lost: pigeon

At the beginning of the month, before my scheduled arrival, my new roommate announces that there is a bird in her apartment.  Further updates reveal that it is a homing pigeon that has decided that her open door is an open invitation.

After a couple of days, she does a little bit of internet investigation.  Using his tag numbers, she discovers that he is most likely a racing pigeon from Cuba.  The organization that he probably belongs to doesn't have a website, or any way for her to contact them.  But, some of the other people she found online (because apparently pigeon racing is big sport) said that it's not uncommon for them to need a little bit of food & rest in the middle of a race, which can be upwards of 600 miles!  Following their advice, she puts some water & raw brown rice on the balcony, for which he is obviously grateful.  

Now, it's about a week later.  The pigeon is still here.  He leaves for hours, but always comes back.  We don't mind him, or really even the poop all over the balcony, but we are concerned.  In the course of her investigation, she has learned that often, if the birds aren't any good (too slow, often lost, whatever makes a homing pigeon 'bad') are euthanized.  It seems apparent that this guy isn't going to win whatever race he's supposed to be participating in, what would happen if we miraculously found a way to send him back?!

Or, maybe like a lot of Cuban athletes, he's defected, & we're providing him political asylum.