Racing Pigeons

About the Book

Racing Pigeons: A Manual describes the historical use of homing pigeons for communications and is a manual for the pigeon racing sport. Descended from the wild Blue Rock dove, homing pigeons have been highly valued since ancient times for sending messages in times of peace and war. Today’s homing pigeons have been bred to perform better than ever. Pigeon racing has developed into a worldwide hobby and is the national sport of Belgium. In 2013, a champion Belgian pigeon was sold for $400,000. Some pigeon races offer a million dollars in prize money but it can also be a hobby for ordinary folks who raise pedigreed pigeons and fly them for pleasure. This book explains how pigeon racing can be enjoyable and affordable with information on getting started, instructions for establishing a loft, breeding and training programs, and details about pigeon racing on a modest budget. The author has over fifty years of experience with racing pigeons, raising them, importing and exporting them, and winning races in international competition. In our fast paced electronic and impersonal age, homing pigeons can be a relaxing, challenging and rewarding family activity, appealing to people of all backgrounds. The author mentions some celebrities who have been homing pigeon fanciers. Pigeon racing in an under-publicized activity in America. Racing Pigeons: A Manual unveils this unique hobby and sport.

About the Author

Thayer Keith Miller — educated as an artist, psychologist, lawyer, and minister, has been a licensed chief broadcast engineer, amateur radio operator, senior officer in the Panamanian Merchant Marine, cruise consultant and organizer of worldwide sailing expeditions. He has lived in Pennsylvania, Colorado, Texas, Saskatchewan, Sweden, and the Philippines (and founded several churches in Leyte). He and his wife, Lindaflor, former Philippine model and movie actress, are parents of three sons. As a rodeo bareback and saddle bronc rider, Thayer performed with film stars Audie Murphy and Michael Ansara. He has written magazine articles on numerous topics and is author of two other non-fiction books, Words of Faith (the role of Christianity in society) and Clouds Over Paradise (high seas adventure in the Indian Ocean).