Bird Brain Takes Wrong Turn, Lands in Alabama

In early June, a homing pigeon named Bob set off from Guernsey in the Channel Islands on a 400-mile route to Gateshead, a flight that’s supposed to take 10 hours. Several days and 4000 miles later, the four-year-old bird showed up on the other side of the pond, very lost in Mexia, Alabama.

Bob showed up at the home of an “elderly gentleman,” according to the Monroe County Animal Shelter, who were able to decipher leg bands to track down the North of England Homing Union, where a grateful owner was notified.

Owner Alan Todd thinks Bob took a wrong turn somewhere (duh!) and likely hitched a ride on a ship across the Atlantic. “He was covered in oil – it could have been an oil tanker,” Todd told the BBC. Other than the oil, Bob was hungry but healthy.

The animal shelter fed Bob and had a vet look him over. They also arranged for Todd and Bob to chat over video while arrangements are made for the bird’s return home.

"They are obviously looking after him very well - when I saw him yesterday he didn't look in a good state, but looking at him today he looks a lot better just in one day." 

Bob is said to be worth more than £1,000. Todd launched a GoFundMe page to raise funds for the Alabama animal shelter, and to get his beloved Bob home.

Photo credit: Monroe County animal Shelter