17 Comments
May 19, 2022Liked by Chris Arnade

We're all human trying to enjoy the day. I tell my friends all about pigeons ever since I first read what you've written on the pigeon keepers of nyc. Before i read that story i was working working as an engineer on a partially completed construction site in northwestern NJ about an hour 30 min out of the city and there were pigeon racers there releasing birds trained to fly back to their place in Passaic nj. They were very nice and explained what they were doing, always interesting to see the things people have come up with to pass the time. Not in a passive way but fully engaged for no particular reason but to enjoy it. It's definitely art

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Fascinating. You may know this, but as the story goes, Mike Tyson grew up under very rough circumstances and found reprieve with his roof top pigeons as a boy. He got into his first fight when another boy hurt his pigeon, and the rest is history. I think he still keeps them, and knows quite a bit about them.

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That was so touching, I had to subscribe..All these lives, both human and birds, entwined in mysterious ways..Chris, you have a gift for understanding. Keep walking..

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Beautiful photo essay - just wonderful.

I was wondering if neighbors might object to the mess...and then you mentioned the gentrifying edge of Park Slope.

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Wonderful wonderful article. "On the roof and out of trouble" is a phrase for the ages.

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Hi Chris, I’m a big fan of your work and have been following you for a while. I’m a photographer in NYC and I’m working on a long term project about the city’s relationship to the natural world. I’m looking to explore the world of pigeon keepers and see if any of them would fit into the project.

Is there any way you could point me in the direction of one of the pigeon keepers that you met? It’d be a huge help to have a way to get in touch with someone in this world. Thanks

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Beautifully written, thank you.

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Thank you! I am far away from this community but a similar thing exists in Edinburgh. The photographer Roberth Ormerod did a project on them a while back https://www.robertormerod.co.uk/doomen

Got an article in the Guardian too, with more context: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2012/sep/21/pigeon-fanciers-doomen-edinburgh-photography

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This is so amazing! Thank you for sharing these stories and the beautiful photos!

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This is amazing, what a fascinating read.

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One of your most heartwarming and beautiful essays—and that’s a very high bar! Thank you.

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Stunning photography. I loved this post!

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There are lots of coops in my area and the birds produce a lot of guano. When my mom was a kid her brothers used to keep pigeons under the bed everyone shared. I wonder if there are many squirrel keepers as well.

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The pic of the rainbow spanning the rooftop is just awesome! It's one of those moments in time that should be treasured by everyone who sees it.

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Yes to pigeons and yes Plato had it all wrong!

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Absolutely one of your best, thanks for this. Beautiful photographs and writing.

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