Explaining WDRP Policy: Releasing Only Rock Doves

ONLY CAREFULLY TRAINED, PERMANENTLY BANDED, PURE WHITE HOMING PIGEONS should ever be released, and only within the area and mileage limits of their training/service area. Yes, homing pigeons "home," but only with thorough and careful training. They have the ability, the trainers must help them hone it, and properly condition them for flights of length.

Pure white ringneck doves are smaller than the homing pigeon. The ringneck doves are commonly found for sale in pet stores, but only as pets. To release a ringneck dove into the wild would be sentencing it to certain death. The ringnecks are not able to fend for themselves against predators, do not fly well at all after having been caged, and are not able to find enough food and water to sustain them long. It is tragic and highly unethical to release this type of dove, or any other bird that is untrained and unable to return to its home safely. This is hardly the outcome a person of conscience would desire, especially after using the dove as a symbol of peace, love, hope, fidelity and the future of the newlyweds.

Environmentally Conscious, Blogging Pigeons?

On Sympatico, MSN News, the following news story was posted. I found it interesting that they will be using homing pigeons for this test -- interesting in that the pigeon has contributed so much to our society -- often in unrecognized ways -- this has the potential to be another. I sure hope the equipment those birds will be carrying is ultra-light, though, and that they won't have to be travelling too far carrying it.

Because homers are eaily trained to fly and then reliably return to their lofts, it makes perfect sense that they are the bird of choice for the project.

"Bird's-eye view of pollution"
02/14/2006 12:46:51 PM

Twenty city pigeons will sport knapsacks outfitted with air quality sensors, GPS receivers and basic cellphones to record smog levels in San Jose, California.

The sensors will send real-time data on carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide levels to a smog blog. The pigeons will also carry cameras round their necks to add aerial photos to the blog.

So what?

The pigeons are being released this summer as part of the Inter-society for Electronic Arts symposium. The research team hopes the winged bloggers will heighten interest in developing novel ways to monitor the environment.

- NewScientist.com

Explaining WDRP Policy: Permanent Bands

There are several national pigeon racing organizations in existence: There is the American Racing Pigeon Union (ARPU); International Federation of Racing Pigeons (IF); the Canadian Racing Pigeon Union (CU), and more. These organizations are instrumental in administrating all sorts of things involving the keeping and raising of pigeons. They help keep records of racing clubs across the country, assist by offering educational materials, host pigeon races, lobby for racing pigeon-friendly laws on behalf of their membership, and more.

Just one of the things these organizations do is take orders from the clubs for bands. These bands are placed on the pigeons at about 5 to 7 days of age. They are slipped over one foot, and onto the pigeon's leg. The young bird grows so rapidly, the seamless band will never ever come off again -- thus, the pigeon has been given a sort of identification tag that will forever identify it in many ways.

The photograph shows a picture of a pigeon band from the American Racing Pigeon Union. You will notice many different letters and numbers on the band. Each of these pieces of information are helpful in indentifying that one individual bird.

• To begin with, each year the ARPU issues their bands in a different color. Unless specially ordered, all birds born in a given year will have a single color on their permanent bands, and that color, alone, identifies the year a pigeon was hatched. However, the year is also imprinted upon the band.
• There are letters to identify the club from which the bird came. This particular bird was bred by members of the WDRP group, thus the letters "WDRP" on the band.
• Following the letters, you might notice a series of numbers. These numbers, combined with the club i.d. letters, are unique: There is not another bird in the entire United States with those same letters and that same number on its band. Through some misfortune, if someone were to find the bird, they could easily track down the owner.
• There is usually a website address on the band.

To track the owner of a found bird, the appropriate information is on the internet through the ARPU website (or the appropriate club), or one can also call the pigeon organization for assistance.

For this particular bird in the picture, it has a WDRP band, but this particular band was custom ordered and has the website of the WDRP organization along the bottom of it.

Now that I've explained the letters and numbers of the bands, I can continue with their merit. There are other explanations for the bands in regards to the sport of pigeon racing. However, this entry pertains to the pigeons used for dove releases.

