Damaged Homing Pigeon - Who To Tell?

[CharlesdeGaulle]

I found a damaged (and now dead) pigeon in my garden today. I saw it on the ground and ignored it for a while because I get lots of birds, but then it flopped onto a step and wheezed a bit. I put it in the empty chicken run to keep it away from the dog, and gave it water but it died soon after.

Now, to the point. It had a numbered ring on its leg so I'm guessing that there is a central register and I want to let the owner know what's happened to it. Short of googling pigeon fanciers (with safe search on!) any ideas who I can notify?

[GWC]

The letters on the ring should lead you to which organisation to call.

[AdiT]

Have a look on the underside of it's flight feathers. Some owners put contact details there using a rubber ink stamp.

[CharlesdeGaulle]

GWC said:

The letters on the ring should lead you to which organisation to call.

Well it says GB 12 N, then a number. If that means anything once it's been decoded.

[CharlesdeGaulle]

AdiT said:

Have a look on the underside of it's flight feathers. Some owners put contact details there using a rubber ink stamp.

I didn't notice anything, and carcass now disposed of and I'm not going to look for it!

[GWC]

The internet suggests that's the Royal Pigeon Racing Association.

[base]

http://www.homingpigeons.co.uk/lostpigeon.htm

[CharlesdeGaulle]

GWC said:

The internet suggests that's the Royal Pigeon Racing Association.

mmm, their stray reporting site demands my address and phone number which seems somewhat presumptuous right from the start.

[CharlesdeGaulle]

base said:

http://www.homingpigeons.co.uk/lostpigeon.htm

Thanks. Reported.

Not sure why they need all my details to report a dead bird though.

[CharlesdeGaulle]

Just to close this off, I've received a confirmation message of thanks for the notification. This also includes the owner's name, address and phone number which, in today's world, seems unusual.

Anyway, story of sad death of a pigeon now told.