Guest Post By Bryan Lester
“I think someone has a chicken in here! What kind of bird is that?!”
Beacon enjoys Happy Hour at Molotov’s
My Palomacy-adopted fantail pigeons, Francis and Beacon, love a good outing in their backpack, especially when they can get a little time to relax and take in the surroundings. As both a bar-industry worker and patron, I love taking my birds on short (1-2 hour) trips to local watering holes. They seem to love the sights, sounds, and attention: pigeons are, after all, flock creatures! It didn’t take much to get Francis and Beacon to understand the benefits of regular backpack adventures, and now they can hardly wait until it’s unzipped to try and climb in.
Here are my suggestions on taking your feathered friends to your local pub!
Have a Comfy Backpack Setup
When taking my birds out, I ALWAYS keep them in the backpack — my birds don’t love hands constraining them, and I feel safer knowing they’re enclosed when in more chaotic environments. I use a reasonably priced cat backpack made from PetCute.
PetCute Backpack, purchase here
This backpack is available directly from the PetCute website or through retailers like Amazon, Walmart, etc, in a couple of colors/sizes. The reason I chose this backpack is that it has a washable flat bottom (pigeons don’t love being on a perch all day), has a nice plexiglass window the birds can see out of, and has an expandable back area if the birds need to stretch out or step out of the limelight for a while. It’s nice to know that all the zippers lock and won’t accidentally open.
On the bottom of the backpack I have a towel laid down for easy cleanup, and a small bowl for some treats (unsalted sunflower seeds). On longer trips I sometimes bring a small water dish, and introduce it from the top flap once they’re off my back and on more stable ground.
Beacon trying to get the seed-tender’s attention for another round at Finnegans Wake
Finally, I found an excellent clip-on, USB rechargeable light made by “Olight” that has adjustable brightness. The lowest moonlight setting is just right. I’ve found my pigeons have poor low-light vision and this helps them see, feel safe, and be seen! The light clips perfectly onto a seam on the inside ceiling of the backpack.
The Olight “OClip” light. Purchase here
Pick the Right Location, Time, and Seating Area
Location: Anywhere unpretentious, with a diverse crowd. Generally, if it’s a bar that people bring dogs into, it’s probably going to be OK for a bird-backpack trip. I avoid locations where food is served, as they might not be as welcoming due to their health-code requirements.
Time: This really depends on the bird, and you’ll need to observe how they react to different times of day. For the first outings, I’ve found that early evenings, on less crowded days (Sunday through Wednesday) are a good start. Over time, I’ve found that my female, Beacon, is more of a Happy-Hour-while-the-sun-is-still-out bird, whereas Francis prefers lively evening crowds. Astonishingly, both birds seem unbothered by louder environments (in fact, it often results in them taking a nap, of all things).
Seating area: Start with a place that’s less crowded and out of the way…a table in the corner, or the end of the bar. My birds definitely prefer to have the back of their carrier against a wall or a chair back.
Check in With the Bartender
Francis loves watching the bartender work at Trax Bar
I always ask the bartender if it’s ok to have my pigeon in the bar. Just keep it simple:
“This is my bird Francis, is it ok for him to be here inside his backpack?”
The answer is almost always an emphatic “OMG YES!! What kind of bird is that? What’s their name?” If not, try someplace else. There’s a whole world out there!
Be Prepared For Lots of Attention and Questions!
“What kind of bird is that?”
“Does it fly around your house?”
“Can I take a picture with your bird?”
“If I put my finger in there, will it bite me?” (yes, but it won’t hurt and Francis loooooooves to playfight!)
Francis bathing in the attention of his adoring fans.
You’ll be surprised these days that a lot of people know about the history of pigeons, from being domestic pets, to being discarded and having to live feral. Folks are also very interested to hear about Palomacy and what they’re doing, so it’s a great time to advocate.
Occasionally you may encounter someone (usually inebriated), who is convinced that it’s inhumane to have a bird in captivity. I usually try to explain that my birds are adopted, can’t survive in the wild, and fly around freely in my house (in pigeon pants). These experiences are rare, but if you ever feel uncomfortable, my advice as a doorman is to leave the fools where they are and go somewhere else!
Know Your Bird’s Limits (And Your Own, Too!)
Birds should never be given alcohol in any quantity, period. It will kill them! And you should watch your own limits as well, since you’re going to be the one taking your feathered friend home at the end of the night. Generally, I limit our outings to an hour or two; beyond that my birds will either just nap in the carrier (which is ok), or indicate that they want to go home to see their mate.
When taking them out to social places for the first time, expect that they may only last 30 minutes or so. This is a natural part of them getting used to new environments. Gradually you will discover what times and places they like to go, and work your way up to longer sessions. After a while, you may find your birds fighting over whose turn it is to go to the pub!
See you later, Francis, it’s my turn to go out tonight!
