and all forms of fancy pigeons (fluffy things like this or this) are Rock Pigeons. So if you see something that isn't a wood pigeon (pink chest and all) and isn't a collared dove and isn't a juvenile (which don't have their collars etc.) it's a rock pigeon. Brown, white, black, grey, feathery - they are the variety pigeons!

[Thriftygreen]

Have you tried gooling ...Fancy Pigeon... she looks a little like a tumbler.

[Thriftygreen]

I meant google

[petal]

So she does! thanks for that. Whatever she is, she is welcome to stay. I hope the cat doesn't eat her......