Why Pigeons Leave Loft

I'm new to this particular forum but I've had pigeons as pets for about
5 years We don't race these birds. I recently had something peculiar
happen and was wondering if someone might be able to provide an answer.

We will on occasion leave the door open to the loft and let the pigeons
out if they choose. Many times they don't even come out but will from
time to time. About a week ago on of our pairs came out and circled a
couple of times with the female landing on the roof of the loft (a
converted garage). The male, who would normally land with the female,
circled one more time and headed north. Haven't seen him since. We've
watched every day and no sign of him.

This male was born and raised in our loft. He's had no other home.
What would make him just take off after 2-1/2 years? None of our other
birds have ever done anything like this.

Thanks in advance.

Guido wrote:
> I'm new to this particular forum but I've had pigeons as pets for about
> 5 years We don't race these birds. I recently had something peculiar
> happen and was wondering if someone might be able to provide an answer.
>
> We will on occasion leave the door open to the loft and let the pigeons
> out if they choose. Many times they don't even come out but will from
> time to time. About a week ago on of our pairs came out and circled a
> couple of times with the female landing on the roof of the loft (a
> converted garage). The male, who would normally land with the female,
> circled one more time and headed north. Haven't seen him since. We've
> watched every day and no sign of him.
>
> This male was born and raised in our loft. He's had no other home.
> What would make him just take off after 2-1/2 years? None of our other
> birds have ever done anything like this.
>
> Thanks in advance.

Hello Guido,
with pigeons, everyday can be an adventure! lol!
A few questions. What breed of pigeon? Not that that would really
matter in them homing to
the loft,......it's just that racers are better at it than most.
You stated that you occasionally let them come out and free-loft. But
do you "fly" them on a regular basis?
Either way, whether you fly them, or just let them occasionally come
out on their own, they need to be
trap-trained as squeekers, or even as re-homed prisoners. This is
usually done with an all-wire cage that fits
over the trap and part of the loft roof. I usually do not use a wire
cage for squeekers, as they cannot fly yet.
But I always use a wire cage for late hatches, and new birds.
Late-hatches are birds that were born too late
in the season to fly out. (Meaning they were born when hawk season
started. I lock my birds down for the
winter here in PA. and have to wait until the hawks leave in the spring
to fly them.)
Late hatches, or birds that are adults, but have never flown, are very
strong on the wing, and also have not
experienced landing, or landing on the loft. (Easier for them to go up
than come down.) The wire cage allows
them to become acclimated to their immediate surroundings, and makes
them feel secure on the loft roof,
which should be the only place they are willing to land.
This works in homing at least 90% of my birds. But I have had birds get
lost that WERE trap-trained. I have
had other birds thet were NOT trap-trained, but homed anyway. I have
also had birds that were homed, flying
them out for a few years, then all of a sudden, one day, did not
return. If your bird was anything like the latter,
my first assumption would be that he got caught by a predator. And
sometimes, they don't have to be caught.
Just chased off to parts unknown.
Also, diet can play a big part in how your birds fly. Birds that eat
too many peas and/or corn can sky-out on
you. (Fly too high.) This high flying can get them caught in
hi-barometer thermals, or they can catch the bottoms
of jet streams and get blown many miles from home. (This is where breed
can matter. I raise Birmingham rollers.
This breed can have problems making it back if they are blown into an
area they do not recognize. I believe
this is much less a problem with racers and homers.)
The way pigeon flyers/breeders control their birds is with feed. You
trap-train AND fly your birds hungry.Not only
does this cause the birds to fly on the edge of their performance
ability, but also allows you to call the birds
in when you are ready. Most, will not be able to get a non-hungry bird
to trap until the BIRD feels like trapping,
or when dusk comes. You will not have control over free-lofted birds.
But either way, i would assume a predator first in the loss of the
bird. Check your area for coopers, sharpies,
and gos hawks. Sometimes, just scanning the skies when it warms up is
enough to spot one. But for me, it
usually takes me observing my birds. I just sit in front of the loft,
and when I see my birds stand straight up
looking hard at something, I just look where they are looking and
almost always spot the hawks.
Good luck,
E-Man