"Dyeing" white pigeons.

[king]

My reds and mealies got hit more than others I also have plenty grizzles

I remember a chap moved to Wales and did a article for the BHW
He had all colours the whites and pieds went to the BOP then the reds etc then the blues and darks that’s as average obviously not completely in order
So he concluded the BOP hits them in colours but still took them when only the cheqs/ darks were left

I have a pair of Peregrine's nesting within 1.5 miles and 2 or 3 pairs of sparrowhawks. I myself have only lost one bird around home in the last 6 years, a black. There's plenty of feral's around but not many reds. What is surprising is there is a pure white feral with a blue tail. It's been around for about 3 years now. Last saw it a couple of day's ago.
I believe ANY colour is a target for BOP. It's down to pure luck what is taken. I recall a few on pigeon chat saying having birds out over Winter makes them 'streetwise'. But they all still admitted a few were still taken. If 'streetwise' was a thing, the Wild birds would have an advantage, but it seems that they don't.

[worm]

My reds and mealies got hit more than others I also have plenty grizzles

I remember a chap moved to Wales and did a article for the BHW
He had all colours the whites and pieds went to the BOP then the reds etc then the blues and darks that’s as average obviously not completely in order
So he concluded the BOP hits them in colours but still took them when only the cheqs/ darks were left

They will take them all as we know it is just that a red, grizzle or mealy stands out more in a group

the reds and meals stand out more in the ultraviolet spectrum as they say bob can see them like a kestral they say it can see the urine trails glow left by mouse it doesn't just fly round till it sees movement it hovers above the trails as it knows there's activity there

[Diamond Dave]

Am i right in thinking the sparrowhawk is an opportunist and ambush predator. It will take all colours as and when the opportunity arises.
The peregrine however will pick out its prey as a single bird or from a batch of race birds anywhere on route and I think the sparrowhawk will only hit locally