THE SECRET LIFE OF PIGEONS Thank you to Bruce Mathers, and the Up North Combine members that participated in the production of “The Secret Life of Pigeons” produced by The Nature of Things with David Suzuki. This production was an educational piece for the general public, and our show and race communities. The presentation clearly showed the difference in “pigeons” quality of life in our lofts Vs. their street cousins existence. This is certainly a different perspective than PETA’s evaluation. The scientific study of the pigeon’s sense of smell reinforced the importance of clear Respiratory in our racing candidates. And, “ideal free distribution” indirectly explains flyaways. This scientifically-based documentary can only help our sport. Thanks again Bruce

John Doyle: For emotional impact, meet the pigeons John Doyle The Globe and Mail Published Thursday, Nov. 20 2014, 12:00 AM EST Last updated Thursday, Nov. 20 2014, 12:00 AM EST The Secret Life of Pigeons (CBC, 8 p.m. on The Nature of Things) is highly entertaining, slightly daft and rather sweet. Some of The Nature of Things docs go awry. The recent one about animals and sexual desire was really about female sexual desire under the guise of cute stuff about voles and monkeys, and didn’t quite click. This one clicks. When you meet the charmingly eccentric Canadian pigeonracing community at the end, you will be smitten. Okay, so you’re probably thinking, “Why should I watch some stuff about freakin’

pigeons when I could enjoy the brilliant banter on 2 Broke Girls?” (Tonight, FYI – Max accompanies Caroline on a trip to a white-collar prison to see Caroline’s father.) Or you’re wondering why you should pay attention when there is the highly charged drama machine that is Grey’s Anatomy? (Tonight – FYI, “a routine procedure leads to something unexpected.”) Well, I’ll tell you why. Pigeons lead really rough lives. And yet they are highly intelligent, organized and clever critters. They have been good to humanity over the centuries, becoming useful in circumstances that only pigeons could manage. They’ve been heroic and yet most of us think of them now as mere pests. It was news to me that a gang of pigeons hanging out somewhere have several lookouts who can recognize the walk and facial features of people who feed them. They also operate under a system of communism, dividing up a city into areas for a certain number of pigeons who can get enough to eat in that area. It’s called “ideal free distribution,” or something. It’s like somebody explained Marxism to them and they all went, “It works for us!” One of the highlights of the program, made by Scott Harper, is the pigeon-cam. We get to soar with the birds and witness their view of the urban environment. Also their highly intricate methods of staying safe. As well, we are reminded that “the glory days of pigeons are long gone.” How quickly we have forgotten that pigeons delivered messages and medicine when no person or other creature could. They did it, of course, because of their extraordinary directional sense and ability to find their way home over vast and confusing terrain. How they do it is the subject of a chunk of the program. I’m not giving it away. It’s when we meet the pigeon-racing community that, you know, things get eccentric. They’re an odd bunch and proud if it. We are assured that while there have been scandals in the pigeon-racing world – steroids! doping! – it doesn’t happen in Canada. As a chap insists with some passion, what the racing-pigeon owner wants, mainly, is “a good-looking pigeon.” Then we see 1,500 racing pigeons being released at the same time. And it is awesome. You should know, too, that pigeons encode spatial information the way we do. That makes them invaluable in the search for a cure for Alzheimer’s. In fact there is a ton you should know, so just watch it. I did and part of the impact was personal. When I bought my wee house in downtown Toronto some years ago, there was a pigeon coop out back. Tore it down. At the time I felt a bit guilty. The Portuguese family who had lived in the house for decades had enjoyed the pigeons. Now I don’t just feel guilty, I feel terrible. If you want emotional impact tonight – open your heart to the pigeons.

As the first animal to be domesticated, pigeons have a story to tell. A drama filled, steeped-in-history, amazing story. Although they’ve faded into the background of city life, pigeons have made an incredible contribution to human history. For centuries, we relied on them for everything from food, to vital communications, to entertainment to modern day brain science. They deserve more respect!

The ones you see on city streets today are the descendants of domestic birds. Their gritty urban lives are spent trying to evade all manner of perils…and… stay one step ahead of starvation, a constant threat. To survive where they’re not wanted, pigeons rely on a combination of charity from a few and their own incredible smarts….

