After years of picking up the pieces we are not a fans of the “sport” of racing pigeons. Much will depend on what you are most comfortable with and what kind of shape the pigeon is in. They would normally not attempt to eat during the first day after having been taken away from their parents. We've had a racing pigeon taken up residence in our back garden I noticed it about 4 weeks ago and it is still here, I've just started feeding it seed and can get within a whisker of it! Although not actually wildlife, lost racing pigeons are the cause of thousands of calls to wildlife rescues each year, so an issue which needs to be covered here. Try locating the bird's owner by giving a local pigeon club its leg band information. If you have caught a homing pigeon without a leg band, contact a local pigeon club. Once caught, house him indoors in a a large dog crate until a proper home can be found. How to Train and Handle Your Racing Pigeons The Right Way by Theunis F - Gallez Jules - Degrave Martin (PIPA) The training of a pigeon starts the moment it is weaned and has to fend for itself. Not sure if this is the right place to post! Try locating the bird's owner by giving a local pigeon club its leg band information. Check Pigeon Talk to find a pigeon rescuer in your area.) Even tame birds get spooked when someone tries to ‘catch’ them. It should not be confused with the wild pigeons which frequent city buildings. Any bright ideas on what to do? This site is intended to provide information about how to catch a pigeon, so that you can make an informed decision if you need to deal with a pigeon problem. There are a few different methods that have a good success rate. Occasionally during the racing season even champions get lost and may require assistance. Youngsters are weaned any time between 21 and 28 days of age. Consider keeping the homing pigeon as a pet if it does not have a leg band. If the bird is trapped inside a building, open doors and windows to encourage the pigeon to fly away on its own. Do not keep banded birds unless the owner cannot be found. All racing and fancy pigeons carry a hard plastic ring on their leg which identifies its owner. So, let’s catch the pigeon! If you have caught a homing pigeon without a leg band, contact a local pigeon club. First, rest assured that catching a pigeon is indeed possible, and safe- for both the bird and for you. We had one wander into our garden a couple of weeks back - well it 'waddled' through the garage from next door clearly exhausted so I just followed the advice on the Racing Pigeon Society www site left it with some sunflower hearts and water - then got it into a large cardboard box in the garage overnight just to give it a chance with the local cats. The “sport” of pigeon racing creates lots of lost, starved and/or injured domestic pigeons who need help. The first and easiest method is simply to scoop the pigeon up in your hands. Information about pigeon repellent - analysis of types and effectiveness. Your catching the bird will be a lot safer for her than if a predator catches her. He will be much easier to corner and catch indoors than outside. You will not scare a pigeon to death or give her a heart attack. But how to catch? This is a champion racing pigeon.