The trainer then takes the birds five to 10 miles away and releases them. The distance the birds must fly to reach their home loft is gradually increased. All racing homers are fitted with a band on one of their legs that holds a capsule containing that particular bird's identification code. Like marathon runners, homers are fed a high-protein grain mixture with extra carbohydrates prior to a race. Then the birds are transported to a specific launching location an equal distance to each of their individual home lofts, where they're released simultaneously.
Owners return to their home lofts after the release to see which birds return first.
When the birds arrive, the capsules are removed from their legs and inserted into a Benzing Clock, which records their time. Races are judged on the bird with the fastest speed, based on yards per minute, to their home loft. For the rest of the day's top world stories, click here , to our International News page. Click here for Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and Internet Safety Information applicable to this site.