This pigeon kept hanging around the back door of a local eatery, waiting for the kitchen staff to come out so it could try to sneak inside and steal a snack�then dart back out again like a tiny feathered thief. It finally got caught, and it was an easy catch. Since it had a band, they thought it might be a lost pet or maybe injured since it was hanging around so much.

Nope. Just another spoiled and lazy pigeon, stealing from the hardworking folks trying to make a living. Around here, pigeons may not have knives, but you better keep an eye on the geese�they always have a shiv or something stashed in their feathers for emergencies. Like that meme of the crow holding a knife in its beak? Yeah, I�m pretty sure that�s one of our locals. We have some truly insane crows here. You might even call them a murder of crows. Haha. But seriously, you�ll see. Remember I said this for when I show you.

Anyway, if you ever find a banded pigeon, it�s usually just tired and taking a break at your place. They may hang around for a day or two (or three), but once they�ve fueled up and rehydrated, they�ll typically get back on the road�or sky, or whatever it is they follow to do what they do. If it sticks around too long or looks obviously injured, that�s when you should try catching it. Not as hard as it sounds. For all their flying skills, pigeons are surprisingly dumb in other ways.

Remember those old cartoons where you trap something with just a box, a stick, and a string? Well, that actually works. Especially if the bird is already used to you and expecting food. Set the food under the box, step back, and wait. They are very food-motivated and eat a ton, so it won�t take long. There are also pigeon traps designed to let them in but not back out, but honestly, most people can manage a box and a string.

Once you catch it, check the band�sometimes there�s a phone number, or it might be linked to a pigeon club. But not all bands are traceable. A lot of people just band their pigeons independently, using their own color or number system, and nobody is actually looking for their lost pigeon. They release them expecting them to fly home, but if they don�t make it back, most owners aren�t heartbroken.

And that brings me to a hard lesson learned. If you do find an owner, ask what they plan to do with the bird if they get it back. Some won�t want it, especially if it�s injured, lost, or just lazy. And depending on the distance, they may not bother coming to get it. Pigeon club folks are different�they often have vets among them who can help�but private owners? You never know.

The first time I rescued a pigeon, I didn�t ask. It just had a broken wing�fixable, maybe even flyable again one day. The owner said he�d come get it but needed a few days. So I took care of it, got attached� and then he showed up. He took one quick look at the bird, examined it for maybe five seconds�then snapped its neck right in front of me.

Sorry to be graphic, but that�s what happened. Not to speak badly of anyone, but he was from a different culture, and let�s be honest�not everyone sees animals the way many Americans do. For some, animals are property, a commodity, a paycheck�or even food. People do eat pigeons in many parts of the world, believe it or not. A lot of them.

That�s why I try not to mention parrots to those folks unless they see them outside�then the questions start. How much? How much? Nope. Not for sale. Not today, not any day. They aren�t a commodity to me. I actually want people to learn why parrots are different. Spend some time with them, watch some videos, read a book or two. If you can do all that and still see them as just a trophy or a dollar amount, there may be no hope for you.

Maybe I�m guilty of it in a different way, though. I count each one as a certain amount of money going out, not coming in. At this point, I don�t even know if I owe them favors or they owe me�but it doesn�t matter. We�re just a family, a flock of wandering misfits, helping each other get through life however we can. Stumbling, falling, sometimes climbing�only to stumble, bumble, and fall a few more times before making it to the end.

It�s an odd feeling, taking care of an animal twice your age when you stop to think about it. Parrots are special. I�ll just leave it at that. ?

Learn about homing pigeons & pigeon racing here…
Find a video of some of our own pigeon criminals here…
Find an article about how other cultures view pigeons here…