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Questions and Answers
Q: Where do they go after they are released?
The birds circle above to get their bearings and then they fly to my residences in Powhatan County. There they have a home, with nesting boxes, food and water.
Q: How do they know to return to their home loft?
A: Rock Dove, or homing pigeons have been studied for many years, it is thought that they navigate by being able to sense the earth's magnetic field.
Q: What type of training is involved by you?
A: Although it is the bird's natural instinct to return to its home, training the birds in different directions by taking them out from short to longer distances improves their navigational skills. Almost always, my birds arrive home from a release before I do.
Q: How long does it take them to get home?
A: They fly from 50 - 60 mph when in top condition, and usually fly non-stop until they get home.
Q: Why won't you release at night?
A: They cannot see very well at night, and if they have to sit in a tree overnight they may fall prey to an owl, or other night predators. Being white, they are highly visible at night to their predators.
Q: What about the doves you find in a pet store?
A: The turtledoves (also referred to sometimes as ring necks or mourning doves) are poor flyers and should never be released into the wild! They will fall prey to dogs, cats, hawks and won't fly over a few feet from your ceremony. They have NO homing instinct and it is considered cruel to release this type dove. Our birds are registered birds; they are vaccinated, wormed and fed special diets. They are, expensive, require a lot of time in training and require experienced handlers. You spend a few extra dollars hiring us, but you get peace of mind knowing you are providing guests with the proper enjoyment of a professional bird release.
Q: How do you prevent the birds from making a mess on our guests?
A: Just like human athletes, our birds have a special diet before big events so they can perform at top levels without "messing up". They also fly with their feet tucked up underneath and won't soil themselves.
Q: At what point in the ceremony should the birds be released?
A: This is entirely up to you! There can be a lot of creativity in the timing and location of your release. We will coordinate with your photographer and coordinator of your event. The specific time of day is flexible, but we never release birds less than one hour prior to sunset: (1) to ensure enough time for the birds to safely reach home, and (2) a flock of white birds airborne is very dramatic. The more sunlight, the better the viewing! Feel free to contact me with any other question you may have. |