Help & rescue
Pigeon With a Twisted Neck: What to Do
A pigeon with a twisted or upside-down neck most often has paramyxovirus (PMV). It looks hopeless, but many birds recover with a few weeks of patient care.
The guide to homing and racing pigeons
Practical guides on racing, breeding, health and lofts, written for fanciers and for anyone who has just found a pigeon in the garden.
Found a pigeon?
A pigeon with a ring on its leg is someone’s bird, usually a tired racer on its way home. Give it water and a quiet place to rest, then use the ring to find its owner.
Did you know?
Every racing pigeon in Great Britain must be vaccinated against pigeon paramyxovirus (PPMV-1) before it can race or be shown.
Common diseasesA Belgian hen called New Kim sold for €1.6 million at auction in 2020, a world record for a racing pigeon at the time.
Prices and recordsThe ring on a racing pigeon’s leg shows its country, year of birth and a unique number, so its owner can be traced.
How to read a ring
Guides by topic
Start with the basics or go straight to the detail. Every guide is free to read.
Racing pigeons
How homing pigeons work, breeding them, and building a loft.
- Racing Pigeons: Prices, Historical Records, and Regional AveragesPigeon racing has evolved from a humble traditional hobby into an international multi-million-dollar sport. While a beginner can start with a modest budget, elite bloodlines now…
- The Incredible Story of Homing Pigeons in WarIn the age of satellites and digital signals, it is easy to forget that some of the most important messages in history were carried on the wings of a bird. Homing pigeons have…
- How Homing Pigeons WorkThe science behind the incredible navigation skills of homing pigeons. How do they find their way?
- Pigeons: An OverviewOverview of racing pigeons: how do they actually do it, and why are the top specimens worth millions?
- Why Are My Pigeon Eggs Not Hatching?An egg that fails is either infertile or the chick died at a particular stage, and the timing usually points to the cause. How to work out which, and what to change.
- BreedingPigeon breeding is one of the most rewarding aspects of keeping homing pigeons—whether you’re aiming to improve racing performance, preserve bloodlines, or simply raise healthy…
Racing
Systems, training, one-loft racing, prices and equipment.
- What to Feed a Racing Pigeon After a RaceA bird home from a hard race needs water and rest before food, then a small, light meal. What to give on race day and the days after, and how to stop birds stiffening up.
- Young Bird Racing Pigeon Road Training ScheduleTransitioning young homing pigeons from loft flying to successful road releases is one of the most critical stages in pigeon racing. Rushing this process leads to heavy losses,…
- Racing Pigeons: Prices, Historical Records, and Regional AveragesPigeon racing has evolved from a humble traditional hobby into an international multi-million-dollar sport. While a beginner can start with a modest budget, elite bloodlines now…
- Famous Racing Pigeon BloodlinesIn the pigeon sport, genetics are the foundation of success. While pristine loft hygiene, rigorous training schedules, and cutting-edge nutrition determine whether a bird can…
- How to Adjust Your Feed Mix as the Race Distance IncreasesIf you want to have success with racing pigeons, you have to look at your birds as elite endurance athletes. Just like marathon runners change what they eat before a big race, you…
- The Widowhood System ExplainedThe Widowhood system is not about changing the bird; it is about changing the bird's reason for coming home.
- Pigeon With a Twisted Neck: What to DoA pigeon with a twisted or upside-down neck most often has paramyxovirus (PMV). It looks hopeless, but many birds recover with a few weeks of patient care.
- Can You Catch Diseases From Pigeons?For most people the risk from handling a pigeon is small, and washing your hands keeps it that way. These are the few infections worth knowing about, and when to see a doctor.
- What Do Pigeons Eat?Whether you have just found a stray bird in the garden or you are setting up your very first loft, knowing what to put in the feeder is the first step to becoming a successful…
- Common DiseasesKeeping a loft of healthy pigeons is the goal of every fancier, whether you are just starting out with a few homing pigeons or managing an elite racing team. Especially in the…
- Supplements ExplainedThese days, the difference between a bird that "makes the clock" and one that wins the race often comes down to fine margins. While a high-quality grain mix provides the essential…
- The Natural Loft SystemThe natural loft system is a traditional, low-intervention approach to keeping and breeding pigeons. Instead of tightly controlling breeding, feeding, and training, this method…
Help & rescue
Found a pigeon? What to do, what to feed it, and how to read its ring.
- Pigeon With a Twisted Neck: What to DoA pigeon with a twisted or upside-down neck most often has paramyxovirus (PMV). It looks hopeless, but many birds recover with a few weeks of patient care.
- Can You Catch Diseases From Pigeons?For most people the risk from handling a pigeon is small, and washing your hands keeps it that way. These are the few infections worth knowing about, and when to see a doctor.
- What To Do If You Find a Lost PigeonFinding a pigeon on the ground or in your garden can be a worrying thing, especially if the bird seems tired or confused. In many cases, the pigeon you have found is not wild at all, but a racing or domesticated pigeon that has become lost on its way home.
- What To Feed a Lost PigeonIf you’ve found a lost pigeon, the two most important things you can provide are water and food. Most lost birds are dehydrated, hungry, and exhausted, even if they don’t show it immediately.
- How to Identify a Racing Pigeon RingIn this guide, you’ll learn how to read a pigeon ring, what the numbers mean, and how to trace the owner.
Latest guides
Racing
What to Feed a Racing Pigeon After a Race
A bird home from a hard race needs water and rest before food, then a small, light meal. What to give on race day and the days after, and how to stop birds stiffening up.
Health
Can You Catch Diseases From Pigeons?
For most people the risk from handling a pigeon is small, and washing your hands keeps it that way. These are the few infections worth knowing about, and when to see a doctor.
Breeding
Why Are My Pigeon Eggs Not Hatching?
An egg that fails is either infertile or the chick died at a particular stage, and the timing usually points to the cause. How to work out which, and what to change.
Racing
Young Bird Racing Pigeon Road Training Schedule
Transitioning young homing pigeons from loft flying to successful road releases is one of the most critical stages in pigeon racing. Rushing this process leads to heavy losses,…
Racing pigeons
Racing Pigeons: Prices, Historical Records, and Regional Averages
Pigeon racing has evolved from a humble traditional hobby into an international multi-million-dollar sport. While a beginner can start with a modest budget, elite bloodlines now…
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Who writes this
Douglas grew up around pigeon racing in a Dumfriesshire mining village, where his dad and his friends kept and raced birds. He started HomingPigeons.com to put everything about the sport in one place.