I always had great admiration for the aerial acrobatics of tumbler pigeons. Three years ago, I started rearing these birds and was surprised to know that they could also be such wonderful pets.
Among the many birds that I raised in my loft, I cherish fond memories of “friend,” a pearl eyed, smoky grey tumbler pigeon with black stripes on the wings, very handsome and remarkably affectionate. There was a certain amount of mystery about “friend”; especially about the way, he carved a niche in my heart. When “friend” was a one-month-old Fledgling, a mysterious disease struck my loft, leaving most of my birds dead. “Friend” was the only survivor and the sickness had severely debilitated him. He had difficulties in eating, and so I had to hand-feed him personally.
After convalescing, he began to show special fondness towards me. During feeding time of the birds, he used to perch on my shoulder and nibble the grains that I used to offer him. After eating, he would keep gnawing the frame of my spectacles with his beak. Whenever I entered the loft, he would fly straight onto my shoulder and perch himself there, a trait that I did not observe in most of the other birds. This affection deeply touched me and very spontaneously, I decided to name this marvellous bird as “friend.”
His flying training started when he was about five months. He demonstrated all the qualities of a great tumbler pigeon, i e, good homing ability, perfect tumbling, remarkable endurance and flawless finish on the landing board. Within two weeks of training, he began to clock about nine and a half hour of non-stop flying, which is a highly appreciable feat of endurance for a juvenile bird.
Later, I decided to field him in the annual pigeon flying competitions during the following year. After waiting for several months, his training for the competitions resumed. On a cloudy day, “friend” along with two other birds was on his routine flying. That evening the other birds returned to the loft but there was no sign of him. I frantically kept searching everywhere, only to spot a low flying hawk in the vicinity, which further worsened my anxieties. The hopes of finding “friend” vanished.
“Friend” never returned, but the memories of his amazing love and affection still lingers in my heart.