Homing pigeon checks into hospital for rest

[June 10, 2008]  BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) -- A homing pigeon on its last leg of a 515-mile race checked into the hospital for a well-deserved rest. The friendly pigeon flew into the Meadows Hospital courtyard earlier this week and stuck around after receiving a warm welcome, said technician Jennifer Sommer, who first spotted the bird.

"Miss Pigeon" was not afraid of people, making her popular with the staff and the patients at the mental health facility. She has even sat in on some group health sessions.

"She just sat on the picnic table, and just sat next to us and wasn't afraid of us at all," Sommer said.

Sommer called the number on the band on the pigeon's leg and connected with the Central Indiana Racing Pigeon Club, which said the bird belonged to Al Coury, who lives in Wanamaker, not far southeast of Indianapolis.

Coury raises racing pigeons, hand-feeding the nestlings to socialize them. He has about 100 pigeons in his loft. He told Sommer to feed his bird unpopped popcorn, which she gobbled up.

He said the bird was one of 12 pigeons he shipped to Montgomery, Ala., for release on May 31. It took the bird about a day and a half to get to Bloomington.

"It was a very difficult race with lots of wind," Coury said.

Several of Coury's other pigeons were home to roost the night before, and his loft won the race.

"I was shocked that they got here so soon," he said.

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Information from: The Herald Times, http://www.heraldtimesonline.com/

[Associated Press; By COREY WILLIAMS]

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