In a series of fascinating experiments and carefully placed cameras, we take you inside their perilous world; in the air, on the street and in the nest. One of the first things to notice is just how incredibly smart they are. We’ll demonstrate how pigeons can spot and remember faces, how they distribute themselves around the city so that each bird gets the same amount of food, how they manage to deftly avoid all manner of threats from hungry hawks to speeding cars….and also, how they’ve learned to navigate over great distances from places they’ve never been; one of the great mysteries of science.

Read a review by tv critic John Doyle. See an interview with director Scott Harper on Katie Chats. By placing the first ever HD camera onboard a pigeon, you’ll get an incredible, genuine bird’s eye view. We look in on the fascinating subculture of pigeon racing – a favourite pastime for royals, celebrities and working people all over the world. And

we’ll enter the realm of the pigeon fancier, the breeders that create exotic and bizarre new strands in a tradition with roots in Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution.

Despite their incredible gifts and their contribution to human history, pigeons that live in the city today are looked at primarily as a dirty nuisance. ‘Rats with wings’ as Woody Allen dubbed them. The Secret Life of Pigeons intends to set the record straight, casting these humble but amazing creatures in a whole new and beautiful light.

The Secret Life of Pigeons is directed, written and produced by Scott Harper and his company Sunday Night Entertainment and executive produced by Bob Culbert. It is produced in association with CBC, with assistance from Canada Media Fund.

Credits written, produced and directed by Scott Harper executive producer Robert Culbert director of photography Christopher McKay editor Enzo Anile original music John Rowley additional camera Michael Ellis

Tim Sauder wildlife cinematographer Jonathan Watts location sound recordists Bruce Cameron Alain Letourneau Ao Loo Peter Sawade graphics Mark Alberts pigeon wrangler Bruce Mathers supervising producer Nida Marji visual researcher Tanya Fleet production coordinator Elizabeth Hodgson set designers Jessica Poyton Zac Ward camera assistants Marko Cigljarev Kyle Woodley assistant editor Kevin Connelly scientists

Vern Bingman, Bowling Green State University Luc-Alain Giraldeau, University of Quebec Dmitry Kishkinev, University of Guelph Suzanne MacDonald, York University transcription Monica Côté Omar Saer post production coordinator Brandon Tobia online editor David Hermiston colourist Drake Conrad re-recording mixer Dustin Harris sound editors Steve Blair Jeremy Kessler

publicist Nancy Yu legal Danny Webber

production bookkeeper Michelle Ferrari

based on an idea by Maeve Powis special thanks Dan Frankian Carolyn Hall Grant Jackson Debbie Kelly Brian Pogue Clint Robertson Tessa Singh Bill Voulgaris

and to Up North Racing Pigeon Combine (Ontario, Canada) & its members Bruce Mathers Ron Hastie Mario Rea Tony Rea Carlos Teixeira Bill Bennie Ken Foster Ellen Sutton Mike van der Jagt The Humber Valley Racing Pigeon Club Linda Cowan Jim Jenner stock footage and photographs courtesy of Album / Art Resource, NY Animal Planet / Photofest BBC Creative / Getty Images

B.F. Skinner Foundation Critical Past Division of Military History and Diplomacy / Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution Eric Lessing / Art Resource, NY Gianni Dagli Orti / The Art Archive at Art Resource, NY iStock.com / ZU_09 iStock.com / ilbusca iStock.com / zepperwing Jonathan Watts / British Technical Films Magnum Photos / Peter Marlow POND5 Roy Harris Media on behalf of Content Mint : Absolutely Wild Visuals SAMDPR footage courtesy of the South African Million Dollar Pigeon Race SAMDPR Liberation footage produced by Black Envelope Films SAMDPR Additional footage produced by Big Brave Digital SAMDPR logo animation produced by Shine Interactiv Topical Press Agency / Hulton Royals Collection / Getty Images produced with the participation of CMF and with the assistance of The Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit produced in association with Canadian Broadcasting Corporation

senior producer Caroline Underwood executive producer Sue Dando

produced by Sunday Night Entertainment © 2345469 Ontario Inc. 2014 for the nature of things online editing Adam Champ associate director Renée Moreau unit production manager June Hall senior manager Documentary Unit Wilma Alexander senior producers Caroline Underwood FM Morrison for the nature of things executive producer Sue Dando executive director Documentary Programming Mark Starowicz The Nature of Things with David Suzuki

produced by Canadian Broadcasting Corporation

Thanks, Mike Taylor Borden Racing Pigeon Club