Stephens’ Pigeons Race to Victory

Article by Mia Freneaux
    20 years ago, Mike Stephens went to visit a friend who raised pigeons as pets.  "The pigeons were circling overhead when my friend threw down a handful of corn and whistled.  The birds came immediately at his call.  I was fascinated," Mike shared.  Another friend, who was into racing pigeons, raised some for him.  Thus followed what has become somewhat of a family tradition.  Mike, his son, and now his grandchildren Michael and Madison, have all participated in raising and racing these beautiful birds.
    Mike belongs to the Baton Rouge Flying Tigers Club.  The club holds 2 race schedules, one in the fall for young birds, one in the spring for those over a year old.  Each schedule has 8 races.  The 10 fastest birds receive "diplomas" which record their speed and distance.  The top fastest bird receives a plaque and often a monetary prize as well.  Some national and international races boast a million dollar first place prize! 
    Racing pigeons have an amazing ability to "home", or find the loft they were raised in. This was used to advantage in World War I, when Carrier Pigeons flew important information through enemy lines. Some of the races involve up to 500 or more miles.  Mike had a pigeon return home the same day it began a 500 mile race.  Needless to say, it won first place. The birds are motivated to fly quickly by several factors.  One is food.  The day before a race, all food is removed from the loft at midday.  The birds know they will find food at their loft, so they find the quickest route back.  Hens are motivated to return to their nests, and cocks are motivated to return to the hens! 
    Races are timed by a computerized clock that is put in front of each loft entry.  A computer chip in the leg ring of each bird is programmed with the bird's identifying number. The computer then records when each bird crosses in front of the clock to return to the loft.  Mike has had several frustrating situations where a bird has flown marvelously, only to stop and preen itself on the roof of the loft instead of flying inside!  The computer then calculates the bird's speed and time, and the results decide who wins.  During one of the Flying Tiger races, the 14 members will enter 15 birds each, so winning a diploma in this crowded field is an achievement.  On the national level, thousands of birds are entered into one race. 
    There are several "families" of pigeons that are bred specifically for racing.  The Janssen breed is the most popular, and is bred primarily for 100-300 mile distance races.  Mike has many of these beautiful birds, with their smoky blue 
"barring" or "checking" pattern on the wings and iridescent feathering on their necks.  Varietals go by evocative names like the "Silver", "Black Splash" and "Recessive Red".The Husken van Reil breed handles 300-600 mile distances best.  Mike has several of these as well.  Mike has one bird that was raised in Belgium.  This champion bird received 19 different diplomas.  Mike uses him solely for breeding, since if he tried to race him, the poor bird would kill itself trying to get back to Belgium!
    Birds are paired for their genetic abilities: speed, endurance, and ability to "home".  Champion birds' offspring can bring in thousands of dollars to their owners.  Pigeons, like swans and bald eagles, mate for life, so careful planning is important.  Mike raises the birds from the egg, so knowledge of how to care for them, keep them healthy, and condition them is mandatory.  It is an exacting process – down to knowing what to feed a bird before and after a race. 
     Mike trains the pigeons by gradually increasing the distance that he takes them from their loft.  if he is not careful they will not have developed their homing ability enough and he will lose them.  Each bird reacts differently, so he must train them individually.  All of this effort is lost if a hawk or owl manages to get in the loft, so it is an avocation not without risks, but Mike's joy at his birds' accomplishments and his enthusiasm when sharing about them make it obvious this is a risk he can live with.  "I love it," Mike says with complete happiness, "I'm passionate about it, and I love to win."
    For more information about this fascinating pastime, contact Mike at [email protected].  The Flying Tigers are happy to help with information on rearing and training pigeons, and members will even set you up with birds!  You can also get more information by going to the American Racing Pigeon Union website at www.pigeon.org.  This site has plans for lofts and many resources for school programs.