Melbourne, Australia — A racing pigeon detained by Australian authorities and set to be destroyed over concerns it was an American intruder received a lifeline Friday when experts revealed its leg tag was probably fake. Originally thought to have flown from Alabama to a backyard in Melbourne – an epic journey of 14,500 kilometers (9,000 miles) – “Joe” the racing pigeon made headlines around the world. ADVERTISEMENTAustralian media had reported that Melbourne man Kevin Chelli-Bird discovered the pigeon – who he named after president-elect Joe Biden – with an ankle band linked to a US racing bird. Scott’s claim that the tag was a fake was backed up by the American Racing Pigeon Union, which posted on Facebook to try to save Joe. The union said the American owner of the bird linked to the tag said he did not own Joe.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer January 15, 2021 07:41 UTC