One purpose is to guard the integrity of the breeder. There are unethical people who many like to call "feather merchants." Their pigeon breeding "program" is the equivalent of a puppy mill. The breeders will breed many birds, purposefully not placing permanent bands on them, as the breeder would never want to be "found" when his birds are lost. A feather merchant sells his birds to whomever, whenever, for whatever, in the worst of circumstances. He does not want to be held to any level of accountability for his actions, thus no permanent bands.

The WDRP requires members to band their birds with permanent bands for identification purposes, because the members all care deeply about the "whereabouts" of their birds. Their birds are carefully trained, and are of quality breeding. However, in the very, very rare chance that a bird might become lost or injured somewhere, members want their birds back home safely. An identification band assists finders with the information they need to make the reunion of bird and caretaker a possibility.

An identification band also ascertains that birds are not being irresponsibly bred, as a breeder must be on top of his/her breeding program in order to get all birds banded during that critical period of growth where the young are not too small or too big for that band to slip on nicely, but not come off again.

Explaining WDRP Policy: Birds Must Be Well Trained

Sometimes people consider doing the unthinkable in terms of dove releases: They actually consider trying to make a dove release happen on their own. As a result, they often use the wrong type of birds, birds that are un-trained for returning home, or birds that are outright not meant to fly much at all. Disasters follow. Very special events are tarnished by their failures, and the lives of beautiful birds are placed in jeopardy, all because somebody who values the almighty dollar over the lives of living creatures decided to "do it himself."

That is why it is so important to hire a professional dove release company for your white dove release. It is the best and most ethical choice. Yes, homing pigeons "home," but only with thorough and careful training. They have the innate ability to learn to home within them, but the trainers must help them hone those abilities, and properly condition the birds for flights of length.

Professionals in the dove release business seek birds which have come from "proven racing stock." You might compare great homing pigeons with poor ones like comparing great racing horses versus plow horses. We seek certain physiques in our birds, hope for good personality traits, and most of all, hope for navigational intelligence, among other things. From the beginning we knew, or learned quickly, that starting out with excellent birds was imperative to the success of our businesses and the ability to provide a better dove release.

Beyond the bloodlines, the best birds are unable to reach their full potential until they are properly trained out. The desire is to have birds which love to fly, enjoy their freedom, but come straight home from each release to the safety and comfort of their loft. So, thorough, systematic, and attentive training is critical in achieving this goal.

We do absolutely everything within our power to protect the birds and ensure that each and every one of them comes straight home each and every day. You will see further evidence of this in future posts, as I continue to revisit items of the WDRP release policy.

The Importance of Ethics and a Release Policy

In a previous post, I mentioned the WDRP (White Dove Release Professionals). This premier group was, for me, that "bar" I wanted to reach for in achievements for my dove release business. The WDRP is a non-profit organization with members who are committed to the top-notch care of their animals, as well as the professionalism of their businesses. There is no other dove release listing out there that cares enough about animal ethics to screen its applicants. For some groups, all that is required is that you have white birds to release. I really enjoy one of the phrases the WDRP has on their home page:

"Often imitated, but never duplicated, the WDRP was the first and remains the only organization that restricts membership to proven professionals."

And though the release policy may appear to a few as a stringent list of "Thou shalt nots..." it is a list built upon the desire to be the best. After all, it is your greatest moments of life that the doves are released for -- nothing less than the best is acceptable. The release policy is also structured upon the safety elements necessary for a stunning and ethical release -- the points are intended to educate the public on "what not to do" if your concern is for the safety & happiness of the birds.

WDRP Release Policy
To release only well trained, well cared for white racing pigeon stock which are banded with bands from either the American Racing Pigeon Union, International Federation, Canadian Union, or a permanent personalized band with address and phone number of the breeder... Each member of our group has been asked to join because they have demonstrated high professional standards in the operation of their business and knowledge of animal husbandry as it relates to their birds.

