Cantonal police say 230 pigeons were stolen from a barn in the Swiss town of Laupen, near Zurich.
The Serbian Highflier pigeons, a breed of birds that is bred especially for endurance flying, are thought to have been taken on Sunday night, said the Corriere del Ticino newspaper.
The thieves also took the birds’ vitamins and medications. The paper said each bird is wearing a tag with a cell phone number which could help identify the missing flock.