By Danielle Sanzone
The Record

COHOES — There is a happy ending for the racing pigeon Peaches.

The owners of the gold-colored bird saw an article in The Record last week and were then put in touch with the Housers who had been taking care of Peaches for a couple of weeks.

George Maldonado, whose wife Pearl got him the bird on a recent trip to Long Island, said the pigeon had been missing for at least a week. The bird flew off just a couple days after it was brought up to the Capital District and found a home in the backyard of Shelley and Joe Houser in Cohoes.

Coincidentally, the Housers only live about a mile from the Maldonados and the families actually know each other.

“I was talking with Pearl on the phone about the bird and then I realized I knew her,” said Shelley Houser, who said the bird started visiting them the Thursday before Memorial Day. The two families used to see each other at regular community football games where their families and young relatives competed.

Peaches, the name the Housers have given the bird, visits the Cohoes family daily – usually in the morning and then possibly in the afternoon if there are children playing in the Housers’ pool.

“Peaches grew up around kids. That’s why she’s so good with my 9-year-old daughter Abbey,” said Houser.

The pigeon was hatched in 2004 and has lived in Long Island as a racing pigeon with an Italian family, explained Maldonados who has been racing and flying pigeons for about 35 years. He used to have about 60 but now has a small flock that flies together.

“They’re like a wolf pack in the sky when they fly together. It’s beautiful. When you get hooked on pigeon racing there is no going back. I saw that look in Abbey’s eye,” he said.

That is part of the reason he is giving the bird to the Housers. Having raised these birds for many years, he said he also knew it would be nearly impossible to re-train the bird to fly back to his house since it is already used to going to the Housers daily for meals. Continued...

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Maldonados is part of the Hudson Valley Pigeon Club near Amsterdam and has even become acquainted with Mike Tyson since they are both racing pigeon enthusiasts.

More than a handful of area residents called with information on how the Housers might find the true owners – mainly by using the purple band and code on the bird’s right leg. Others, however, in Lansingburgh and Petersburg said they too had found similar pigeons in their yards around the same time. Another reader said the bird was a cinnamon pigeon and might be worth as much as $1,000.

“We’re just happy that Peaches will officially have a home here,” said Houser. Maldonados will be helping the family make a coop for the bird this summer.

Danielle Sanzone may be reached at 270-1292, @DanielleSanzone on Twitter, or by email at dsanzone@troyrecord.com.

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By Danielle Sanzone
The Record

COHOES — There is a happy ending for the racing pigeon Peaches.

The owners of the gold-colored bird saw an article in The Record last week and were then put in touch with the Housers who had been taking care of Peaches for a couple of weeks.

George Maldonado, whose wife Pearl got him the bird on a recent trip to Long Island, said the pigeon had been missing for at least a week. The bird flew off just a couple days after it was brought up to the Capital District and found a home in the backyard of Shelley and Joe Houser in Cohoes.

Coincidentally, the Housers only live about a mile from the Maldonados and the families actually know each other.

“I was talking with Pearl on the phone about the bird and then I realized I knew her,” said Shelley Houser, who said the bird started visiting them the Thursday before Memorial Day. The two families used to see each other at regular community football games where their families and young relatives competed.

Peaches, the name the Housers have given the bird, visits the Cohoes family daily – usually in the morning and then possibly in the afternoon if there are children playing in the Housers’ pool.

“Peaches grew up around kids. That’s why she’s so good with my 9-year-old daughter Abbey,” said Houser.

The pigeon was hatched in 2004 and has lived in Long Island as a racing pigeon with an Italian family, explained Maldonados who has been racing and flying pigeons for about 35 years. He used to have about 60 but now has a small flock that flies together.

“They’re like a wolf pack in the sky when they fly together. It’s beautiful. When you get hooked on pigeon racing there is no going back. I saw that look in Abbey’s eye,” he said.

That is part of the reason he is giving the bird to the Housers. Having raised these birds for many years, he said he also knew it would be nearly impossible to re-train the bird to fly back to his house since it is already used to going to the Housers daily for meals.

Maldonados is part of the Hudson Valley Pigeon Club near Amsterdam and has even become acquainted with Mike Tyson since they are both racing pigeon enthusiasts.

More than a handful of area residents called with information on how the Housers might find the true owners – mainly by using the purple band and code on the bird’s right leg. Others, however, in Lansingburgh and Petersburg said they too had found similar pigeons in their yards around the same time. Another reader said the bird was a cinnamon pigeon and might be worth as much as $1,000.

“We’re just happy that Peaches will officially have a home here,” said Houser. Maldonados will be helping the family make a coop for the bird this summer.

Danielle Sanzone may be reached at 270-1292, @DanielleSanzone on Twitter, or by email at dsanzone@troyrecord.com.

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