鲍鱼tv Scotland - 鲍鱼tv Scotland - Obsession and cut-throat rivalry at the heart of a gentle hobby

Obsession and cut-throat rivalry at the heart of a gentle hobby

Pigeon flying may seem a relaxing pastime, but for one man it's an all-consuming passion.

On a Greenock hillside Daniel crouches and whoops, rhythmically bobbing his head and shoulders up and down. It's a curious sight, but this strange behaviour is symptomatic of an obsession which has taken over his life: pigeons.

A tense wait for the birds to return

Daniel must act quickly to capture a doo.

Daniel cares for his beloved pigeons - or 'doos' as they are known in Scotland - in a tin shed near his home. He spends much of his time there, releasing the birds into the air then enduring the anxious wait for them to return.

His curious calls attract the doo back to the shed where he must act quickly by tugging on a wire-pull to bring a net down and capture the bird before it can fly off.

But Daniel's are not the only eyes following the pigeons when they sweep over the town. As the documentary Dooman reveals, despite its sedate appearance, pigeon flying is a cut-throat business and many others want to know where the birds land.

Some of Daniel's closest neighbours are also his bitterest rivals. Should one of Daniel's prized doos be tempted to land on a rival's shed it will be captured and ownership of the bird immediately transferred.

A family obsession

For Daniel, doos are an obsession passed down through the men in his family; his uncle and grandfather were also doomen.

Looking after the birds is a massive commitment, and Daniel must spend time at his shed every day regardless of the weather conditions or family demands. But he has no intention of turning his back on his beloved pigeons.

"I’ll be dead before I give it up," he says.