To ensure that appropriate attire is worn for all events and that their release coordinators are 100% reliable and on time...
To return deposits for acts of God, etc...

• To NOT release birds INDOORS...
• To NOT release birds AT NIGHT...
• To NOT release birds in INCLEMENT WEATHER...
• To NOT ship birds by mail for self-release...
• To NOT release birds beyond a range they are unable to safely fly...
• To Ensure that EVERY white dove release has at least one knowledgeable release coordinator present

The White Dove on Valentine's Day

The white dove is the perfect earthly symbol of romantic love. Doves choose a mate, to whom they remain faithful for life! So, as today is Valentine's Day, I'd like to share the courtship of Solomon and Sarah with you.

Here in my office, I keep a lovely pair of pure white fantail pigeons (they look much like fancy doves). These "love doves" are very much in love. "Soloman" and "Sarah" spend most of their days and evenings cuddling up close and dancing a poetic courtship of love.

Each coos to the other in his or her own gentle, passionate language. The male, much like human counterparts, struts with his chest thrust out and spins his dance of love for his lady. In response, the female courtseys to her mate in a gesture of submission, softly, and very subtly fluttering her wings.

They fit their bodies next to each other tightly, innocently, much like cuddling, and "coo" their poetry, communicating a connectedness in a language saved only for a pair in love. They use their beaks to "tickle" one another's faces and necks, each caressing the other with careful preening. Often, he will run his beak along hers and they cradle their heads together, side to side, beaks brushing past each other, in what is nothing less than a passionate kiss.

They take reprieve from this courtship only long enough to take sustanance from seed and grit, and to drink from the water dish. Even this is shared: The male will often share the wealth of the banquet by passing his beak over hers until she is ready. He then opens his beak, she inserts hers, and she "partakes" of the feast, prepared by his loving efforts.

Nest preparing is no less an important ritual in their dance of partnership. In the loft, or in the wild, the male will have chosen a nesting space for the two of them to reside. Nests are reserved only for the rearing of young. At other times, pigeons and doves prefer simply to find a safe place to perch. So nesting is an activity only a mated pair will partake in.

At this time, my lovely fantails have decided to start a family together. The female rests herself in the nesting area. The male's duty is to find suitable nesting materials with which to build their "nursery." As the female patiently sits in the nest, awaiting the arrival of her egg pair, the male takes to the task of furnishing the home.

He chooses from the nesting materials he has available to him, preferring straw, hardy dried grasses, and pine needles. He is careful and selective in the diameter, length, and characteristics of each piece. He chooses only the most suitable, takes the piece up in his beak and carries it to her. One at a time, he presents his find to the female. If she accepts the piece as suitable, she will take it in her beak and will then carefully and systematically place it around her body in the nest. Occasionally a piece will be too long, and they will work as a team to bend it, soften it, shape it a bit, until it becomes more pliable. And occasionally, a piece will simply not suit her at all, and she will shake her head in rejection.

Laughably, the male will sometimes try the same piece again, just to be sure. But her response is usually the same: Not acceptable. In the open loft, males will often "steal" materials from each other while another is off eating, and prances them over to their own nests. Some males have been observed taking their own materials from their own nests, running them around a bit in the loft, and then carrying them back proudly, pretending they've brought something new. The females seem to graciously humor them.

Once the nesting is finished, the birds seem to anxiously anticipate the arrival of their eggs. During this time, they clearly continue their courtship of mutual adoration. However, the male begins "driving" the female around their home with regular timing, helping her prepare her body for laying the eggs. During breaks, they continue "rearranging" the nest materials to make them more and more perfectly suitable for the nestlings to come.

