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The article discusses the social history of pigeon racing among coal miners in Great Britain in the 19th century. Topics explored include the relationship of miners with their homing pigeons, the changes in various coal mining laws which allowed workers to rear and train their birds in addition to the opportunity to participate in long-distance races, and the gambling activities associated with pigeon racing.

The article focuses on animal auctions, including the sale of a Belgian racing pigeon for almost 1.9 million U.S. dollars, the purchase of a Texel lamb having all the best genetics in Scotland for nearly 490,000 U.S. dollars, and the sale of a koi carp in Japan for 1.8 million U.S. dollars.

The article reports on a pigeon racing event from the Freedom Worship Center in Fort Littleton, Pennsylvania to New York. The 250-mile race involves 1,008 racing pigeons that will be flying against the east wind. Two participants of the event are Zenon Skubal and Jerzy Zak who have 17 pigeons in the race. Bird racers have been criticized by animal activists, including People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).

The article focuses on pigeon racing during winters in Australia. The flyers have unique tactics and training for pigeon racing. Jock Gray, who was an officer of Sydney's Leichhardt Flying Club, has old tricks when anticipating the birds' arrival. The concept of pigeon racing came to Australia in late 1980s.

The article discusses the sport of competitive pigeon racing. The Vegas Classic is the biggest event in pigeon racing and involves a 300-mile race of hundreds of pigeons. The sport is highly competitive, with prize breeding birds selling for $25,000 to $200,000. The Vegas Classic was founded by Ed Sittner, who also trained all 422 birds that competed in the 2007 event.

The article focuses on pigeon racing in the U.S. The American Racing Pigeon Union oversees two racing seasons each year--one in the spring, for birds more than a year old, and one in the fall, for young birds. Some races have cash awards for winners. There are scores of pigeon breeds, all of them varieties of the rock dove, the bird you see in cities. Fancy breeds--such as pygmy pouters, oriental frills, and short-faced tumblers--are raised for show and for performance. Homing pigeons are raised to race home.

Highlights the Million Dollar Pigeon Race, a pigeon racing held in Sun City, South Africa on January 28, 2005. Total number of participating pigeons from all over the world; Price of each pigeon; Prizes for the competition.

Focuses on the participation of contestant Orlando Martinez in the Main Event pigeon race in New York City. Popularity of the sport; Description of a meeting of a homing pigeon club; Preparations and training for the race; Care of the pigeons; How pigeons home; Outcome of the race.

Presents highlights of research on how homing pigeons know how to return home from unfamiliar territory thousands of miles away. Details of experiments conducted; Underestimation of the intelligence of pigeons; Use of pigeons in psychology laboratories; Advances made in pigeon navigation.

Focuses on pigeon varieties found in the world. Significance of pigeons in literature; Legend behind pigeon's red feet; Speculation on origin of domestic pigeon; Nesting habits of pigeons; Comparison of speed of racing pigeons with train speed; Pigeon racing sport of Belgium.

The article presents quotations, statistics, and world news briefs on various topics as of October 14, 2013. U.S. President Barack Obama is quoted on the ideology of many Republican Party members in America. A statistic is provided on the number of racing pigeons from Belgium that were impounded by Chinese customs officials following a reported dispute over import fees. A 30-second advertisement on the series finale of the television program "Breaking Bad" reportedly cost 250,000 dollars.

Presents information on pigeon racing. Challenges faced by racing homers; Strategy used by a pigeon owner to make sure that his pigeon wins the race; Other uses of homing pigeons; Organizations that regulate races in the U.S.

Reports that Britain is considering lifting a ban on the shooting of birds of prey. Reason; Views by Dutch scientists; Success of pigeon racing in Europe; Concern of pigeon fanciers in Belgium.

The article discusses various aspects of pigeons include their behavior, intelligence, and usage by humans for racing.

The article discusses the pigeon racing that takes place in Australia.

Focuses on the racing pigeons bred by Chris and Willie Hongach in La Grange, New York. Race procedure; Racing schedule for different categories; Criteria for selecting racing pigeons; Training regimen for pigeons.

The article presents quotations, statistics, and world news briefs on various topics as of October 14, 2013. U.S. President Barack Obama is quoted on the ideology of many Republican Party members in America. A statistic is provided on the number of racing pigeons from Belgium that were impounded by Chinese customs officials following a reported dispute over import fees. A 30-second advertisement on the series finale of the television program "Breaking Bad" reportedly cost 250,000 dollars.

The article presents quotations, statistics, and world news briefs on various topics as of October 14, 2013. U.S. President Barack Obama is quoted on the ideology of many Republican Party members in America. A statistic is provided on the number of racing pigeons from Belgium that were impounded by Chinese customs officials following a reported dispute over import fees. A 30-second advertisement on the series finale of the television program "Breaking Bad" reportedly cost 250,000 dollars.

