White Pigeon Release Goes Tragically Wrong

You know it's really a shame when an animal ends up paying for the ignorance of human beings.  I realize that these people at least claim to have had their hearts in the right place but all they needed to do was to ask any experienced pigeon fancier and he or she could have told them what they found out for themselves.  That is, there's a good reason that people release white homing pigeons at ceremonies. 

Contrary to popular belief not all pigeons have strong instincts or skills to find their way home from a strange place.  Part of a pigeon's ability to find its way home is learned behavior.  And I know I've heard a few times of some truly stupid people insisting on having white doves (as opposed to white homing pigeons) released at their ceremonies.  They might just as well wring the necks of those poor doves; they'll either up starving to death, dying of thirst or maybe as hawk food.  They simply don't have the survival instincts and skills of their wild cousins.

At any rate, if you're reading this and you're thinking of having a white dove release, please get white homing pigeons from a reputable person who takes proper care of his or her animals. 

8:54:38 PM  #  
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Using Pigeons To Educate Students
Here's an example of some educators using a little bit of creativity to teach children--with pigeons.  In spite of the poor reputation that pigeons have garnered in this country in the last half-century there is a lot that students can learn from pigeons.  These educators are using pigeons to teach children about math and life-sciences in a very practical hands-on way.  If the students were a little older they could also be taught about genetics and biochemistry; two areas of knowledge where the study of pigeons has played a key role in advancing mankind's knowledge.  Maybe these students will even find out for themselves what fascinating creatures pigeons really are.
8:21:42 PM  #  
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