When Jay Davis gathered with his family to watch television in their great room Sunday afternoon, he was surprised to see that just outside the room’s window, a fluttery surprise awaited him.

“I was on the computer and when I looked, I didn’t know what it was at first,” Davis said. “I noticed the white feathers and saw it was much bigger than other birds usually hanging around the house. My daughter Katie did a search on the computer.”

Davis said when he got closer to the white bird he noticed a green and orange band on both its legs. The orange band read “AU 2010 AA” and the green one read “28901.”

“Our daughter found that the ‘AU’ stood for the ‘American Racing Pigeon Union’ and that the year 2010 was the year the bird was born,” Davis said. “The AA is the club code the bird belongs to, and 28901 is the bird’s serial number.”

The Davis family later discovered the pigeon at one point had belonged to Charles Siegel & Son Inc., in Jeanerette, La., and with further research the Davis’ learned most lost birds are hungry and thirsty but with rest, water and food such as rice, most homing pigeons will find their own way home.

“We fed and watered the pigeon,” Davis said. “The bird left a little after 7 a.m. Monday morning.”

After a call to Charles Siegel & Son, the Times-Journal learned the company is a pigeon supply house. The lost bird belongs to Randolph pigeon trainer Floyd Macom.

Macom and wife Linda own and train more than 100 pigeons and release them at weddings, funerals, birthday parties, graduations or family reunions. Funeral directors released some of Macom’s pigeons in the air at a funeral on May 21, and he believes one of those pigeons is the same bird that landed outside Davis’ home.

“Pigeons flying away from their home happens quite regularly,” Macom said. “Sometimes the birds may become confused or lost and may take a while to return home, but they usually do. Pigeons may even get caught in a weather front and lose their way. It’s said a magnetic field draws them back home, but scientists are still trying to figure out why they come back.”

Owners of Majestic Dove Release store in Randolph, the newlyweds own nearly 200 animals such as Nigerian Dwarf goats, pigeons and chickens on their personal farm. And although Macom doesn’t race his pigeons, he said pigeons have always fascinated him.

“We’re animal lovers and most of our animals support themselves which is good for us,” Macom said. “I’ve always been interested in pigeons since childhood and I’ve done lots of research on them. I found out I could buy young pigeons and raise about 12 for $300. We have a breeding pair, which live in a large enclosure, Egyptian Fantails and Mexican Genson. Pigeons can grow as big as crows.”

While en route to Maplesville from Selma, Macom said his bird’s detour was unexpected.

“I was surprised to learn it made a stop in Valley Grande,” Macom said. “Hopefully this afternoon, he’ll be waiting for me.”