The article reports that a racing pigeon named Bolt from a Belgian breeder was sold for $400,000 to a Chinese businessman and a pigeon coop sold for $5.5 million, where the price offers were described by breeder Nikolaas Gyselbrecht as stunning.

The article looks at how Chinese interest in foreign-bred racing pigeons are causing inflation in the prices of the birds, discussing topics including Belgium's pigeon industry, the large prizes offered in Chinese pigeon races, and pigeon fanciers' dismay at the rising prices.

This section offers economic, political and social news briefs in New York, including the allegations of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) that the local Bronx Homing Pigeon Club is a leader in the world of illegal pigeon racing, the performance of freestyle rapper Talib Kweli at Saint John University and the decision of the Brooklyn Prospect Charter School to ban hugging between classes.

The article discusses students at St. Agnes' Primary School in Crawcrook, Gateshead who have adopted racing pigeons as a way to learn about geography. Retired headteacher Derek Graham introduced the birds into the school and helps by keeping the students updated about the birds' travels. St. Agnes' headteacher is Lynn Hudson who comments on how the idea was implemented by Graham.

The article discusses the flight of John Stewart's homing pigeon, Judy. Stewart entered the bird in a 1000 kilometer flying race from northern France to Northumberland, England. Judy got lost and ended up in St. Eustatius, an island in the Dutch Caribbean. Finders of the bird reported back to Stewart that Judy is safe.

The article discusses Canada's pigeon exporting industry. When the Australian government recently imposed a temporary ban on all live bird exports from Canada--prompted by the discovery of unspecified avian flu antibodies in a small group of racing pigeons shipped there from Ontario--bird enthusiasts were upset. The ban, which was lifted a few days later, came despite the fact that none of the feathered flock tested positive for the deadly H5N1 strain of the influenza virus that has already killed more than 150 million birds and at least 62 people in Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and Cambodia. According to Robby Copeland, past president of the 103-year-old Canadian Pigeon Fanciers' Association, the pigeon-keeping and -racing industries in Canada each generate about $10 million a year in show revenues, prize money and pigeon sales.

Presents quotations from newsmakers of the week. Speech by Vice President Dick Cheney in which he implied that a terrorist attack might occur if the Republicans are not reelected; Comment from George W. Bush on obstetricians and lawsuits; Threat from Ayman al-Zawahiri as he proclaimed U.S. defeat in Iraq and Afghanistan; Possible terrorist threat warning from an Indonesian police chief; Thought on random drug tests being instituted for pigeon races in Great Britain.

Reports on the disappearance of racing pigeons during a flight between Malmoö and Ljungby in Sweden.

Reports that a research team at the Switzerland-based Zurich University has alleged that England-based Oxford University researcher Tim Guilford claimed credit for their study results. Background on the study conducted by Guilford which revealed that homing pigeons use road networks to navigate; Assertion by Zurich research team head Hans-Peter Lipp that Guilford appropriated the results of a study conducted by his team without proper acknowledgement.

Presents information on a racing pigeon, an animal rights group and a Chinese woman who is a geophagist.

Reports on the retrieval of a racing pigeon by British Airways after its owner from Liverpool, England lost the bird.

This article presents information about fastest birds, fastest mammals and fastest insects. Often called the world's fastest bird, the peregrine's speed is legendary — and conjectural. Estimates of the speed of its dives, or stoops, range from 100 to more than 200 miles an hour. The birds, released after the divers, dive down to seize beef attached to a yellow lure. On some jumps the birds wore a small device to measure their speed. Peregrines may be the fastest divers, but at their level flapping speed of 30 to 60 miles an hour, they'd be eating the dust of a few other birds. Racing pigeons and dunlin sandpipers can hit speeds of 110 mph, with red-breasted merganser ducks (100 mph) close behind. INSET: Speed Freaks.

In Australia, the breeding season for racing pigeons stretches from July to October. The young birds produced during the season are tagged and prepared for racing the following year. In most pigeon racing clubs, the young bird racing season usually begins in mid March, with the first race taking place 120 to 150km from the birds' home loft. The season features 5 to 8 races of usually no more than 400km. The young bird racing season is followed by a short break for fanciers, prior to the old bird season which usually begins in early to mid August and lasts until November. In Australia, it is common practice to race young pigeons during the young bird season, give them a break of some two months and then enter them again in the old bird racing season.

Highlights an article from `The Guardian' British periodical reporting that random drug testing is to be carried out on British racing pigeons following concern that some are being fed anabolic steroids to improve their performance.

Reports that the pigeon It's Worth A Flutter won the 1997 World Free Flight Pigeon Race. The pigeon as the United States' entry in the event.

The article features several outstanding animal athletes, including the snake Ophidia, which won the Saint Patrick's Day Snake race in San Francisco, California, French Sion racing pigeon Sam, which won the 500-mile Shreveport-to-Nashville race organized by the Nashville Racing Pigeon Club and rat Maggie Lacrosse, which won the second annual Rat Olympics in Viterbo College in Wisconsin.