UkPigeonRacing

For some reason we have an abundance of ferals always on the estate out in most weathers every day.
Why do peregrines not target ferals as much, they seem to get hit occasionally by the sparrow hawk's as I've seen the carcass or what's left of it on the school playing field, my question is how & why do they pick out a racing pigeon when mixed all together flying with ferals.

CHARLTON34 wrote: Tue Nov 18, 2025 4:04 pm For some reason we have an abundance of ferals always on the estate out in most weathers every day.
Why do peregrines not target ferals as much, they seem to get hit occasionally by the sparrow hawk's as I've seen the carcass or what's left of it on the school playing field, my question is how & why do they pick out a racing pigeon when mixed all together flying with ferals.

Because they are very intelligent. Unless they are starving they pick their pray carefully.

Was driving home from work bunch of ferals were heading back in two town from the fields they were doing over 60mph lol if yiu had a team going like they was that day you be confident they was bombing along.

So if you got 99 ferals pigeons flying & 1 race pigeons flying together, how does it target the 1, what are they seeing different that makes them lock on to the racer.

Yes I can remember that Neil, I think he was a member on Chat going back, if I remember something about the different colour spectrum from a feral & racing pigeon they are targeting.

CHARLTON34 wrote: Tue Nov 18, 2025 4:46 pm So if you got 99 ferals pigeons flying & 1 race pigeons flying together, how does it target the 1, what are they seeing different that makes them lock on to the racer.

Personally I don’t believe they do, racers flying straight in open country are just an easy target. Most keep their birds in all winter yet Percy must be eating something.

I find we get hit most when birds ain't going right ,,once ya birds are bombing from liberation not turning you hardly get hit but when they pixx around you get hit ,,
I think it's similar to racing think most strikes are done on liberation,,Kevin lawson told me first 3,4 races birds clear fast but when watched through binoculars they are turning and pixxing around in distance he said after 4 weeks birds just go u can't see them again through binoculars.

NeilA wrote: Tue Nov 18, 2025 6:27 pm Not sure Anthony’
Last year I was 1/2/4 fed
Next week fed missing never seen again the 4th fed returned ripped all his secondaries out
I rather avoid places like Grantham now

I had it from Worksop Neil 4 hawked 4 missing from 1 race ,,4 injured two my loft one race .

I think the problem must be en route home Neil, I have a couple of friends in the Worksop area and one has not had a strike in 3 years and the other was hit at home once last year but it was a hen sparrowhawk

Bowbroom wrote: Tue Nov 18, 2025 7:16 pm I think the problem must be en route home Neil, I have a couple of friends in the Worksop area and one has not had a strike in 3 years and the other was hit at home once last year but it was a hen sparrowhawk

The Peregrine falcon problem is EVERYWHERE. Most cities have had them nesting for years, Web cams are everywhere. The starting race point for one fancier is the race ending for another fancier. The Peregrine hunting range can be typical ranges spanning from a relatively small (38.6 square miles) in prey-rich areas to a much larger (579 square miles) or more where food is scarce. That is the WHOLE country covered.

As for being hit that is down to bad luck. The larger the flock/group of birds the more attraction they get. That's why race days are the most likely day to lose birds. Here in York we have had a pair of Peregrine falcons on the Minster for around 5 years. I live less than 2 miles from it and NEVER been bothered by them despite my birds being on open hole 3 hours a day during the racing season, other fanciers with much larger teams have. I rarely see the Peregrine falcons but often see several Sparrowhawks everyday. I've lost just ONE bird in the last 3 years.