There is more to this story of family rearing, and I will continue the saga in another entry. However, today, on this special "day of love," our focus is all about the beautiful love and courting ritual of these doves. They embody the elements of a strong, passionate, inspiring love -- and all we need to do is mirror their devotion and courtship in order to experience the fullness of loving bliss. Yes, human beings are far, far more complicated. Our communications and life-circumstances offer hindrances and barriers the birds do not have to face. And yet, they've got it so right -- and must it really be so complex as we make it? At least on these days in which we celebrate love, doves are the perfect reminder of what is required to make a relationship fulfilling:

• unconditional love
• respect
• devotion
• fidelity
• affection
• adorning one another with approval
• verbal praise
• trustworthiness
• servanthood
• teamwork

Navigational Theory 9: Sun Arc

In the 1950's, G.V.T. Matthews of the University of Cambridge tried to explain how pigeons use the expected placement of the Sun for navigation. Each day, they observe the Sun's position in the sky and compare it with where they expect it to be at any given time of the day in relation to their home. From this information, they then have all the information they need for figuring out their north-south and east-west displacement from home.

Navigational Theory 8: Infrasound

This theory is based upon tests showing that homing pigeons can hear infrasounds as low in frequency as 3 cycles per minute, and can detect laboratory simulations of infrasonic signals. Douglas Boynton Quine has spoken many times on this topic, and is well-versed on the subject. He suggests that infrasounds may provide a potential navigational cue for homing pigeons.

Jonathan Hagstrum (U.S. Geological Survey) also made an observation regarding the affects of infrasound upon homing pigeons, and developed similar conclusions regarding the import of hearing and homing pigeon navigation. Hagstrum's observation was punctuated by a "smash" pigeon race that occurred in Europe back in 1997:

"On Sunday, June 29, 1997, a great race was held to celebrate the centenary of the Royal Pigeon Racing Association. More than 60,000 homing pigeons were released at 6:30 AM in the morning from a field in Nantes (southern France), flying to lofts all over southern England 400 to 500 miles away. By 11:00 AM the majority of the racing birds had made it out of France and were over the English Channel. They should have arrived at their lofts by early afternoon. They didn't.

A few thousand of the birds straggled in over the next few days. Most were never seen again. In pigeon racing terms, the loss of so many birds was practically unheard of, a disaster. Any one bird could get lost, but tens of thousands?

Hagstrum, in studying this event, noticed an odd fact. At the very same time the racing pigeons were crossing the Channel, 11:00 AM, the Concorde supersonic transport (SST) airliner was flying along the Channel on its morning flight from Paris to New York. In flight the SST generates a shock wave that pounds down toward the earth, a carpet of sound almost a hundred miles wide. The racing pigeons flying below the Concorde could not have escaped the intense wave of sound. The birds that did eventually arrive at their lofts were lucky enough to be very slow racers -- they were still south of the Channel when the SST passed over, ahead of them." *Source: http://txtwriter.com/Onscience/Articles/pigeons.html



Here are just a few of the works of Quine:

• 1979 Kreithen ML, Quine DB. "Infrasound detection by the homing pigeon: A behavioral audiogram." J. Comparat Physiology 129: 1-4
• 1979 Quine DB. Infrasound detection and frequency discrimination in the homing pigeon. Ph.D. Dissertation, Cornell University
• 1979 Quine DB. "Birds and infrasound." J. Acoustical Society America 66: 603
• 1981 Quine DB, Kreithen ML. "Frequency shift discrimination: Can pigeons locate infrasounds by Doppler shifts?" J. Comparative Physiology 141: 153-l55
• 1982 Quine DB. "Infrasounds: A potential navigational cue for homing pigeons." pp. 373-376 in F. Papi and H. G. Wallraff (eds), Avian Navigation Springer Verlag: Berlin & Heidelberg
• Jan 1983 Physiology Seminar, Tulane Medical School: "Pigeons hear 8 octaves below the range of human hearing: Could it help them home?"
• Mar 1987 Ornithology (guest lecture), Ecology, Ethology, & Evolution, University of Illinois: "Sensory basis of bird navigation."
• Mar 1987 Ecology, Ethology, & Evolution, University of Illinois: "The infrasound sense of homing pigeons."

