Racing Pigeon Sport

In the United States, pigeon racing appears to be mainly a male dominated sport. Indeed story often goes as follows: "When I was five years old, a pigeon fell of the roof, I took it in and my father showed me how to take care of it. I fell in love with the birds and although I had to stop breeding pigeons for a few years, I now have time again and spend every free minute I have with them."

While some pigeon fanciers are very particular about their breeds and their birds' performances in organized events, others simply do it for fun and joy of spending time with the birds and other like minded individuals. Casual races have an entry fee of a few cents per bird, whereas larger venues may often require significant investment. For "serious" races the entry fee can be as high as $1000 US dollars per bird, with the winner taking a portion of the purse. With hundreds of entrants, the payoff can be quite substantial.

Major races are coordinated through the "American Racing Pigeon Union" and take place throughout the Unites States. California enjoys a disproportionately large amount of pigeon racers living in its state.