Can anyone identify this bird?

[CharlieHorse]

This bird was hanging around in my driveway this morning. It seemed as if it had been a caged bird at some point, it wasn't that scared of me. After about 5 hours I lured it into a cage with some wild bird feed, then slammed the door shut on him from a remote location with a string!!  I live out in the middle of nowhere, so the bird would have had to travel a great distance to get here. I sure would like to know what it is though. (SouthEast Ohio)
Any ideas?

[deathchaser]

looks like a pigeon to me! What kind though, I could not say.

[CharlieHorse]

That's kinda what I figured........but I have never seen one this big or this color around here. It is twice as big or bigger than the doves around here. I don't know what the difference is between a dove and a pigeon anyway.  :? This thing has a good two foot wingspan and every bit of 6" across its back. I'm ten miles from the nearest town. Plus, it wasn't even scared of my dogs, that's why I figured that it has been caged at some point.

[CharlieHorse]

Well, after checking out some things, I do believe that it is your everyday common "Rock Pigeon"...."City Pigeon"......"Rock Dove".  I didn't think of it being the run of the mill pigeon because of it's color, but after researching I have learned that the ordinary "City Pigeon" comes in numerous colors, even all black such as this one. Most also have a stripe on their wingtips, as to which this one does not. This one is solid black, with the purple/green cast to it. So anyway, I think that I have a city slicker lost out here in the boonies.......may be looking fer a mate?  First time that I have ever caught a wild bird in my driveway!!

[MaDHaTTer]

looks like a pigeon to me!

[Reeves]

A homer ? I'll get a Pigeon guy to have a look....

[Nasal_Tufts]

I'm the pigeon expert metioned above. Yes that pigeon is a racing homer. It's someone's pet if it's that tame to come into a cage. I'd just let it go. As a homer it can find it way home. The  "rock pigeon/rock dove" is no longer around. From the nice close up shots I can tell it's in real good condition so therefore I can rule it out as being a wild pigeon.

[Don McGowan]

Attach a note to it's leg and send it on it's way !!     Or would that make it a carrier pigeon ??

[Sterling-Ranch]

I had a pigeon once as a pet.  They're neat.  He used to fly along side of my motorcycle to about 40-45mph then he'd peel off and go home.  I'd see him waiting on the telephone wires a couple of miles from home after work and he'd spot my motorcycle and come in to tag along home.

[CharlieHorse]

I've had alot of people tell me that it is a "Homer" Pigeon!  And that it would have been someones pet of some sort.

[Nasal_Tufts]

Looks like a white beaked, red eyed, blue bodied,red footed, green specKled neck "pigeon". Hope that helps.

The beak is not white. The beak is black. The white part is the wattle. Also the color of the bird is black not blue. All pigeons have the green on the neck they also have a purple. It's called iridescence.

[komori35]

that, my friend, is a pigeon. and although i love quail, i must take this oppurtunity to express my strange attraction to pigeons.  i have, on more than one occasion, attempted to capture one.  it might've been someone's pet, it might just be very tame in nature, but all i can say is, WHY DONT I FIND PIGEONS ON MY DRIVEWAY?!?! some people have all the luck...

-komori

[britguy33]

saw a pigeon looked just like that in town today. Standing in the middle of the road.

[Redhorse]

Komori, pigeons are very easy to trap. Most farmers are more than happy to let someone put a pigeon trap in their hay loft. If that is not an option, a highway overpass is also a prime location. Any hunting catalog company that sells bird dog training supplies will have a standard pigeon trap for sale. It is basically a rectangular cage with an opening in each end. Across each opening is a row of bars hanging on the inside. You place seed and water inside the cage, when the pigeon walks in through the "door" those bars swing inward. They cannot swing outward because they hit the bottom edge of the door. You can get right into the pigeon business with one of those!   Check out the link below.


http://www.retrieverworld.com/products/pigeon_trap.htm

[komori35]

thanks red horse...i was kind of joking around, but thanks all the same.  i have been looking around for bird traps (even though i dont have a barn to hang them in    ) ill check out the site.  heehee...attention all pigeons, you have a new enemy...lol just kidding.  i think they're awesome id never kill one...anyway thanks again.