Navigational Theory 7: Ultraviolet Wavelengths

Research done in Dr. Kreithen’s laboratory indicates that homing pigeons are able to detect light with wavelengths from 305-750nM (305-400nM being the ultraviolet wavelengths invisible to normal human vision). Their vision helps them form images in the ultraviolet spectrum. Polarized skylight has directional patterns that we cannot see. This theory suggests that, much like bees do, pigeons might be able to navigate by reading the “map” of ultra-violet rays from the Sun.

• Ultraviolet light is electromagnetic radiation in a part of the spectrum between X-rays and visible light, approximately 180 nanometers to 400 nanometers. It differs from light only that it's wavelengths are too short to be seen by the human eye. U V-A , or long-wave radiation is 315 nanometers and above. U V-B, or medium-range radiation, is 280 nanometers to 315 nanometers. U V-C, or short wave radiation, is 280 nanometers and below.
  Source: http://www.uvlp.ca/ultravioletinformation.htm

Navigational Theory 6: Instinct

This theory suggests that the pigeons use instinct, not the thinking process, to guide them home. This is probably the least accepted theory, however, as it is easily reasoned away: As I have observed, the pigeons clearly make decisions as they are navigating. Even when they are initially circling to gauge their global positioning, they are making decisions. They may start out in a direction that is not accurate: However, in these rare situations, they often return to the point of release and re-assess their interpretations by circling again. And then once again they will start out in a direction they believe to be more accurate, and eventually gain accurate bearings.

Also, when the skies are overcast, though the pigeons might head off in the wrong direction, and other things in their environment may delay them, the pigeon is able to consistently adjust and re-assess its direction (clearly making a series of choices) and is able to locate proper direction and a safe return home.

Navigational Theory 5: Sixth Sense

This theory would suggest that the birds have a sixth sense (in addition to smell, taste, feel, touch, hear), simply unknown to man. They believe that, though we humans have only five known senses, pigeons, like many other animals, may have a sixth sense, which aids them in navigating their way home.

I suppose this category would essentially be another way of naming some of the other previously suggested navigational tools pigeons use.

Navigational Theory 4: Sight and Smell

This theory suggests that the homing pigeons use their keen senses of sight and smell to get home. It is based on the fact that there are specific scents in the air near home that are inherently unique. Pigeons are able to use their keen vision to see landmarks from great distances that helps guide them.

I can see there might be some truth to this theory, especially about their sight: I suppose it would be something like the way a human could go to the top of a very tall building and be able to see for dozens of miles around. High in the air, the birds enable themselves to see great distances, and can even see the horizon line. As stated in previous theories in this blog, I think this might be a way they navigate when they’re closer to home, but again, I know they must use other skills in addition to this one -- especially when they’re navigating, hundreds of miles from home.

Navigational Theory 3: Commuter Birds

This theory suggests that the homing pigeons follow roads, railroads, and freeways to get home. It might sound crazy but it is not entirely false. I have noticed that they do actually follow the freeway sometimes. This can’t be all there is to the mystery of pigeon navigation, because it is apparent that they know which way to go when they are taken hundreds of miles from home and in the middle of nowhere, where there are no roadways at all, or roads they have never seen before. However, from experiments, I believe this theory holds some truth once the birds are in the general vicinity of their home. I've observed that the birds don't need to follow man-made roads, but have some use for them.

My guess is that they might use the roads because there are no buildings, large trees, or other things to navigate around as they fly. It’s a clearer path for them to navigate through. I also think they might use roadways and railroad tracks as landmarks in their journey. We've seen them use roadways many times!

Navigational Theory 2: Map & Compass

The “Map and Compass” Theory
This theory, called Kramer’s Map-and-Compass Model, suggests that pigeons navigate in environments that contain at least two “intersecting gradients,” which are used by the pigeons, to figure out which way home is. By comparing the gradient values at the loft and at the release site, the bird constantly assesses and reassesses the latitude and longitude in relation to where he needs to be to find home.

