Peace prospers: Pigeon Peace, aged 24, and owner Valerie Whittingham (Picture: INS)

Retired racer Peace is believed to be the world’s oldest pigeon at 24 – that’s 147 years in bird time.

The old bird has lived 16 years longer than the average feathered friend and is still going strong.

His owner Valerie Whittingham took him under her wing nearly 20 years ago when she spotted him recovering in a nest box at a rescue centre.

It’s the third time the bird lover has owned the world’s oldest pigeon.


Her first old bird, Farewell Farthing, lived to the ripe age of 22 in 2002, before another pigeon, Old Man, beat that record by almost a year.



But a ringlet around Peace’s ankle shows he is 24 years and 188 days, so he is now the cock of the coop.

Mrs Whittingham puts the longevity of her pets down to the top-quality food she feeds her birds.

She said: ‘Peace did not have the best start in life. When he came to me he could not fly and was full of parasites. Now he is a healthy looking bird, despite his age.

‘Seven or eight years is good for a pigeon and he’s three times that. He’s a lovely old bird,’ added Mrs Whittingham of Ashford, Middlesex.

Peace prospers: Pigeon Peace, aged 24, and owner Valerie Whittingham (Picture: INS)