The Professor holding Walter
Bio[]
Walter was a pet homing pigeon that belonged to Birdy and befriended by Gilligan. Walter is a variety of domestic pigeon (Columba livia domestica) derived from the rock pigeon, selectively bred to find its way home over extremely long distances due to its innate homing ability to return to its nest and mate. Walter had a flying range of 1,100 miles (1800km) with a home atop the roof of Birdy's residence at the Los Angeles County Jail in California, and a secondary address at the unrevealed residence of Old Lady Hawkins, possibly in Hawaii, but this is unrevealed. However, a storm in the South Pacific drives Walter off his usually route and he makes Gilligan's island his secondary home. However, the storm also affords the Castaways a chance of rescue, by putting a message on his leg after nursing him to health from the storm. Unfortunately, Birdy doesn't believe the messages, and while getting prepared for another trip, Walter runs afoul of a Black Morning Spider on the island and saves the Castaways from it in return for nursing him to health. Unfortunately, Birdy never gets the last note from the Castaways, freeing Walter and his other pet pigeons. Walter's later whereabouts are unknown.
Trivia[]
- Gilligan named the pigeon after his childhood friend, Walter Stuckmeyer, who was pigeon-toed.
- Although this is unconfirmed, it's possible a variety of different pigeons might have played Walter in the episode.
- Walter and the other animals on the island possibly belonged to Frank Inn, who provided the critters to "The Beverly Hillbillies," but this is unrevealed.
- In behind the scenes footage, the pigeon would often also sit on Bob Denver’s shoulder.