A pigeon has homed in on Debbie Mazorini害羞草研究所檚 Yankee Flats property.

Trouble is, it害羞草研究所檚 not his (or her) real home.

Marzorini was sitting on her back deck enjoying a cup of coffee with her spouse when the pigeon named Boomer first arrived in mid-June.

害羞草研究所淗e landed on the gazebo and it seemed he recognized my voice, so maybe he was raised by a woman,害羞草研究所� she says of the domestic pigeon she believes is a male. 害羞草研究所淗e came towards me, stopped and looked and then flew over to our pond.害羞草研究所�

Boomer quickly changed direction when Marzorini害羞草研究所檚 cats appeared on the scene. He eyed the couple害羞草研究所檚 greenhouse for a bit before moving in and making it his new home.

害羞草研究所淗e started following me, walking along on the ground while I was work in our big garden,害羞草研究所� she says. 害羞草研究所淲hen it was hot, I was out there every day; he害羞草研究所檇 go on the roof of the green house or in different trees.害羞草研究所�

Most mornings, Marzorini says Boomer likes to take to the skies for a bit and sometimes perches in different trees on the property throughout the day. But he always returns to his roost in the greenhouse to spend the night.

A National Geographic online report states that until now, two main theories say that pigeons rely either on their sense of smell to find their way home or they follow the Earth害羞草研究所檚 magnetic field lines.

Marzorini wonders if the nearby BC Hydro transmission lines have confused the bird. But new research suggests the pigeons may be using ultralow frequency sounds to navigate.

Pigeons can fly between 600 and 700 miles in a single day, with the longest recorded flight in the 19th century taking 55 days between Africa and England and covering 7000 miles, reports England害羞草研究所檚 Pigeon Control Resource Centre害羞草研究所檚 website.

On advice from the Canadian Pigeon Racing Union, the Marzorinis took Boomer to Armstrong, hoping it would be far enough away for his homing instincts to kick in and lead him to his real home.

Not so. Boomer was back in the greenhouse the same day.

So the couple travelled farther away to Vernon, releasing the bird in a field at Davison Orchards.

害羞草研究所淚t took him almost a week, but he came back here,害羞草研究所� says Marzorini. 害羞草研究所淗e obviously wants to be here, but I think he害羞草研究所檇 like to be with other birds. They害羞草研究所檙e very intelligent and very social.害羞草研究所�

Now that the busy gardening season is nearing an end, Marzorini says she is not outside as much and is worried Boomer will not be warm enough in her greenhouse over winter.

She has been feeding him and giving him water but does not want to bring him into her home over the winter.

害羞草研究所淗e gets excited when I bring his food down, he害羞草研究所檚 got quite a personality and he害羞草研究所檚 quite a friendly,害羞草研究所� she says. 害羞草研究所淗oming pigeons don害羞草研究所檛 fend for themselves like wild ones do.害羞草研究所�

Boomer wears a band that reads 害羞草研究所淐pru 28099 aka Boomer,害羞草研究所� but it is outdated and therefore not traceable.

害羞草研究所淚deally I want to find the owner, but if I can害羞草研究所檛 do that, I would like to find a place to send him,害羞草研究所� Marzorini says, pointing out a rescue facility in Kelowna might be an option. 害羞草研究所淪ome people have said stop feeding him, but that doesn害羞草研究所檛 seem humane.害羞草研究所�

barb.brouwer@saobserver.net
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