Wings of loyalty: Kerala breeder’s pigeons return home after 1,000-km flight

For Shanavas, a native of Tirur, raising pigeons is not about their gentle cooing or idle curiosity, but about nurturing wings with love and care. That is why, no matter how far they are released, his pigeons return to him without hesitation, never straying to another loft.

At a pigeon flying competition held on February 19, a pigeon released from Kudus in Maharashtra covered 1,001 kilometres and returned to Shanavas’ hands in just 28 hours, a remarkable feat that set a new record.

As many as nine pigeons reared by Shanavas participated in a competition, jointly organised by the Malabar Racing Pigeon Club and the Kerala Racing Pigeon Club. Of the pigeons released from Kudus on the morning of February 19 at 8 am, the first returned to Shanavas’ home at Naduvilangadi in Thirur at 11.58 am on February 20, while the next arrived around 1 pm.

However, Shanavas does not rear his pigeons for trophies or the small prizes that come with them. For him, the true joy of pigeon rearing lies in the bond between the birds and their caretaker, expressed in the tiny creatures returning faithfully to his hands, no matter how far they have flown. Just as a parent eagerly waits for children to return from school, Shanavas spends hours on his terrace, watching and waiting for his pigeons. Each delicate flap of their wings brings him immense happiness.

The joy that is bred and hatched
Shanavas, who runs Priya Aquapets, a firm dealing in plants, pets and ornamental fish, currently boasts a fleet of around 60 racing pigeons. His journey into the world of competitive pigeon flying began in 2018, when a young customer visited his shop to purchase bird feed and introduced him to the concept of pigeon racing competitions.

Shanavas explains that there is little point in buying fully grown `racing homers'- a breed of pigeon that has been selectively bred for more speed and enhanced homing instinct for the sport of pigeon racing. Once released, such pigeons that are raised elsewhere instinctively return to their original loft when released. That is why he purchases pigeons in pairs, breeds them and raises the chicks from birth, ensuring they imprint on his home. From the moment they hatch, each chick is fitted with a leg band bearing the owner’s phone number.

Though racing pigeons may resemble the ordinary blue rock pigeon (Amblalapravu) at first glance, they come in distinct varieties identified by colour and pattern. These include Blue Bar, White Bar, Dark Chequer, Red Checker, Light Checker and Mily Bar, among others.

A pair of pigeons costs from ₹5,000 upwards, while some premium birds command prices running into lakhs. To keep them in peak condition, Shanavas feeds them a nutrient-rich blend of grains such as millet, lentils, green gram and sunflower seeds.

Training for the long flight
Careful and systematic training is the secret behind racing pigeons returning to their lofts from long distances. They are never released over vast stretches at the outset. Training begins with short flights during morning and evening sessions. Once the pigeons successfully return, the distance is gradually increased. Step by step, through patience and repetition, they are conditioned to fly back home from increasingly longer distances.

Before being entered into competitions, a trial flight is conducted from approximately 160 kilometres. Only those pigeons that successfully complete this test qualify for races. Competitions are typically held over distances of 200, 300, 550 and 750 kilometres, with the ultimate challenge being the 1,000-kilometre race.

Not all pigeons that participate in such events make it back. Hawks, strong winds and heavy clouds pose constant threats along the way. Yet, in Shanavas’ experience, as long as a pigeon has life and wings, it will find its way home.

In the recent 1,000-kilometre race, only three of the nine pigeons flown by Shanavas successfully returned. The time limit for this event is seven days, and occasionally, some pigeons may return even after this period has lapsed.

Last year, one of his pigeons was attacked by a hawk in Mangaluru. Though injured in its wings and body, the bird survived. A local resident who rescued it noticed the identification tag on its leg and contacted Shanavas. The rescuer did not speak English, Malayalam or Tamil, and Shanavas did not know Kannada either. Yet, beyond the barriers of language, they managed to communicate. Shanavas sent him money for the bird’s care. After medication was administered and the pigeon was nursed for two days, Shanavas asked that it be released. Within a few hours, the injured bird flew back home with remarkable precision.

The invisible compass within
The ability to sense the Earth’s magnetic field is considered a key factor behind the return flights of pigeons and other migratory birds. They also determine direction by observing the position of the sun in the sky. In addition, their strong sense of smell plays an important role in navigation.

Using all these natural abilities, pigeons create a route map of their own and find the way back to their loft. Low-frequency sound signals are also believed to assist in this process. Above all, their exceptional eyesight sharpens their sense of direction.“When these natural instincts are combined with precise training, the return flight becomes much easier for the pigeons,” says Shanavas.

When the sky becomes the arena
Pigeon racing competitions are conducted under the supervision of racing pigeon clubs. Participants bring their birds to a venue designated by the club, where each pigeon is fitted with a leg tag bearing a unique identification number.

The pigeons are then placed in specially arranged cages on vehicles and carried to predetermined release points, calculated according to aerial distance. Upon reaching the selected location, the cages are opened simultaneously, and the birds are released together into the sky.

Before the release, organisers monitor weather conditions, wind direction, cloud cover and the presence of predators through the Pigeon Loft app. Only after carefully assessing these factors are the pigeons set free. When the birds return to their respective lofts, owners must enter the secret identification number from the leg tag into the Pigeon Loft app. The recorded timing determines the winner.

Broadly, there are two main categories of competition. In racing events, the pigeon that covers the longest distance in the shortest time claims victory. In high flyer competitions, pigeons that remain airborne for the greatest duration are judged the winners.

The terrace of champions
Shanavas’ terrace is lined with rows of pigeon lofts, each alive with fluttering wings and gentle coos. The steady rhythm of their flapping had long been a familiar sound in the neighbourhood, yet few realised that these were trained racing pigeons. It was only when news broke that one of Shanavas’ birds had excelled in the 1,000-kilometre race that his neighbours truly came to know about his pursuit.

His passion is sustained by the wholehearted support of his family. His father, Muhammedali, mother, Ummayakkutty, wife, Suhra, children, Muhammed Shayan, Muhammed Shahin and Muhammed Shadin, and his brother, Jamshi, all stand firmly beside him in his journey of pigeon rearing.