*Latitude; angular distance of any point on the surface of the earth north or south of the equator. The equator is latitude 0°, and the North Pole and South Pole are latitudes 90°N and 90°S, respectively. The length of one degree of latitude averages about 69 mi (110 km); it increases slightly from the equator to the poles as a result of the earth's polar flattening.

*Longitude; angular distance on the earth's surface measured along any latitude line such as the equator east or west of the prime meridian. A meridian of longitude is an imaginary line on the earth's surface from pole to pole; two opposite meridians form a great circle dividing the earth into two hemispheres.

*Source: The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2005, Columbia University Press.

Navigational Theory 1: Magnetic Polar Fields

With all the modern technology available to us in this day and age, scientists are still uncertain precisely how homing pigeons (like our Rock Doves), know how to find their way home. In the next several days, I'd like to post the many theories scientists and pigeon fanciers have come up with to explain this amazing ability. I'll begin with the theory of magnetic polar fields.

The Magnetic Polar Fields Theory
Some scientists have found that the birds have a small amount of magnetite in their heads. Like a compass, the birds can feel magnetic north. Once they feel magnetic north, they can then figure out whether they need to fly south, east, or west, all depending on which way is home.

Speaking of magnetics, there is a thing called “solar storms, where the Sun has a burst called a “flare,” and the magnetic sun’s solar storm messes up the Earth’s magnetic fields, which temporarily throws the birds’ navigational abilities off.

This is the most popularly believed theory by most scientists and pigeon fanciers. In fact, there have been times when people who raced their pigeons have had huge losses of birds. When they checked the solar weather, they found that there had been a solar storm with strong enough magnitudes to have affected not only the birds, but to cause radio blackouts in some areas.

Interesting fact: A solar storm with strong magnitudes can cause your cell phone to ring!

The WDRP

The flight of white doves is an incredible, emotionally moving sight. The release of doves is a beautiful way to add a magical touch to your wedding ceremony. Professional dove releasers can make all the difference in the quality of the experience. The White Dove Release Professionals (WDRP) is an international, non-profit organization dedicated to the ethical treatment of the birds and professionalism.

Why You'll Want A WDRP Member To Handle Your White Dove Release:

• Often imitated but never duplicated, the WDRP was the first and remains the only organization that restricts membership to proven professionals.
  
• Each applicant is screened and voted on by the membership. Not everyone who applies is accepted.
  
• Our members take pride in their work, consult with each other, and discuss the finer points of the art. They will take your event seriously!
  
• Our members will not release under anything but safe conditions.
  

Click here for more information: http://www.white-dove-releases.com/

The Magic Moment: A Wedding Dove Release

Have you ever heard the phrase "Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away?" It is one of my favorites -- and it can be one of yours, too: Imagine such a breathtaking moment occurring at your wedding, as all of your loved ones are gathered with you in joyful celebration of your wedding day, to witness the release of beautiful, snow white doves.

Perhaps you've not had the opportunity to witness the release of white doves at a special occasion. My wish is that some day you'll experience the peaceful joy of a crowd surprised into a smiling hush as they watch white wings catch glints of sunlight, and hear nothing but the gentle flurry of those white wings lifting "angels" through the air.

New Dove Stamps for 2006

The USPS has issued a press release announcing their new stamps for 2006. Here's the link: http://www.usps.com/communications/news/stamps/2005/sr05_054.htm
Here's the text: Our Wedding Brides to be, get ready. In early March, the "Our Wedding" stamp booklet, designed especially for mailing invitations and RSVPs, will be dedicated at Kleinfeld Bridal in New York City. The booklet contains 20 one-ounce and 20 two-ounce First-Class stamps. Apply the one-ounce stamp to the RSVP envelope to be enclosed with the wedding invitation. Apply the two-ounce stamp to accommodate the heavier weight of the wedding invitation with enclosures. Both stamps feature an illustration of a white dove — a time-honored symbol of peace, love, and fidelity — and a heart, surrounded by calligraphic flourishes set against a lavender background (one-ounce denomination) and a light green background (two-ounce denomination).